Connecting Worlds: Creating a Future for Children in Shiga, Kobe, and Malawi

Seibo recently visited “Kodomo Shokudo” (community children’s cafeterias) in Shiga Prefecture and Kobe City to host special workshops. These activities go far beyond simple charitable support; they serve as a vital educational platform where Japanese children can tangibly experience their “connection to the world.”

Shiga: One-of-a-Kind Label Making Where Individuality Shines

In Shiga, we held a workshop to design original labels for Malawi coffee packages. Participants ranged from preschoolers to high school students and adults. Under the theme “Messages from Japan to Malawi,” the children used their imagination to create unique designs.

“What kind of country is Malawi?” “How is coffee made?”

Simple questions sparked lively conversations, making a distant foreign land feel close to home. We were moved to see children who sometimes face challenges attending school show incredible focus and creativity. One after another, beautiful labels reflecting each child’s personality were born.

Kobe: Cultivating Hearts of Support and Learning
In Kobe, we conducted our second visit to “Terakoya Litex.” For this session, Seibo’s CEO, Makoto Yamada, traveled from Tokyo to join the energized group.

Upon our arrival, the children happily shouted, “It’s the Malawi sister!”—a heartwarming sign that the lessons from our previous visit had truly taken root in their hearts.

Deeper Learning: Exploring the Origins of Malawi Coffee
Using custom worksheets created by our staff, the children expressed their thoughts on Fair Trade and how international aid works. We explained in simple terms the journey of coffee beans from Malawi to Japan and how the economic cycle directly supports school meals for Malawian children.

Why “Malawi” at a Japanese Children’s Cafeteria?
The core mission of Seibo is: “School meals for all children worldwide!”

In Japan, many children rely on community spaces for meals and social connection after school or on holidays. By looking toward the wider world together, we hope to provide a stimulating experience that helps these children open doors to their own futures.

Our activities in Shiga particularly highlighted three major impacts:

The Joy of Creation: Discovering the happiness of self-expression through label design.

Global Awareness: Using coffee as a bridge to imagine life on the other side of the planet.

Finding a Purpose: Building self-confidence by knowing their artwork helps others through donations.

The coffee bags adorned with these hand-drawn labels directly fund school meals in Malawi. The small sparks of light lit in Shiga and Kobe are now shining bright to illuminate the future for children in Malawi.