Chiyoko Tanaka, 81, is a volunteer lobbyist for the rights of disabled people in Japan. For the past 49 years, together with her daughter, Mariko, she has been working tirelessly to ensure that all people — regardless of the nature of their disabilities — have equal rights in education, housing, work opportunities and lifestyle choices. Tanaka and her husband, Kenji, love being parents and the family of three are often on the move, traveling around Japan by local trains and boats.

Every day is fun.My husband and I start each day with tea and fresh bread that our daughter makes at her institution's bakery. We talk about her and make plans for our next visit.

Everyone needs to get an education, not just welfare benefits. Going to school is a birthright, supported by laws, but decades ago children with disabilities didn't have to go to school. Parents could get a special waiver; this means that most of the disabled who are over the age of 50 either stayed at home or went to special schools. The emphasis was not on getting these people an education but on simply providing them with activities. We lobbied to change that system, to take these people as seriously as everyone else. I am happy to say that it worked.