By Mike Puia
YOSHIKO Teratani will return to her home country of Japan a satisfied woman.
Not only did she spend the last two years in Western Province, a spot in the country that is known for its beautiful scenes, but the work she did here received recognition in a big way.
Teratani is over 50 years of age and she comes from Osaka in Japan. She arrived in the country in 2016 as a volunteer under the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) volunteer programme.
Teratani, who ended her assignment this month, is a physical therapist. She was posted to the Western Province where she helped in the Gizo hospital’s Therapy Division.
Her job included providing therapy to patients at the hospital.
She travelled to schools conducting awareness and workshops and visited communities by boat delivering therapy advice.
In 2016, she was the official trainer for the Western provincial team (Western Turtles) that participated in the Solomon Games.
She proudly wears her official jacket she usually puts on during the sporting event when she had a final meeting with members of the local media in Honiara yesterday.
Teratani, who can speak little pijin, said a member of the team presented her his medal.
“When a team member gave me this medal I was so touched that I could not hold back my tears. The team member insisted, the support I rendered to the team deserve a medal,” Teratani recalls.
She said the treatment and respect people accorded to her is something she will always remember.
Teratani said the medal will always remind her of the service she rendered in the Solomon Islands.
