Certified NPO EFA JAPAN Announces 2026 Slogan: "Story to Go on"
EFA JAPAN has unveiled its 2026 slogan, "Story to Go on," emphasizing the power of stories to help individuals overcome adversity and move forward. The organization continues its mission of providing books and educational support to children in Southeast Asia and disaster-affected areas in Japan, fostering resilience through the act of reading and sharing stories.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 23:41
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 16:47
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 2, 2026 at 13:02 (1484h 14m after Collected)
■ Story to Go on
Somewhere in the world, someone is standing still today.
In the silence following an earthquake.
In the night of an unending conflict.
In the isolation of being unable to even raise one's voice.
At such a time, a book catches their eye. As they turn the pages, they find the story of someone who was hurt in the same way, yet still began to walk forward. That person realizes:
"I was not alone."
Stories have a mysterious power. It is the power to empathize with the pain of others, to put one's own pain into words, and to illuminate a step toward a tomorrow that cannot yet be seen.
Reading, listening, and talking together.
Through these activities, people can reweave their own stories. Even if they have disabilities, even if they speak different languages, even after losing everything.
We believe that a story to go on should be by everyone's side.
Carrying books and stories with us, EFA JAPAN will continue to walk alongside you in 2026.
■ From the Vision of "My Own Story" to "Story to Go on"
EFA's vision is: "A society where all children can realize their potential and creativity, and write their own 'My Own Story'." "My Own Story" refers to the life story of each individual, who, even amidst hardship, carves out their own future with their own strength.
The 2026 slogan, "Story to Go on," takes this vision one step further. To write one's "My Own Story," one first needs the strength to take another step from the place where they are standing still.
Encountering a story of someone else's pain and recovery supports that step. And eventually, that person begins to write their own "My Own Story." The slogan expresses our determination to be there for that very first step.
■ The Universal "Power of Stories" at Home and Abroad
Since its establishment in 2004, EFA has been engaged in education and welfare support through building libraries and promoting reading in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
We continue to challenge the "Book Famine"—a situation where schools and libraries were destroyed by civil war, and books accessible to children with disabilities account for less than 1% of published titles.
Meanwhile, following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024, we began disaster relief efforts within Japan. Through the "Oku-Noto Book Cafe on Wheels," which visits places where people gather, such as temporary housing, we are delivering books and stories to those affected by the disaster.
Whether it is children gathering in a library in a post-conflict country or a person picking up a book in temporary housing, the act is the same: encountering a story, putting one's pain into words, and taking another step forward, regardless of the location or situation. "Story to Go on" embodies EFA's will to connect these efforts across borders.
■ About EFA JAPAN
EFA JAPAN is an international cooperation NGO established in 2004, taking over the "Asia Children's House" project, an international cooperation initiative carried out by people involved in local public services across Japan. We conduct activities to provide education and welfare opportunities to children who face difficulties in learning due to conflict, poverty, or disabilities, operating in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and within Japan.
The organization name "EFA JAPAN" stands for "Empowerment For All." We aim to realize a society where everyone can realize their potential and write their own story.
Somewhere in the world, someone is standing still today.
In the silence following an earthquake.
In the night of an unending conflict.
In the isolation of being unable to even raise one's voice.
At such a time, a book catches their eye. As they turn the pages, they find the story of someone who was hurt in the same way, yet still began to walk forward. That person realizes:
"I was not alone."
Stories have a mysterious power. It is the power to empathize with the pain of others, to put one's own pain into words, and to illuminate a step toward a tomorrow that cannot yet be seen.
Reading, listening, and talking together.
Through these activities, people can reweave their own stories. Even if they have disabilities, even if they speak different languages, even after losing everything.
We believe that a story to go on should be by everyone's side.
Carrying books and stories with us, EFA JAPAN will continue to walk alongside you in 2026.
■ From the Vision of "My Own Story" to "Story to Go on"
EFA's vision is: "A society where all children can realize their potential and creativity, and write their own 'My Own Story'." "My Own Story" refers to the life story of each individual, who, even amidst hardship, carves out their own future with their own strength.
The 2026 slogan, "Story to Go on," takes this vision one step further. To write one's "My Own Story," one first needs the strength to take another step from the place where they are standing still.
Encountering a story of someone else's pain and recovery supports that step. And eventually, that person begins to write their own "My Own Story." The slogan expresses our determination to be there for that very first step.
■ The Universal "Power of Stories" at Home and Abroad
Since its establishment in 2004, EFA has been engaged in education and welfare support through building libraries and promoting reading in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
We continue to challenge the "Book Famine"—a situation where schools and libraries were destroyed by civil war, and books accessible to children with disabilities account for less than 1% of published titles.
Meanwhile, following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024, we began disaster relief efforts within Japan. Through the "Oku-Noto Book Cafe on Wheels," which visits places where people gather, such as temporary housing, we are delivering books and stories to those affected by the disaster.
Whether it is children gathering in a library in a post-conflict country or a person picking up a book in temporary housing, the act is the same: encountering a story, putting one's pain into words, and taking another step forward, regardless of the location or situation. "Story to Go on" embodies EFA's will to connect these efforts across borders.
■ About EFA JAPAN
EFA JAPAN is an international cooperation NGO established in 2004, taking over the "Asia Children's House" project, an international cooperation initiative carried out by people involved in local public services across Japan. We conduct activities to provide education and welfare opportunities to children who face difficulties in learning due to conflict, poverty, or disabilities, operating in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and within Japan.
The organization name "EFA JAPAN" stands for "Empowerment For All." We aim to realize a society where everyone can realize their potential and write their own story.