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.
Post 3/11. Looking back on what we did and are still doing.
This was an interview from many years back with Yamakawa sensei of Matsubaen and one of two children (adult at the time of the interview) who went into the institutional care system post the tsunami.
He was heading home from school when the tsunami warning alarm sounded and he was torn between heading home to his grandmother whose house was on the cliff of the ocean and back to school which is what the alarm was telling him.
We never found his house with his grandmother and great grandmother in it.
His grandfather who raised him was on his fishing boat and thought lost until a neighbor found him a year later in a hospital in Keisanuma where he washed ashore.
This young man came into the home after many unfortunate circumstances.
He was part of our digital citizenship classes. Graduated and then due to other circumstances came to work for us. We worked with his support team to get him back on track. He eventually worked at Disney which was his dream and then was able to find permanent employment.
St. Francis
This week, we taught the kids at St.Francis Children's home how to spot scams and cat-fishing on the internet. As always, thank you to all our dedicated volunteers! Interested in volunteering? Contact us at: [email protected]
Today marks 15 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Out of that tragedy came something powerful - a reminder that kizuna, the bonds between people, are what carry us through the hardest moments and the quietest ones too.
At YouMeWe, we see that spirit every single week. Volunteers who show up - sometimes on holidays, sometimes after a long day - to sit with the children in the homes we support and help them prepare for exams, build skills, and believe in what comes next.
When we started out only 5% of the orphanages had wifi. We bought 350 brand new laptops and shipped them to Iwate, Sendai and Fukushima and kicked off what we call the Digital Citizenship course. Now all 33,000 kids at 600 orphanages have wifi and post Covid most every child has their own device.
On this day of remembrance and community, we want to ask: will you join the village?
Just 2 hours of your time to tutor children online can make a real difference in a young person's life. These kids are preparing for life after 18, and they need people in their corner.
DM us if you have questions. We'd love to have you.
#YouMeWeNPO #Kizuna #311 #YouthEmpowerment #DigitalInclusion#Volunteers #AlternativeCare
Two new ambassadors, two big dreams.
Today we kicked off their mentoring journey with more than just a laptop. Together we walked through a 4-year budget in Excel - tuition, rent, food, transport - so they can see the real numbers, calm the anxiety, and decide where part-time work and extra support might be needed.
One is on the path to becoming a teacher, the other to studying management. Thanks to our amazing donors and CSR partners, their laptops are one less expense to worry about, and an essential tool for lectures, assignments, and tracking their monthly spending.
Our Fostering Higher Education Mentor Program pairs each mentee with a mentor for at least the first two years, often well into adulthood - because navigating money, work, and study takes time and support.
Seeing these two students transform from anxiety to having a real plan reminds us why this work matters. When you give youth in care the tools AND the guidance, they don't just survive university - they thrive.
Want to help more young people step into their future with confidence instead of fear?
• Volunteer as a mentor
• Learn more about our program
• Explore donating or partnering as a company
Reach out to us at [email protected] - you're not just funding devices, you're changing lives.
#YouMeWeNPO#YouthEmpowerment#DigitalInclusion#SocialImpact#fortheyouth
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