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Mina no Egao
Mina Smiles ／ ミナの笑顔Description
In a rural Asian village, a family of five children lives with Mina and her husband Jai, who has never learned to read or write. The couple work together in the fields, but one day Jai suddenly suffers severe stomach cramps. Mina desperately searches for medicine, but she cannot locate the correct container among the many different bottles available. She decides to visit the town clinic with an empty bottle, hoping to find help. The doctor is surprised when Mina presents the bottle, discovering it is actually a pesticide container rather than a medicine bottle. After returning home, Mina explains the incident to Jai and openly expresses her desire to attend a literacy class. The story highlights the challenges faced by illiterate people in Asia and the Pacific and underscores the importance of literacy.
