Caring for the Future Foundation Japan ～Creating a Place for Children and Youth to "Grow Up Together" in Japan and Southeast Asia～

Caring for the Future Foundation Japan (hereafter CFF Japan) operates programs such as sending Japanese youth abroad as volunteers while supporting local children in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Myanmar. As the name Caring for the Future Foundation suggests, their mission is to build a society where everyone has hope for the future; while children and youth - the foundation of the future - grow up together with the organization. We spoke with Ms. Keiko Takanashi, director, and Kenji Uchiumi, staff member, about what the organization has valued, and its activities.

 

Activities began with a trip to the Philippines with a group of youths.

CFF Japan was founded in 1997. It all started when the founder, Mr. Akira Futagoishi (who passed away in 2023), traveled to the Philippines accompanied by more than a dozen young people in 1996: the year before the founding of CFF Japan.
"Young people were riding their motorcycles loudly every night near Futagoishi's home in Saitama, at the time. He wanted to do something for these young people who said they could not find meaning in their lives. So, he decided to take them to the Philippines, relying on a relationship with the Saitama YMCA; where he was serving as general manager at the time," says Ms.Takanashi.

 

What awaited these young people in the Philippines was a series of shocks. In particular, the presence of Filipino children surviving in harsh and difficult circumstances greatly changed the young people's mindsets.
"The young Japanese who had felt that their lives were meaningless, now had a sense that they might be able to do something for the world. Their experiences abroad inspired the beginning of CFF Japan. The following year, in 1997, youth volunteers from Japan crossed the ocean and initiated activities to build a Children's Home in the Philippines."
The activities to build children's houses have continued to expand, with current overseas bases in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Myanmar. More than 5,000 young people have participated as volunteers.

 

Overseas Programs Designed to "Grow Up Together"

Through CFF Japan's flagship activity, the Overseas Programs, Japanese youth volunteers are working to help children in overseas countries. What CFF Japan aims for is not one-way support, but rather "growing up together" on both sides of the equation.
"(CFF Japan's) overseas programs include work camps to maintain the Children's Homes in the Philippines and Malaysia, as well as study tours to talk to local people. In both programs, participants not only perform physical labor but also have time in the evenings to share their experiences with other participants, and locals. (These programs) are not only a learning experience for the participating young people, but we also hear the gratitude of the local people. At a facility for victims of domestic violence we once visited, there was a woman who tearfully told us that she had experienced a lot of bad times in her life, but that she was happy to hear that there were people in Japan who cared about her."

 

Many young people say that their values changed drastically after completing the programs. Ms. Takanashi also participated in an overseas program, which is how she first came to know about CFF Japan.
"When I was a college student, I participated in an overseas program in the Philippines. I will never forget two children I met there. One was a child from a poor family who was moved to a CFF Children's home. He was a boy with a very kind smile who shared what he received with his sisters. The other was a female street child I met in Manila, on a later visit. She held out her hand to me with a vacant look in her eyes and was begging. I was shocked to see the difference between these two children. I strongly felt that I wanted to be someone who could do something for them. I still think about what I am capable of doing in that regard."

 

Developing Youth Leaders with Original Expertise

Like Ms. Takanashi, Mr. Uchiumi also participated in CFF Japan's overseas program when he was a college student. Mr. Uchiumi also had an encounter with a child that changed his mindset.
"I visited a village of stateless children in Malaysian Borneo. On my first visit, I was faced with my inability to do anything. However, on my second visit to the same place as a program leader, I held hands with a child. The child's hand was so warm. I felt my life was validated and saved by the hands of a small child of a different gender, culture, and language. After that, I realized that I wanted to use my life to help children. So, I decided to work for CFF Japan."

 

The role of "program leader," in which Mr. Uchiumi served, is unique to CFF Japan. Applicants are invited from those who have participated in each program and are selected by a committee.
"The role of a leader is to manage programs, leading groups of approximately 20 participants. Leaders participate in six months of training before the start of programs. Leadership development is a major pillar for us at CFF Japan, as one of our missions is to nurture the youth who will lead the next generation. We conduct training programs by utilizing the expertise we have accumulated so far while adjusting (training contents) to the individual needs of the participants. As a result, we produce many talented young people who work from their hearts and move our programs forward. CFF Japan is supported by these young people."
CFF Japan has trained more than 260 leaders, so far. They are active in a variety of fields, making the most of what they have learned through their activities.

 

Two new businesses were made possible by the COVID-19 pandemic.

CFF Japan was unable to send young people overseas due to COVID-19, which severely limited its activities. In this situation, CFF Japan has concluded that now is the time for new activities. The first is an education business that makes use of the learning and networking CFF Japan has cultivated in its overseas offices.
"In talking to young people who became teachers after experiencing our overseas programs, we learned that many teachers are struggling with the content of integrated study classes, which were newly established as a result of the revision of the Courses of Study. So, we decided to collaborate with teachers and create classes together. We chose to collaborate because we felt it was most important to think together (with teachers) about what values to convey to children," says Mr. Uchiumi, who is in charge of the project. The content of classes held at school is changed each time according to the needs of each class and students who participate, such as having overseas program graduates talk about their experiences or connecting with the Children's Home in the Philippines via video call.

 

Another initiative is found in the Chitosekarasuyama area, where CFF Japan is based. Ms. Takanashi runs Kosodate Hiroba (parenting circle) for preschool children and their parents, and Mr. Uchiumi runs Mana Cafe for elementary school students. Mana Cafe is a place for elementary school children to get help with homework and other learning activities. Children are taught by graduates of the CFF Japan overseas programs and local high school students.
"(Mana Cafe) has become one of the activities for graduates of the program after they return to Japan. Also, one high school student (who comes to Mana Cafe) said that they hadn't been attending their classes (for reasons unknown to us) and were looking for a place to participate in society outside of school. Mana Cafe seems to have become a place where they can be at home while teaching (elementary school students) and playing together. I feel that CFF Japan's goal of 'growing up together' among participants has been realized in this activity. And I feel that it is very rewarding."

 

Increasing the Number of Young People Who are Capable of Taking Care of Themselves, of Others, of the Environment, of Society, and of the Future

CFF Japan's activities are supported by their office staff, participants in past overseas programs, overseas staff, and others who have inherited Mr. Futagoishi's vision. To ensure that CFF Japan's diverse activities continue in the future, a new organization - CFF International - has recently been established.
"CFF International is an organization that connects activities in four locations around the world: the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Japan. In supporting children and helping youth to grow up healthy, CFF has valued the concept of caring for five elements - oneself, others, the environment, society, and the future - known as 5 Cares. Following that order, we believe that by increasing the number of subjects that children and youth can take care of by themselves, more children and youth will be able to move toward a better future. Through CFF International, we hope to spread this 5 Cares concept across all countries cross-sectionally, in the future," says Ms. Takanashi.

CFF Japan has been providing opportunities for growth to children in three Southeast Asian countries - where it has its support base - as well as to Japanese youth. CFF Japan will continue to expand the circle of "growing up together" with their new international organization at its core, while passing on the baton of hope to friends and fellows.

*This article is based on information available at the time of the interview. For the latest information, please contact the organization directly.