Madoka Sasada, a final-year student of International Politics at Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan, has started a year-long research internship at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). She arrived in Bangladesh on March 12, 2024.

At IUB, she is conducting research on “community insurance for handicrafts” under the supervision of Marufa Akhter, PhD, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Global Studies and Governance. As part of the project, Madoka is also engaged in fieldwork with the Rajshahi-based NGO Thanapara Swallows Development Society.

Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 2000, Madoka’s interest in Bangladesh began during her third year at Aoyama Gakuin University, where she took a service-learning course designed by the Asia Christian Education Fund (ACEF) and her university.

“I taught elementary school students about Bangladesh. During one of these classes, one student expressed his fascination about Bangladesh. This moment made me realize the importance of experiencing Bangladesh firsthand to provide accurate and inspiring knowledge to young, impressionable minds,” said Madoka, who speaks very fluent Bangla.

Motivated by this encounter, she decided to seek opportunities to study in Bangladesh, leading her to apply for the K. Matsushita International Scholarship, sponsored by The Konosuke Matsushita Memorial Foundation, which requires collaboration with a Bangladeshi university.

“My research at IUB focuses on the artisans behind Bangladeshi handicrafts. I aim to uncover the human stories behind these crafts, believing that many people around the world, like myself, want to understand the emotional narratives of the artisans. I spend a significant amount of time each day working alongside artisans, learning their craft techniques, and sharing meals with them to build rapport and trust,” she added.

This is not Madoka’s first experience in Bangladesh. In 2022, she spent a year working with a Dhaka-based NGO for street children, where she learned Bangla on her own. Although she cannot read or write the language, she speaks it fluently, which aids her current research and interaction with local communities.

Through her internship, Madoka plans to conduct seminars and workshops at IUB, share her field experiences, and facilitate student engagement with the artisans. She also aims to promote industry-academia relationships between IUB, the Thanapara Swallows Development Society, and her home institution in Japan. Additionally, Madoka operates an online shop, N’s base, which promotes global handicrafts to the Japanese market, including stories of Bangladeshi artisans.

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