Global Pay It Forward Day Japan
- April Dykes
- 4月28日
- 読了時間: 7分
Global Pay It Forward Day Japan
Pay It Forward is a term that many of us have heard. However, do you know the meaning behind it? The easiest way to define paying it forward is receiving money or help from someone and feeling moved to ‘pay it forward’ to the next person. If this feeling compels the next person, the result is usually a long chain of people helping the next person. The ‘pay’ can be the same thing you received or something that you see someone needs.
I had the opportunity to experience this when I worked as a cashier at the grocery store during high school. Someone left their change for the next person to use. When the next customer arrived, I presented the money and explained what the previous person had done and their well wishes. The second customer would then leave some money for the next person. It would continue until someone eventually broke the chain. It was always heartwarming to experience and disappointing to see it end. The point of the pay it forward movement is to see people do something kind without expecting anything in return. And that kindness inspires other people to be kind. It’s such a beautiful thing to see and be a part of.
While the act of kindness with the power to create a chain of kindness can be done any day of the year, such as on Giving Tuesday, Pay It Forward Day is celebrated worldwide on April 28th. According to Global Pay It Forward, their mission is “to inspire acts of kindness on this day in hopes that the ripple of good will continue throughout the entire year” (Global Pay It Forward Day). It became a holiday in 2007 when Blake Beattie, inspired by Catherine Ryan Hyde’s book "Pay It Forward," started it in Australia. Since 2007, it has spread to over 88 countries. Since its inception in 2007, it has remained independent of any affiliations with companies or organizations.
There is no set way to celebrate Global Pay It Forward Day. Do what feels right for you. However, if you’re looking for ideas, check out the suggestions below from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation:
Pay it Backward: buy coffee for the person behind you in line.
Donate old towels or blankets to an animal shelter.
Encounter someone in customer service who is especially kind? Take an extra five minutes to tell their manager.
Practice self-kindness and spend 30 minutes doing something you love today.
Send a ‘Thank you’ card or note to the officers at your local police or fire station.
When you hear that discouraging voice in your head, tell yourself something positive — you deserve kindness too
Support a local charity
While we are spreading kindness, I think it is important to remember to be kind to people who are often overlooked- the homeless. Homelessness is an epidemic that affects many countries, including Japan. Every country has its own culture regarding homelessness, which often includes pretending that they don’t exist. At first glance, there don’t appear to be many homeless people, and when they are seen, they are often very different from the homelessness that I have encountered in America. Many people walk past them, as if they don’t exist, and the homeless people themselves act as if they are unable to be seen.
When foreigners offer money or food, they often won’t accept any help. This was very surprising to me because it wasn’t my culture. “Homelessness in Japan is often understated due to societal norms that stigmatise poverty and public failure. Many Japanese individuals experiencing housing insecurity live in internet cafés, capsule hotels, or poorly maintained apartments, technically avoiding the label of “homeless” but still existing in precarious conditions (Examiner). If this is where you would like to spread kindness, consider supporting nonprofits that assist homeless individuals.
Did you know that if you don’t have a physical address in Japan, you can’t apply for jobs or get a cellphone? Did you know that if you are homeless, you don’t have the opportunity to make money to get a place to live because you don’t have a home. It’s a complex issue that nonprofits are tackling in a way that doesn’t cause homeless people to feel ashamed and allows them to feel like they aren’t burdening society. The following nonprofits and social enterprises have programs that greatly benefit the homeless and the community.
This is a social enterprise that exclusively hires homeless people to sell newspapers created by their parent company, The Big Issue, a UK-founded company. “The Japanese version of The Big Issue, originally founded in Britain in 1991, was created after Shoji Sano, 81, currently co-chief of its publisher, The Big Issue Japan Ltd., witnessed many homeless people following a series of bankruptcies of banks and securities companies in the late 1990s” (The Japan News).
Their goal is not just to ‘rescue’ homeless people but to give them a helping hand by providing them with a job and a place to live through a program called ‘Step Houses’. Step Houses are repurposed vacant homes used as temporary housing for homeless individuals who work for The Big Issue Foundation. For about ¥10,000 per month, they are provided with a home, and The Big Issue even provides appliances for the home, such as rice cookers.
