12 wheelchairs from Himawari Special School.

  On December 2, we went to Himawari Special School, in Saitama city, and received two wheelchairs, two buggy-types, one sitting-aid, and seven walkers.

  Like Shikamoto Gakuen last month, it’s since 2019 that they have been providing us with wheelchairs. Our records tell that the offer has been done since 2019, but it is likely that it was offered even before that.

  The wheelchairs were waiting for us at the entrance hall. When the truck arrived, all the PTA board members and the vice principal who had gathered there helped at once, and the loading was completed in no time.

  After the work, one of the PTA members asked us whether car seats are OK for pickup. We explained by saying, “In addition to car seats, there are stretchers and bath chairs among the euipment we send. Such euipment is also appreciated overseas.”

We told them that we plan to send these wheelchairs and other items to Nepal and asked them to provide wheelchairs again next year.

December 4, 2024      Secretariat

== Loading wheelchairs onto the truck ==
(How to see the photos)Click on the photos to enlarge them.

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 12 wheelchairs from Tokyo Met. Shikamoto Gakuen.

  On November 27, we got twelve wheelchairs from Shikamoto Gakuen, located in the eastern part of Tokyo. PTA board members helped load the wheelchairs onto the truck.

  The school has provided wheelchairs since 2019. We may have received them before that, but this is the sixth year that we have records. Our activities are supported by these ongoing wheelchair donations from special needs schools.

  This is made possible by the support of the PTA board members. Most of the members change after a few years. Nevertheless, they ensure that the handover is carried out among them and provide wheelchairs to our NGO. It is truly appreciated and we would like to thank them again.

  We told them that Nepal is one of the candidates for those wheelchairs. And when we asked them to provide them again next year, they readily agreed, saying, “Of course.”

December 2nd, 2024      Secretariat

(How to see the photos)Click on the photos to enlarge them.

The PTA board members had got wheelchairs waiting outside in advance.


The truck arrived and we loaded the truck together. Thank you very much.


After the wheelchairs were loaded, the board members guided the truck and saw it off.


These are Shikamoto Gakuen’s buildings on a large site. In addition to the school buildings, there are grounds, gymnasiums, swimming pools, and farms.

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 The wheelchair finally reached the Solomon Islands.

  On August 28, 2024, we handed over a wheelchair to Samantha, a student from the Solomon Islands, and on September 5, she flew back to the Islands temporarily with the wheelchair.

  She herself returned to the island of Guadalcanal, where Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, is located, and her brother lives with his mother on the neighboring island of Malaita. The wheelchair did not seem to reach the next island easily from Honiara.

  On November 13, we got several photos from Samantha showing her brother in his wheelchair. Although it had been over two months, everyone involved was overjoyed to see the photos of him and his family.

  Normally, our NGO sends 90 units by container to our overseas partners, but it is a great pleasure for us to be able to make this individual presentation. I believe that this was made possible by Samantha’s thoughtfulness for her brother and mother.
  We provided financial support for her to transport the wheelchair to the Solomon Islands. That was more expensive than the cost per wheelchair when 90 wheelchairs were transported by container, but we would like to continue this kind of support when the opportunity arises.

November 21, 2024      Hirokazu Morita

(How to see the photos)Click on the photos to enlarge them.

(Left) Samantha’s brother in his wheelchair in front of his house.
(Right) Samantha’s brother, mother<second from right>, aunt<left> and nephew<right>.

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 The meeting filled with the aroma of pho.

  On November 10, 2024, we had a final meeting for Mongolia. The participants were Vietnamese group, Tama Technical High School group, Ethiopian group, general volunteers, and staff:34 in total.
  To read more,,,

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   The 17th annual Fussa Blues Festival was held.      

  The annual Fussa Blues Festival, now in its 17th year, was held on a clear autumn day on November 3. The venue was the same as last year, the large parking lot of Marufuji supermarket near Higashi Fussa Station on the JR Hachiko Line.

  The festival was established in 2006 by Yahachiro Ishikawa, the owner of Ishikawa Sake Brewery, who called on musicians to support our activities. It has now become a well-known autumn event in Fussa City. As an annual charity event, a portion of the proceeds are donated to our NGO.

  This year, more than 30 professional musicians from Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukushima, Osaka, and many other cities participated in the 17th event, in response to the call of committee chairpersons CHIKKO SOMA (ds.) and KOTEZ (vo., hca.). All the musicians played a hot and intense sound, and the audience of more than 200 became one with the concert, which was very exciting.

  In between performances, Chairperson Morita talked about the reality of children with disabilities overseas and the importance of support from Japan.
He then said, “Thanks to your support, we will be able to reach our goal of 10,000 wheelchairs for children overseas. Thank you very much.”

  Thank you to the musicians, to the citizens who helped raise funds, and to everyone involved for your support.

November 5, 2024      Secretariat

(How to see the photos)Click on the photos to enlarge them.

(Left) The performance lasted for 7 to 8 hours.
(Right) Children who went around the venue with donation boxes, Yahachiro Ishikawa and Chairperson Morita.

