Learning Space for Okinawa's Children's Cafeteria! Delivering a Study Environment as a Graduation Gift to 20 6th Graders

👉 https://for-good.net/project/1003489

◾️ Features of this project

・Deliver a "safe haven" for 20 children who will become junior high school students this spring to learn with peace of mind.

・Transform the currently open-plan second floor into a "focused learning space" with partitions and equipment.

・Strengthen its function as a base to support children who cannot attend cram schools or who do not have a place to stay at home.

・The first step to approach the ongoing "cycle of poverty" in Okinawa through a "learning environment."

・All support will be allocated to the development of the learning environment and the creation of a safe haven for children.

◾️ Background of this crowdfunding campaign

'Smile' is a children's cafeteria in Nishihara Town operated by the NPO Akarui Mirai. The service is completely free. It is held daily on weekdays. Everyone is welcome, and no special conditions or certificates are required. Since its opening last July, over 50 children have been visiting daily, and we feel that it has become a sanctuary for children in the community.

However, 'Smile' currently lacks a place where children can concentrate on studying.

The first floor is mainly for eating. The second floor is an open space where children can spend time freely. Some children do their homework right next to those who are having fun, while others lie down to do their homework because there aren't enough tables...

There are about 20 6th graders currently attending. These children will become junior high school students this spring. As they enter junior high, studies become more difficult, and they will need more time to sit at a desk. However, many children cannot attend cram schools or do not have a safe environment to study at home.

That's why we want to properly express our desire to tell the children who are becoming junior high school students, "You can still come here."

However, with 50-70 children visiting daily, the daily operating burden, including food, utilities, and personnel costs, has increased, making it difficult to self-fund the learning space.

That's why we chose crowdfunding this time. We would be delighted if you could take this step with us.

◾️ Past activities & preparation status/schedule

The children's cafeteria 'Smile' started in Nishihara Town, Okinawa Prefecture, in July 2025. After starting the activities, many more children than expected began to visit.

Currently,

・Daily meal provision
・Creating a place for children after school

・Supervising homework and studies

We continue activities to support children in the community. However, one challenge that emerged was the lack of a quiet place to study.

Moving forward, based on the funds received through this crowdfunding, we plan to proceed with the following steps:

✅ Development of learning space (Spring 2026)

We will equip the space with study desks, chairs, lighting, digital devices, etc., to create an environment where children can study calmly. A part of the open space on the second floor will be partitioned to operate as a focused learning space.

✅ Enhancement of learning environment

We will provide reference books, teaching materials, and digital learning tools to create an environment where children can learn at their own pace. In the future, we plan to involve university students and others to develop a learning support system.

✅ Strengthening its function as a safe haven

We will proceed with environmental improvements to make 'Smile' an even safer "safe haven" for children. Currently, 50-70 children visit daily, and at certain times, there isn't enough space, making it difficult to accommodate everyone at once. Therefore, to ensure more children can spend time safely, we plan to expand the first floor and enhance facilities to increase the capacity and environmental comfort.

◾️ Project details and support here

For project details and support, please visit the crowdfunding page below.

👉 https://for-good.net/project/1003489

Children's Cafeteria 'Smile': Hiroko Akamine

TEL: 098-952-8218

Email: smileokinawa1980@outlook.jp