By combining journalism and social welfare,
I want to build a child development support facility in Mongolia someday.

College of Arts and Sciences Graduates

Erdenebat Rhamzayya

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Entered J. F. Oberlin University aspiring to become a journalist

From a young age, I aspired to be an announcer or journalist, and for about 10 years I worked as a child reporter on a local television program. I also sang on stage and often listened to songs by Japanese artists such as Utada Hikaru.

When I was preparing to enter university, my high school teacher recommended J. F. Oberlin University. Tokyo had a glamorous image as a cultural hub, but the posters for J. F. Oberlin University at the time gave a calm impression in a positive way. I felt it was the perfect environment to study journalism, so I decided to enroll.

This image shows her working as a journalist during the 2016 Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit.

J. F. Oberlin University was overflowing with a much more diverse variety of students than I had imagined. Influenced by them, I developed an interest and interest in fields beyond journalism. I also took classes in education and communication, and sometimes created picture books for children. I continue to interact with peers and teachers, and J. F. Oberlin University feels like a second home.

You cannot convey to others what you do not know yourself.

The presentation of the results of a survey conducted via social media on "The current situation of children with autism and their families in Mongolia."

After graduating from university, I worked as a journalist in Mongolia. Later, through a fortunate connection, I was able to work at a child development support center in Japan, and returned to Japan. At work, I interacted with various children and their parents, and gained many insights. Since 2019, I have also started sharing information on my own, because I wanted to give back to Mongolia what I learned in Japan.

My experience working in developmental support after changing jobs prompted me to enroll in the speech-language pathology course at Musashino University Graduate School. My reason was that I wanted to deepen my knowledge of voice and speech production so that I could think about appropriate support for children with speech disorders and their families. Through disseminating information to Mongolia, I also had many opportunities to receive consultations from Mongolian people. You can't convey something to someone if you don't know it yourself, right? So I thought, "Okay, I should study while I have the chance."

There may be a language barrier, but I'm sure our hearts can connect.

I plan to return to Mongolia this spring after completing my graduate studies. In Mongolia, I want to establish a child development support facility that blends the best aspects of Japan with Mongolian culture. I will strive to create a place where not only children with disabilities but also their families can learn from each other.

In the future, I would like to create opportunities for Japanese and Mongolian children to interact. Mongolia has vast grasslands that Japan does not have. Many Japanese people do not visit Mongolia very often. It is still an unfamiliar country, so I want people to know about the good things about Mongolia. I believe that letting people know that "there is a language barrier, but hearts can connect" will lead to an understanding of diversity.

I have experience in two different fields: journalism and social welfare. That has helped broaden the scope of my activities. J. F. Oberlin University College of Arts and Sciences was an environment that allowed me to focus on various fields.

What I want to tell current students is to actively interact with people from different backgrounds. If you stay in a closed world by yourself, you won't be able to realize your own strengths or the values deep within your heart. I hope you enjoy your university life and gain lots of experiences that you can only have now. And if you have the chance, please come visit Mongolia!

Erdenebat al-Hamzayya

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During her childhood, she worked as a child reporter for about 10 years on a local Mongolian television program. While in school, she studied journalism, and after graduation, she worked as a journalist in Mongolia. Through a fortunate connection, she began working at a child development support center in Japan, and later enrolled in the speech-language pathology course at Musashino University Graduate School. Her dream is to establish a child development support facility that blends the best aspects of Japan with Mongolian culture.

Interview date:
*This interview was conducted in February 2025.

By combining journalism and social welfare,I want to build a child development support facility in Mongolia someday.

Main content

Entered J. F. Oberlin University aspiring to become a journalist

You cannot convey to others what you do not know yourself.

There may be a language barrier, but I'm sure our hearts can connect.

Related content

By combining journalism and social welfare,
I want to build a child development support facility in Mongolia someday.