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 The last “BIKE&CAMP KANTOU24” in Kanto was held.

  “BIKE&CAMP KANTOU24,” organized by Mr. Yamashita, who volunteers for the cleaning, maintenance, and packing work of our NGO, was held again this year on October 26 and 27 by Lake Kasumigaura.

  Various bicycles were displayed and available for test rides, and camping equipment was on display and for sale. 143 groups of 170 people stayed overnight (e.g., in tents) and 1,000 people, including general visitors, attended the event.(Click on the brochure on the right to link to the event page)

  We participated in this event for the fourth year in a row after Mr. Yamashita’s gracious invitation to attend the event and introduce our activities to the public.

  During the day there were test rides of various bicycles and camping equipment for sale. On Saturday evening, a talk show was held around a campfire. It was a great opportunity for the participants to introduce their travel experiences, and they had a lot of fun asking related questions and sharing their own experiences, which was a great success.

  After the talk show, Chairperson Morita gave a speech introducing our NGO. He expressed his desire to “continue our activities to send wheelchairs overseas so that handicapped children there can be as healthy as possible.” The participants listened attentively to his speech.


  The annual charity auction, which has become a lively event every year, was also held, with participants bidding loudly on items introduced one after another. The proceeds from the auction will be donated to the NGO. Thank you, everyone!

October 30, 2024      Secretariat

(How to see the photos)Click on the photos to enlarge them.

(Left) This is the headquarters tent at the entrance to the venue, where the reception for visitors is located.
(Right) We used a part of the headquarters tent to display panels introducing our NGO and a wheelchair (orange).


(Left) The event started with a greeting by Mr. Yamashita.
(Right) A photo with Chairperson Morita, who had rushed to the event, Mr. Yamashita, and a board member of the NGO.


(Left) We called for donations while having people enjoy “roasted marshmallows” by the bonfire in front of the headquarters tent.
(Right) Mr. Yamashita led Chairperson Morita on a tour of the stores at the event site.


(Left) A talk show was held around a bonfire. The main topic of conversation was the hardships faced when crossing foreign borders by bicycle.
(Right) Mr. Morita introducing our NGO to the audience. “We want to continue to send wheelchairs overseas so that children with disabilities can go outside to breathe fresh air and bask in the sunshine.”


(Left) When Mr. Morita presented Mr. Yamashita with a T-shirt commemorating the 20th anniversary of the NGO and the presentation of 10,000 units to overseas countries, he immediately put it on. He is indeed a professional model.
(Right) This is a general view of the venue. On the left side, there are still tents, food trucks, etc. It was a lively two-day event.

  This year will be the last time the event will be held at this location in Kasumigaura. We will miss it, but it was another great event.

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 Monthly meeting in pleasant autumn weather.

  On October 13, 2024, we had a monthly meeting in pleasant autumn weather. The sun was still quite strong, and we provided tents and tarps as we had before.
  To read more,,,

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 Temporary work meeting for Ukraine.

  On October 6, 2024, we had a temporary work meeting with 11 participants including two employees from MFS Investment Management Co. At the end of August, we had got an inquiry asking about sending wheelchairs to Ukraine.
  To read more,,,

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 Still dangerously hot, over 40 degrees Celsius.

  On September 8, 2024, the temperature before 9:00 a.m. was 29°C, but soon exceeded 30. The sun was not so strong as in August in the morning, but gradually became stronger, and by noon the temperature exceeded 40°C.
  To read more,,,

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 A wheelchair to a Vietnamese volunteer mother.

  On August 18, 2024, we had a monthly meeting and there were many groups coming. One of the Vietnamese group participants spoke to us, “My son has a lower limb disability and needs a wheelchair. We are currently in the process of applying to the Japanese government office, but have been told that it will be a year at the earliest before we can get a wheelchair. Could you please provide us with a wheelchair from your warehouse that you think would be suitable for my son?”

  After discussing with the chairperson, we came to the conclusion that although Japanese assistance would be available in the future, if it would take more than a year, providing a wheelchair to foreign residents in Japan until then would not go against the main purpose of our NGO’s activities.

  We immediately asked about the child’s size and searched for a wheelchair that might be a good candidate. Fortunately, we found a beautiful wheelchair that was unused and in brand new condition. After the activity, the mother pushed the wheelchair home. She was very happy. She said, “Now my child can move around freely. Thank you so much.”

  Although this donation was an unprecedented case, it has become the consensus of our NGO to “provide wheelchairs to children overseas, even in cases like this one.” We are sure that the Japanese mothers who have been donating wheelchairs to our NGO with the promise that we will deliver the wheelchairs to children overseas will agree.

  We would like to deliver as many disused wheelchairs as possible to children overseas.

September 2, 2024      Secretariat



  From the mother, we received a photo of her smiling child in a wheelchair.

  He seems really happy. This is the bond that our regular meeting activities have brought us together.
(Click on the photo to enlarge)


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