At Otsuma Junior and Senior High School, students took part in a special class with Seibo Japan, an NPO that supports school feeding programs in Malawi. Through an online exchange with Seibo staff and student volunteers currently working in Malawi, students explored the questions: “What is an NPO?”, “How can we support Malawi from Japan?”, and “Why does it matter to be connected with another country?”

In the first part of the session, Seibo introduced its activities in Malawi, where school meals provide children with both nutrition and access to education. With videos and first-hand stories from the field, students learned about the challenges of poverty and education inequality in the country.

The second half of the class focused on discussion. Students shared creative ideas on how Japanese youth could take part in global cooperation. One group proposed projects that promote women’s empowerment, suggesting the creation of an original Otsuma character to support girls in Malawi through messages and designs that reflect their school’s unique spirit.

Throughout the class, students realized that international cooperation is not only about “helping,” but also about building connections and learning from one another.

Seibo Japan will continue to collaborate with schools to nurture young people’s awareness of social issues and empower them to take action for a more inclusive world.