Tony's Canteen for Kids Hits the Road

Where We Call Home.

Food trucks are a common sight at outdoor events.

One man is hoping to use his to provide free meals to children and single parents in need of help.

Tony Justice from Ghana.

He used to run canteens for children.

Let's eat!

They were a hit with the kids.

But the pandemic forced him to close them down.

He got the idea of an open-air canteen using a food truck.

Will his new project succeed?

We're a kids' canteen!

I've never done this before.
I'm worried.

Driven by his wish to offer delicious meals to children and parents going through tough times...

It's good!

...Tony attempts to create new opportunities to welcome them.

About a fity-minute train ride from central Tokyo is Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Near the main railway station, we find Tony's base of operations.

January 2022.

Tony and his staff are hard at work in the kitchen.

Is the rice ready?

Not yet?

They're preparing 200 take-out meals.

They're for children and their single mothers who've been going through difficulties due to the pandemic.

Thank you!

That day, more than 300 people were waiting in line.

Tony felt something more could be done.

More and more people are coming
since the pandemic started.

That includes elderly people
and whole families.

We only give them takeout meals.
No socializing.

It's rather sad.

Tony was born in a family of nine children in the West African country of Ghana.

He moved to Japan in 1990, and after a career in marketing for an English language school,

he opened up a restaurant that served authentic African cuisine.

Seven years ago, Tony learned on the news that one out of seven children in Japan lived in poverty.

To help those in his area, he started a children's canteen project.

Twice a month, he opened his canteen in Sagamihara and Yokohama.

In Japan, children's canteens offer free or low-priced meals to families in financial difficulty

and kids who have to eat alone because both parents work.

Yummy!

Tony named his canteen Novinye - a word that means "family" in his native tongue.

In his homeland of Ghana, members of a community support each other through difficulties just like a family would.

It's a culture he still cherishes in his country of adoption.

It's in my African roots.

People share food with those around them,
no matter their religion or tribe.

I grew up surrounded with
this philosophy of mutual help.

Tony wants to reopen his Novinye canteen to fill hungry stomachs and invigorate spirits.

He had the idea of using a food truck.

Deployed at outdoor locations, it would make it easier to implement measures against COVID infection.

Tony made use of crowdfunding to purchase this second-hand food truck.

With some help, he refurbished it over 18 months to give it the look and functionality he wanted.

Novinye has become mobile.

The food truck now ready, Tony's excitement and hopes are up high.

Great!

Sagamihara's neighboring city of Machida in Tokyo.

Early this summer, Tony was looking for a location to open his outdoor children's canteen.

He found the perfect spot: a park near the center of town.

The truck is here.

We'll pitch tents behind.

We'll put tables...

so kids and their parents can eat here.

But as Tony's anticipation grows, so does his concern.

I've never done this before.
I'm worried.

It's not that simple, but there's
nothing else to do but try.

Holding an open-air canteen is something new for him.

Will he have enough food and funds?

Will the children come?

In spite of his uncertainty, Tony remains positive.

It's a new environment.

But we'll do our best and prepare
more than eight dishes...

including some we've never served before.
We'll make it work.

A new supporter has approached Tony.

Kikuchi Ayumi is the chair of a local consumers' co-operative.

Hearing about Tony's project to run a mobile children's canteen, she offered him some help.

With the truck, you can go anywhere.

It makes it so versatile.
It opens up many possibilities.

What kind of support would you need?

Food supplies like meat, fish,
vegetables, and milk...

Support like that
would help us keep going.

How about staff?

Yes, we need staff, supplies
and funds as well.

Kikuchi is going to look for ways to procure some food supplies and find staff to help out.

Tony is also planning another project.

The Novinye Mom and Dad Cafe - a place for people to talk about the joys and worries of parenting.

I've wanted to do that for three years
but couldn't because of the pandemic.

Tony has long felt concern for parents who stay isolated.

A single mother, Etsuko was a regular at the canteen.

Unable to express her worries, she always kept to herself.

By providing parents with opportunities to share their concerns, Tony hopes to alleviate their emotional burden.

If it can help lighten the load
on their minds, even if only a little...

single mothers like her
will smile more.

It'll make the kids happier as well,
and make childrearing easier.

In June, when the spread of COVID slowed down, the Mom and Dad cafe event was held.

Still, as a measure against infection, the duration is limited to an hour.

With Tony's promotion, a total of 12 parents came, the majority of which are former users of the canteen.

If there's anything regarding childrearing
you'd like to talk about, don't hesitate.

I really feel like I need
more time for myself.

My husband is so busy with his work...

I wonder how I can manage
to take care of the kids by myself.

Etsuko mustered up the courage to participate.

It's my first time. I don't know anyone.
But I hope I can get to know people.

I have four children.
I take care of them alone.

This single mother's story is something Etsuko can relate to.

How old are they?

High school first year, junior high
second and first year, and fourth grade.

Thanks to Tony's initiative, the mothers were able to connect with others like them

who're experiencing similar joys and hardships.

Thank you!

Next time, I hope we can talk more.

Perhaps this has given them a bit of strength to keep going through their difficulties.

One week left until the outdoor event.