Programs like ‘Step Houses’ are necessary due to differences in municipal policies. “The Public Assistance Law (Seikatsu-Hogo Ho), which provides cash benefit to the poor regardless of their age, sex or household type, does not exclude the homeless people, but many local and municipal governments did not apply it to the homeless people because of rather strict application of the Law's "Every means available" clause” (National Institue of Population and Social Security Research).
This is an NPO that helps homeless people at every stage. They provide food, shelter, as well as job and lifestyle support. Homedoor aims to tackle 6 challenges:
Delivering information about their organization. They conduct night patrols throughout the city to locate homeless individuals. Once found, they provide food, daily necessities, and shelter when possible, as they have 18 private rooms available at their building. They also advertise their organization at internet cafes, a known gathering place for people who lack a home, and convenience stores.
Providing options: They partner with other organizations to fill in the gaps by offering support to homeless individuals, including shelter, food, clothing, and more.
Supporting daily life: they provide a private room with a bathroom as well as food at the connected cafeteria.
Responding to needs: They provide job opportunities through HUBchari, a bicycle rental company that employs homeless people to maintain and repair the bicycles.
Providing lasting support: They assist people in finding their own homes, and their volunteers help with the moving process. They stay in contact with their former clients to ensure they are doing well and are available to help if anything happens.
Spreading awareness: They try to change society’s incorrect perception of homeless people and, in turn, spread correct information through lectures and workshops.
This is a not-for-profit organization that helps homeless people by
Securing housing: serving as a guarantor
Combating social isolation: their exchange program provides opportunities for people to gather and interact through social salons, agricultural activities, etc
Providing free consultation: financial advice, life consultation, and support services
Their mission is to “offer concrete support to the people who find themselves in destitution, and to realise a more inclusive and just society, where every person lives free from exclusion and poverty” (Moyai Support Center).
This is a nonprofit organization that specializes in helping individuals who are socially isolated, struggling to make ends meet, or experiencing homelessness. Their mission is to help them “feel that they are not alone and regain their smiles”(Sanyukai). They operate a free medical clinic and offer life consultation services. They understand that several factors can lead to homelessness, but loneliness is a result every single time. “The most serious problem they face is the loss of the connections that would allow someone to reach out to them when they are really in pain or going through a difficult time. Such socially isolated situations will eventually lead to a feeling that "I am not needed by anyone," and will cause a person to lose the strength to live positively (Sanyukai).
They offer 7 services that combat homelessness and are catered to the health and overall wellness of those impacted by this issue.
Medical care: Free medical care is provided by volunteer medical staff. This service is available to individuals who do not have health insurance.
Consultations: They offer consultations for lifestyle and health-related issues. They also support homeless people who live in local apartments or doyas (simple lodgings). They watch over them, help with emergencies, and so on.
Food: Free lunch is provided to all visitors. Additionally, they distribute food at the soup kitchen located on the banks of the Sumida River every Thursday.
Housing: They provide housing for former homeless people at their housing facility, Sanyuso. There is on-site staff to support daily activities, as well as assistance for those who have difficulty living alone due to disabilities.
Creating a sense of community: Through their Ibasho Ikigai Project, they provide homeless and formerly homeless individuals with a space where they can socialize through activities such as gardening, cleaning, and doll-making.
Communal cemetery: Many homeless people have no ties with their relatives and are often forgotten after they die. Their communal cemetery project involves holding ceremonies, farewell parties, and displaying photos of them on Buddhist altars. This ensures they won’t be listed as abandoned and will have people who remember them.
Sanya Art Project: “Old men living in Sanya or on the streets share their surroundings and the towns they live in through photos. This project aims to document the changes in Tokyo through the medium of art, specifically photography. The goal is to record and preserve the town of Sanya and communicate it to a wide range of generations” (Sanyukai).
If any of these nonprofit organizations interest you, please visit their websites, conduct your own research, and consider donating if it feels right.
How will you pay it forward today?
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PAY IT FORWARD
HOMELESSNESS
https://www.ipss.go.jp/s-info/e/irrj/swsw/swsw02_7.html#:~:text=The%20Public%20Assistance%20Law%20 (Seikatsu,of%20the%20Law's%20%22Every%20means https://www.npomoyai.or.jp/en#:~:text=Moyai%20is%20an%20independent%2C%20not,achieving%20lasting%20solutions%20to%20poverty
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