Stand on the 11th floor of Shibuya Hikarie and look out over Tokyo. The city goes on forever. It's hard not to feel something when you see it - like the world is wide open.
The children we support in institutional homes in Japan rarely get that feeling. But that's where our volunteers come in.
Every week, our volunteer-led online classes connect youth in care with tutors and mentors from Japan. Through English exam prep, career guidance, and just showing up consistently, volunteers help these kids see past their current circumstances and start imagining what comes next.
We've been doing this for 17 years. And it works - because people like you decide to give a few hours of their time.
We have volunteer events coming up and we'd love to have you join us. Whether you want to tutor, support classes, or just learn more about what we do - there's a place for you.
Sign up here: youmewenpo.org
Or reach us at [email protected]
Let's give more kids that view.
Your laptop is a portal.
Sitting near Shibuya Hikarie on your lunch break? At your favorite local cafe? Wherever you are, you're two hours away from making a real difference for students at PHINMA Metrotowne in Manila.
Our online volunteer sessions are flexible, easy to join, and genuinely impactful. You don't need to travel anywhere. You just need to show up - and the children we support need people who will.
Give 2 hours. Help us deliver classes to the kids in the homes we support.
Sign up here: https://peatix.com/event/4575117
We'd love to have you with us.
That's why we're opening a temporary care facility!
Translation:[That’s exactly why we’re opening a dedicated temporary shelter!]
This spring, yet another student was accepted into college straight out of high school!
H-kun, you really worked hard! (Everyone, please give him a big round of applause!)
(Background)
When he was in middle school, he was placed in temporary foster care by the Child Guidance Center due to family circumstances.
From that day on, he suddenly began living in a group home with children he didn’t know—ranging from very young kids to high school students—all with completely different backgrounds and circumstances.
He couldn’t go to school. No club activities or cram school. And of course, he couldn’t see his friends.
He entered the facility with only the clothes on his back.
While everyone else was going to school as usual, he couldn’t attend classes, and he felt left behind—it was heartbreaking.
He says those days went on for several months.
He became despondent,
thinking, “My life is over!”
Even though he hadn’t done anything wrong…
At the time, the Child Guidance Center’s temporary shelters were reportedly overflowing with kids like him.
H-kun, who had once despaired of life and given up on himself,
came to his foster family’s home and gradually regained his confidence. Although he entered a low-ranking private high school, he didn’t give up and worked hard step by step. This spring, he successfully passed the entrance exam for a prestigious private university in Nagoya on his first try! ＼(^o^)／
Yesterday, as he walked toward his entrance ceremony in his suit, his back looked so radiant to me, and he seemed full of confidence.
(It’s rare to experience such joy. That’s exactly why being a foster parent is the best!)
I want to help these adolescents carve out a “path in life” for themselves.
With that in mind, this spring, we’re opening “Perch” (meaning “perch”), a facility dedicated to temporary care.
Please come visit us.
Join us May 14th
Quiz night is coming! 🍺🎉
YouMeWe and KIWL are teaming up for a charity pub quiz at Hobgoblin Pub on May 14 (Thursday) at 7:30PM.
Prizes for winners and runners-up, plus raffle prizes on the night. All in support of the kids we work with every day.
Come for the trivia, stay for the good vibes - and know your entry helps make a real difference. 💙
Save the date and bring your team!
Sign up with he link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ueKCuQkkj7d2Oa0MKigsBRaorRHMMy7aRVL2ZBxg35Y/edit?usp=drive-dynamite&ts=69c9f1f6
Thanking everyone who joined us
Extremely thankful to the 100+ walkers who joined the 2026 Imperial Palace walk with KIWL, sponsored by Robert Half and Protiviti.
It was a perfect couple of days under the sakura around the Palace with friends and family, and we were so happy to be joined by our students from St. Francis and toddlers from Tokyo Katei Gakko.
Thank you for walking to support children in care across Japan.
