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With Vietnamese workers of an agriculture machinery factory

　The 15th Mekong Delta International Training Course for learning participatory action-oriented training (PAOT) was held in Can Tho City, Vietnam from 22 to 28 August 2015. The total number of overseas participants was 23 from four areas including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand. Also 20 participants from the Can Tho University and the Can Tho Medical College participated.

In the Mekong Delta International Training, we always conduct a PAOT course inviting local people such as workers and farmers. Dr. Nguyen Phuong Toai and his team of the Can Tho Medical College prepared this training course in cooperation with the Japanese steering committee taking long hours. The target of Mekong Delta 2015 was workers of the Trung Anh agriculture machinery factory that is located in Cai Rang District in Can Tho City. In this factory, there are manufacturing processes including cutting, welding, lathing and painting. Since they had no experience of practical safety and health training, the president had high hopes for this opportunity.

　Because the participants arrived in Can Tho City on 22 and 23 August in separate groups, we scheduled the mini international PAOT conference on in the morning of 23 August, and the official training course started in the afternoon. In the mini international PAOT conference, the report of the Work Improvement on Board (WIB) program being implemented by Professor Hisamune (Takasaki City University of Economics), the activity of the Hong Kong Workers Health Center and the report of high school students regarding the activities of the Work Improvement in Neighbourhood Development for Youth (WINDY) program attracted the participants’ eyes. Especially the remarks of a WINDY high school student drew applause of the audience since he showed a broom made by used plastic bottles.

　On 24 August, we visited two factories including the Trung Anh Agriculture machinery factory, and took photos of local good examples in order to prepare for the technical inputs of the WISE (Work Improvement in Small Enterprises）workshop. Each group took photos corresponding to the technical session task of the group. After that they inserted suitable photos into their technical input files based on the results of group discussion. Each group also created a performance in which its our technical input was symbolized and practiced it with all the group members.

　On 25 August, at the general rehearsal session, every group presented its technical presentation and the performance in front of us, and we pointed out good points process and points to be improved of each group. It took long hours, but this evaluation was useful for securing the WISE workshop success.

On 26 August, the WISE workshop was held. Managers and workers of the Trunh Anh factory welcomed our arrival in front of the factory gate. The president presented us big flower wreathes with a country name. The workers had built an extraordinary stage in the factory using their skillful welding technologies.
The number of participants was 25, and divided they were into 4 groups. We sat around them and played the role of trainers in each technical session.
At first, the action checklist exercise was carried out by all the participants. Then they had the first group discussion about good points and points to be improved based on the results of applying the WISE action checklist. After that, the presentation of the four technical inputs were conducted by each trainee group including interesting performances with dances. After the morning session, we evaluated the morning results and tried to improve the afternoon sessions.
The final session was about the implementation of improvements. The group discussion at each technical session finished within 10 minutes, while it tended to lack enough participation of group members. So Dr. Toai explained the meaning of the implementation of improvements and how to make action plans to improve their workplaces. The final group discussion was very successful, and every group presented concrete action plans with concrete deadlines of improvements.
In the closing ceremony, the president and the vice president of the labour union of the factory expressed their appreciation and decision to implement improvements in the factory.

　On 27 August, we learned the achievements of WINDY activities done by students. We visited Thoi Hung village, CoDo district, one hour from Can Tho City. We used two boats for visiting students’ houses. They were junior high school students having played active roles in the WINDY activities. Even after they entered the high school, they were sustaining their improvement activities. We could see photos old improvements that were introduced in the Mekong Delta booklet by former participants. The new achievements were seen in their households. It was a moment we could confirm that our activities were surely influencing local developments.

　 Mekong Delta 2015 was over without accidents and apparent diseases. We would like to express our gratitude to the Vietnamese steering committee for their warm-hearted hospitality and the well-prepared training program. In the course of this one week event, the friendship among participants deepened through serial training activities and they spared farewell in tears at the morning of the final day.
The steering committee of Japan and Vietnam already decided to plan the training schedule of Mekong Delta 2016 from 6 to 13 August 2016. We would like to sustain this program for extending the participatory action-oriented network in Asia.