Driven by the desire to provide the children’s cafeteria with access to higher-quality English lessons for free. Recognizing the growing social need, the second phase is being launched after three years.
Donations
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Greetings!
My name is Jun Ishikawa, the vice president of the “Tsunahiki Free Learning Center and Children’s Cafeteria,” and I am joined by Ms. Wakako Masumaru, the president of this organization. We are deeply grateful that you found your way to our page among so many others. Our Activities Since starting our activities in Yonabaru Town, Okinawa Prefecture nine years ago, we have been continuously providing warm breakfasts to local children daily and creating a safe space where they can spend their time with peace of mind.
Thanks to our ongoing support activities, the number of registered children has grown from 90 three years ago to 130 today. Additionally, the Yonabaru Single Mothers’ Association has seen an increase of 10 households, bringing the total to 90. Moreover, the annual total number of participants has reached 3,045 as of March 7 this year.
Goals of the Project
Our aim is to provide more children with opportunities to broaden their horizons and venture into the wider world.
Four years ago, inspired by ECC Junior’s philosophy of “nurturing the next generation of global leaders,” we began offering their lessons to children.
ECC Junior is the private company to teach English.
Thanks to the previous support, two children have been able to continue participating in these lessons.
Current Goals:
To enable an additional two children to attend classes for free, we require approximately ¥100,000 per child in funding.
To support the emergence of the first full-time teacher from among single mothers.
Background of the Project On August 29, 2022, we embarked on a new challenge through crowdfunding. This campaign was conducted via CAMPFIRE(Crowdfunding) and others, and thanks to the warm support of many, we successfully raised ¥300,000. The project concluded on October 10, 2022, and we are deeply grateful for everyone’s contributions.
Summary of the Previous Project
Financial Report: With the donations and contributions received during the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years, we achieved the following:
Payment for ECC textbooks and ECC fees (royalty costs).
Compensation for single mothers acting as assistant teachers.
By utilizing almost all the donations in the 2023 fiscal year, we continued lessons into 2024 with tuition fees provided by students’ parents as a foundation. Despite the financial constraints faced by single-parent households, witnessing the children’s determination inspired us to invest in education as a beacon of hope for the future.
Achievements and Messages of Gratitude: Now in its third year, parents have shared touching feedback:
“Ishikawa-san, I got a raise this month! I can pay the full amount!”
“I can manage to pay about half!”
Each time we hear such words, we are reminded of the meaningful impact of our activities.
Hope for the Future: Starting in the 2024 fiscal year, teaching responsibilities have been passed from Ms. Masumaru to Mr. Ishikawa. Although full financial stability has not yet been achieved, thanks to the warm support of parents and students, this represents a significant and hopeful step forward for us as educators.
Activity Report Activities in 2022
First Half of 2022: Ms. Masumaru, the assistant teacher, began direct instruction with one child.
Second Half of 2022: Another child joined, bringing the total to two children who love learning English. Both children continue their English studies.
Additionally, the adjacent room was used as a children’s cafeteria and a space for them to gather. Free trial sessions were occasionally held for children who showed interest.
Teacher Masumaru
Progress in 2024
The teaching role was handed over from Ms. Masumaru to Mr. Ishikawa.
Mr. Masumaru spearheaded a new after-school gathering program.
The connection between the children’s cafeteria and the classroom (divided by sliding doors) was strengthened, further expanding the role of the gathering space.
Special Activities and Achievements
A special summer event was held, attended by approximately 10 friends.
Dinner opportunities at the gathering space increased, further integrating ECC classes into the lives of the children. Some children, especially those participating in club activities, attended classes while having dinner.
Enhancing Individual Support
Since 2024, online learning support has been provided to two children every night for 30 minutes at 9 PM, including casual chats to help establish their learning habits. This Zoom-based support has been ongoing since April last year.
Achievements
・Warm support leading to continuity Thanks to the encouragement and financial support from everyone, we were able to sustain our activities for three long years. We are sincerely grateful for this connection.
・Children’s challenges and growth The fact that the children continued their English studies without giving up is our greatest achievement.
・Resonance with parents Thanks to the efforts of parents, from the third year onward, they managed to allocate tuition fees despite financial difficulties. This positive change speaks volumes about the impact of the support activities, and it was an unexpectedly delightful development.
Unmet Goals
・Collaboration with government authorities Transitioning tuition fee support from donations to government subsidies remains a challenge.
・Realizing the dream of becoming a full-time teacher The goal of supporting a single mother to become a full-time ECC Junior teacher.
5.Future Directions
Initially, efforts were made to gain support from Yomitan Town through government assistance, aiming for examples like those in Osaka. Collaborations were attempted with lawmakers, but discussions in the current parliament in Tokyo regarding support for impoverished households and the influence of books such as those by former Mayor Izumi Fumihito of Akashi City highlighted the difficulty of selecting families to assist. It became evident that significant funding is required to support all households.
As a result, we have decided to focus our efforts anew. Together with Mr. Masumaru (representative of the children’s cafeteria and assistant teacher), who deeply understands and monitors the situation of registered families (currently 90 households), we decided to restart activities by personally selecting and supporting these families.
6.Potential of ECC Junior Teaching
For single mothers, making ECC Junior(English teaching company) teaching an attractive profession requires a system ensuring stable income. However, our three years of operation revealed the reality that it is challenging to make a living solely from this job. Instead, we see value in allowing them to experience ECC Junior teaching as part of their career growth while holding a primary job, enabling them to feel the joy of teaching and personal development. Flexible scheduling is one of the major attractions of ECC Junior teaching.
7.Commitment to a Fresh Start
Initially, activities started with little guidance, but seeing mothers confident and hopeful about their children’s future, as well as the smiling faces of the children as they grow, has been our biggest motivator. The children’s cafeteria is still brimming with talent and potential. We aim to provide even more opportunities for them and embrace this challenge once again.
Your support is a vital force for the children’s future. Please continue to extend your warm encouragement.
8.Current Preparations
Building upon past operational results, we are refining our activities further. Continuous training helps enhance the quality of support, and we are also recruiting new assistant teachers. Our aim is to create an environment where children can grow and learn effectively.
9.Schedule
April: Crowdfunding ends
April: Special student recruitment starts
April: Classes begin
We will work to ensure steady progress, allowing supporters to watch over the project with confidence.
10.In Conclusion
The driving force behind our activities is our firm belief in the children’s future and the strong desire to maximize their potential.
From the book Okinawa Children’s Poverty White Paper by Asahiko Kato et al., published by Kamogawa Publishing, we quote from page 288:
“We didn’t choose to be subjects of child poverty… (omitted)… You don’t need to blame yourself for lacking experiences or affection. Let alone feel ‘gratitude’ for it.”
This statement was made by a young woman who lived in a child welfare facility until high school. Her words deeply resonate with us.
Fueled by these words, we have continued our activities with the thought of what is best for the children, despite misunderstandings or criticism.
As adults, we have a responsibility to do more for the children’s future.
The unique poverty situation in Okinawa and the benefits of ECC Junior for single mothers were highlighted in the previous project. Please check the details of that project here（Japanese）.