2026年の皇居ウォークに参加してくださった100名以上の皆さま、本当にありがとうございました。
Robert HalfさんとProtivitiさんのご協賛のもと、KIWLと共に、美しい桜に囲まれた皇居の周りを、ご家族やご友人と一緒に歩くことができました。
セント・フランシスの生徒たちや、東京家庭学校の幼児たちも参加してくれて、とても温かい時間になりました。
日本中の社会的養護下にいる子どもたちを支えるために歩いてくださり、心から感謝しています。
In the quiet minute after logoff, I always wonder: were they overwhelmed or engaged? Will they look forward to the next session or just take it in stride?
Through YouMeWe, I hope they feel part of something bigger than themselves and start to see a path toward the best version of who they can be. More than anything, I hope that by showing up week after week, year after year, they know they are not alone.
What stays with you after you support a young person?
Tokyo next weekend
The Imperial Palace walk is open for registration on March 27th and 28th and shaping up to be the best days to go. Cherry blossoms are expected to hit full bloom around March 25-26, so by the weekend you'll catch full canopies and the start of hanafubuki - that beautiful moment when the petals begin to drift down like snow.
Sign up here https://youmewenpo.org/imperial-palace-walk-2026
And if the season has you feeling generous - we're always looking for volunteers and supporters who want to make a difference for youth in care. Two hours of your time can change a child's week.
Visit us at youmewenpo.org or reach out at [email protected] to learn how you can help.
#YouMeWeNPO #CherryBlossoms #ImperialPalace #Hanami #TokyoSpring #YouthEmpowerment
What does impact really look like?
For us, it’s not just the number 1,000 — though we’re proud to have provided over 1,000 laptops to children growing up in orphanages across Japan. It’s what happens after the laptop is opened.
Impact is:
• A teenager learning their first digital skill
• A young adult building confidence through real-world job training
• A resume created where none existed before
• A first paycheck earned through newly learned skills
We’ve learned that true impact isn’t measured by what we give — but by what young people are able to do next.
That’s why we focus on outcomes, not just outputs:
→ How many youth complete our training programs
→ How many gain employable, marketable skills
→ How many transition into jobs, internships, or further education
→ How many continue to grow independently after our support ends
A laptop is a tool. Skills are a bridge. Opportunity is the goal.
We’re committed to walking alongside these young people — not just in access, but in outcomes that change the trajectory of their lives.
#Impact #Nonprofit #Japan #YouthEmpowerment #DigitalInclusion #SocialGood
Very thankful for the donations made so far in the Little by Little Campaign and have sent out our thank you notes to the donors.
This campaign is live and will close tomorrow.
These donations mean two students will be able to join LEAD and we are halfway there on the Duke of Edinburgh goal.
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/duke-of-edinburgh-ymw/
Now is the best time to support YouMeWe!
Starting March 17 at 10:00 AM EDT, 11PM JST through the GlobalGiving matching campaign, your donation to our organization will be matched at 50% (up to $50)! That means that your donations will help us continue our work and reach those who need it most.
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/kiwl-2026-events/
ONLY 10 DAYS left for the Imperial Palace Walk !
On March 27 & 28, we’re coming together to walk for their future, and we need you with us!
Grab your friends, scan the QR code, and secure your spot today!
Every step we take helps support a brighter future! Let’s show up!
No four-leaf clovers needed here
For 17 years, we have not relied on luck to help children in institutional care build real futures. We rely on people - volunteers who show up week after week, online and in person, from Japan to Manila.
This St. Patrick's Day, we are grateful for every single one of you who is part of our village
If you have been thinking about joining us as an online tutor, now is a great time to take that step. Every session counts.
DM us or visit youmewenpo.org to sign up
#YouMeWeNPO #SocialImpact #DigitalInclusion #YouthEmpowerment #fortheyouth
Happy Pi Day!
3.14159... we may not have all the digits, but we do have a formula for a brighter future - weekly online tutoring connecting Japan to Manila.
Every week, our volunteers give their time to help students prepare for English exams and work through challenges that really matter. These sessions are more than just classes. They are a lifeline for young people preparing for life after 18.
If you have a couple of hours a week and a heart for it, we would love to have you on the team. Visit youmewenpo.org or send us a message to find out how to get involved.