Fliers in hand, Tony heads to a shopping area near the site.

He visits the head of the business owners' association.

- We hope to offer help to those in need.
- Alright.

I'll put them up.

He agreed to hang some posters promoting the event.

We'll do it from a food truck
starting at 11:45.

This woman is a teacher for a correspondence high school.

- We're on social media.
- Great.

She'll advertise the canteen through her school's social media account.

The day before the event.

Ms. Kikuchi of the co-operative arrives with a generous delivery.

Calling out for help at her organization's board meetings,

she gathered donations in the form of five different kinds of fruit and vegetables, including plenty of tomatoes.

This man who's been supporting Tony's canteen right from the beginning brings some organically-grown vegetables.

Also, donations of vegetables from all over Japan have arrived.

The circle of support for Tony's project is growing.

He got an idea to use the fresh tomatoes he received.

A kind of soup he's loved since childhood.

This is real African-style light soup.

A mouth-watering aroma of garlic and spices.

I couldn't do this alone.

I get a lot of help from many people
and organizations.

This professional cook joined as a volunteer for the first time.

They decided to try a kids' favorite - Italian style rice casserole with white sauce.

It's good!

Maybe we can season the rice more?

They continue to experiment well into the night.

The day has come!

The food truck is loaded.

Tony's been cooking since five thirty in the morning.

Today's the day. We did all we could.
Let's wait and see how it goes.

As long as the kids are happy.

And the Novinye Mobile Children's Canteen takes to the road!

The cooks get to work.

This is a daily staple food in Africa.
It's called fufu.

It goes well with the light soup.
Very tasty.

A special soup that's the product of much collaboration.

The menu also includes a total of ten other dishes children love, like fried chicken and spaghetti.

There's also a variety of twenty food items for the families to take home.

The children's canteen is now open!

How many meals?
Two? OK.

Thank you.

Tony was worried if many people in need of support would come.

But actually, a number of children and their parents much larger than he had imagined showed up.

I'm so happy. I never thought so many
people would come. It's exciting.

It's so motivating!

In fact, Tony has a hard time keeping up with the high number of guests.

Cooking a second round.

More than 200 meals.

The rice casserole makes its appearance.

To the rice, they've added turmeric for color and garlic for flavor.

Is it good?

The rice is tasty.

It's such a variety. I expected something
smaller, but it's a very generous meal.

It's really a big help.
All this food.

This single mother raising an elementary schooler struggles to make ends meet.

She saw one of Tony's fliers.

There aren't many such events in Machida.

If this canteen is held once more,
I'd really like to come again.

It's delicious!

I didn't know if people would turn up.

But it turns out there are many more
people who need help than I'd imagined.

They're hidden all over Japan.

I've realized this today.

This food truck has a lot of work to do.
We can go anywhere in Japan.

Wherever there're people who need help,
if I'm available, then I'll do my best...

to give them a hand.

Tony has opened up new roads to pursue his mission of helping those in need.

Hi! I'm Ryan Bueno from the Philippines.

I raise cattle on a farm in Japan
to produce delicious beef.

Here in Choshi, Chiba Prefecture...

the ocean wind makes for cool summers,
an ideal condition for cattle.

6:30 a.m.
work starts.

First, I clean up the feed troughs.

People don't eat with dirty dishes.
It's the same for cows.

He makes sure the cows
can enjoy their meal in comfort.

He uses an automated system
to pour all the feed at once.

I spread the feed.

For example, you can see
there's no feed here.

Spreading it like this ensures
every cow eats the same amount.

It's easier for them.

Cows that are weaker
and can't come to the trough...

get a special diet
that's higher in nutrients.

Come on.
Here you are.

Cows recognize who feeds them
just by smell.

They're like, ‘Oh! Ryan's here!'

The farm's 600 cows are divided
among three barns.

They're raised here from the age
of four months to two years old.

calf shed.

They're about four months old.

28 months after birth,
the cows are sent out.

I take care of them every day.
It makes me sad when I send them off.

Ryan came to study in Japan in 2015,
and got a work certification in 2020.

He later got married in Japan,
and had a daughter.

12:30 p.m.
lunch break.

on the phone
with his daughter.

Eat well!

Seeing her gives me energy.

Today, some cows will be sent out.

Ryan and his senior pick
the ones that are ready.

- See the larger thighs?
- Yes.

The back is well developed.
It's ready.

This is my senior...

Takagi Kengo.

He's very kind.

He's our first foreign worker.

He's fluent in Japanese,
and very earnest.

He takes great care of the cows.
It's so fun to teach him.

He came 90 minutes early
on his first day.

I did.

He's so earnest.
I know he'll make a good manager.

We'll hire more foreign workers.
I want him to be their manager.

He speaks Japanese and understands cows.
He'll be a great leader.

This is very motivating.

I'll show you my treasure.

This jacket is the first one
I received when I was hired here.

It's all worn out now.

But it holds a lot of memories.
I can't throw it away.

sending off the cows.

Among the cows sent off today
are some that came to the farm...

at the same time as Ryan
started to work here.

Yes, it makes me sad to see them go.

But new cows are going to come in.

I'll continue to work hard
so that they too can make delicious beef.