Story & photos by Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes
CHILDREN must be taught how to think, not what to think,” implied 1960’s American cultural author and anthropologist Margaret Mead. This has been the train of thought, the guiding principle that has mold the young and lead them to greatness—since time immemorial.
This has been the train of thought, the guiding principle that has molded the young and led them to greatness—since time immemorial.
The same belief holds true with Japanese carmaker Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) and KidZaniaManila, the first-of-its-kind indoor hyper-real play city for kids when they began their partnership in 2015 to sow this kind of power in these eager budding minds.
Recently, this joint venture was celebrated through the enhancements of their Honda Design and Dealership and the Honda Pit Crew Training establishments situated inside the 8,000-square-meter facility.
In KidZania Manila, with the Honda Car Design monitor, kids can already design their cars based on their imagination and what suits their interest, while at the Honda Dealership, kids can learn how to demonstrate the feature of the car and recommend the Honda vehicle that fits the customer’s driving needs.
In the Honda Pit Crew Training, meanwhile, the children are taught how to think when they experience competitive team work in finishing a quality job in the fastest time possible, as they man a Formula racing-car replica in simulated racing setting.
“Honda and KidZania both have the same objective, which is to build family values and develop kids to prepare them for the future, making them think andbelieve that their dreams can do come true,” HCPI Product and Sales Development/Department Head Verna Hiyao said.
“At the Honda Design and Dealership, for example, their imagination and people skills are honed. While in the Pit Crew Training, teamwork and efficiency are being cultivated,” she added. Honda, one of the leading carmakers in the local scene, is known for their continuous innovation that provides fun mobility. And with a wide variety of family-oriented vehicles, such as the City, CR-V, Mobilio and Odyssey—HCPI continues to further develop, promote and encourage strong family ties and Filipino values through worthwhile activities.
With the pact sealed last year, the automaker and the indoor play and learn center, according to Toshio Kuwahara, HCPI president and general manager, started with a common enthusiasm and impact to society at large.
He shared: “We want to introduce the dynamic world of Honda to the kids through this activity and, of course, for them to have better appreciation of the automotive industry as a whole.”
Their shared devotion continues after a year, with Honda’s participation specifically designed for kids 3 to 14 years old which delve into playing various roles in a comparable Honda business working environment, from its manufacturing, marketing to sales operations.
With their fundamental beliefs of The Three Joys of Buying, Selling and Creating in mind, kids are in for an experience similar to being a sales consultant and manufacturing associate who aim to ensure the highest quality of service Honda has always lived up to.
This serves to channel and help drive kids to a brighter future.
“We want the kids to enjoy their time experiencing the life of an adult and give them the avenue to develop skills that will be beneficial to them now or in the future.” This may all seem to be only imposing a certain way of thinking, but: “Ultimately, what we want is for them to dream and imagine the endless possibilities that lie ahead of them,” Kuwahara conveyed.
For one, the Honda business actually began with a dream of a young man, full of zest and fire.
Its founder, Soichiro Honda, worked day and night, shed blood, sweat and tears to continuously evolve his company to become an institution that consistently pursues the development of technologies that are of great value to the daily lives of people all over the world.
HCPI’s partnership with KidZania Manila does not only serve as a business venture, nor to entertain and to just pass time, but was created to be an inspiration to the young—to enliven their passions, mold potential and chase after dreams. And with this, this scribe leaves a famous quote from Soichiro, himself: “You don’t measure a man’s greatness by his physical size, but by his acts, by the impact he makes on human history…. There are other qualities which also lead to success—Courage, perseverance, the ability to dream and to persevere.”
Image credits: Rey M. de los Reyes