ARUN Newsletter – Issue 9 【Encounter with ARUN】Irina Onuma

How I Encountered ARUN (Irina Onuma) 

How did the members who support ARUN first come across the organization? In this series, we invite supporters to share, in their own words, the story of how they encountered ARUN, along with reflections on their personal journeys and experiences.

This month, we are pleased to feature a message from Irina Onuma, who once pursued her own entrepreneurial venture in Bangladesh and is now supporting Traten Greens as a member of ARUN's investment team.

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My dream is to create a natural cosmetics brand in Bangladesh.

Whenever the topic comes up, my family in Bangladesh all seem to say the same thing: “I hate Bangladesh.” As the country has developed rapidly, its cities have become increasingly chaotic, and much of the beautiful nature, rich culture, and sense of peaceful living that once existed have gradually faded away.

Yet, through the eyes of someone born and raised in Japan, Bangladesh appears very different. Is it a country filled with beauty and cultural richness that the world has yet to fully discover? My goal is not simply to create a cosmetics brand, but to build one that preserves and shares Bangladesh's culture, values, and atmosphere for future generations. With that vision in mind, I am currently preparing to launch my business.

Through ARUN, I was able to catch a glimpse of the future I hope to create.

In March of this year, I spent four days alongside Lingzin Choden Bhutia, CEO of Traten Greens, a natural cosmetics company in India that empowers local women through its business activities. Together, we visited Japanese natural cosmetics brands, manufacturing facilities, and herb farms, learning about the philosophies behind these businesses and the passion that drives their products.

What impressed me most was their commitment to bringing culture and deeply held values into the modern world through their products. Seeing the strong convictions of the people behind these brands, and the communities drawn to them, made me realize even more clearly that I want to share the beauty of Bangladesh with the world someday.

Lingzin also invited me to visit her workplace in India. That invitation gave me tremendous encouragement, as it felt like the world I had long admired was gradually becoming a tangible reality.

【photo】 Irina riding a small boat on a river in Bangladesh

A significant challenge lies ahead of me: pursuing my dream in the midst of Bangladesh's complexity and uncertainty. Part of the purpose of my business is to take action in response to the realities facing the country, where climate change-induced flooding and rapid urbanization are causing more people to lose their homes, livelihoods, and sense of stability.

Even so, I believe deeply in the potential of Bangladesh's younger generation. During my time with BRAC, one of the world's largest NGOs, I was profoundly inspired by the passion of young people working to transform their country's future.

I hope that one day Bangladesh will be seen not merely as a “poor country,” but as a country rich in beauty, culture, and possibility. More than anything, I hope to help create a future in which the people of Bangladesh can take pride in their own country.

The people I have met and the experiences I have had through ARUN have made me feel that this future is not just an ideal, but something that may truly be possible to bring into reality.

(Written by Irina Onuma)