News
News
Even After Death, Teacher’s Impact Lives On
Jul 15th
CBS6 News in Richmond, VA talks about Taylor Anderson Fund and relief efforts by Smile Kids Japan and volunteerAkita.
SKJ Speaks at TEDxTokyo: Enter the Unknown
May 14th
Smile Kids Japan Founder Michael Maher King is going to be speaking at TEDxTokyo: Enter the Unknown.
For more information please see the attached press release.
Find out more about TEDxTokyo here!
Benefit Concert in London!
May 5th
There will be a benefit concert featuring the Jammers, XOVA and Frank McComb on 22nd May 2011 at the Hideaway in Streatham, London. There will also be a charity auction and all funds from the evening will be going to Living Dreams and Smile Kids Japan on their tohoku kids support project. Please come show your support and enjoy an evening of world-class music for a great cause!
CNNgo’s article about SKJ
May 2nd
Even more than six weeks on, it’s still difficult to estimate the number of children who have been orphaned by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 11.
The Ministry of Health has registered around 100 confirmed cases, but the number is expected to rise as more of the people listed as missing are confirmed dead. For some of the kids left behind, the path to recovery will be harder than others and they are likely to end up in state care.
Read more: Japan’s new post-quake orphan problem | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/tokyo/life/japans-new-post-quake-orphan-problem-145634#ixzz1L9laDVQ0
Mike will be on the show “Tonight” on Thursday, April 14
Apr 14th
Mike will be on the show “Tonight” on Thursday, April 14 at 7.30pm UK time – ITV (Channel 3).
Try to watch it if you can!
MTV’s ACT Blog features Mike and SKJ
Apr 14th
“Five years ago, then 23-year-old Michael Maher King moved from England to Japan to teach English through JET, the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. Two years in, looking for a deeper connection to his community, he began visiting a local orphanage to spend time with the kids there and soon discovered that by serving area youth, he was also enriching his own experience abroad.”
Smiles & Dreams: Tohoku Kids’ Project
Mar 30th
- Tohoku Kids Project (For Donors)
- Tohoku Kids Project (For Orphanages)
- Tohoku Kids Project (For Governments)
After Japan’s horrific 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami, through tremendous heartbreak and hardship, the question we have all repeatedly heard — “what can we do to help?” — is being asked by friends, neighbors, and communities around the world.
Countless local and international agencies are on the ground doing extraordinary work for victims in the affected regions, but the road ahead for Japan will be an arduous one that will require endurance, fortitude and resolve. After the initial phase of emergency relief work has been completed, the question will remain, for a long time to come,
Smile Kids Japan and Living Dreams have joined forces to tackle that question and provide specific, effective solutions. Our joint venture, Smiles & Dreams: Tohoku Kids’ Project, will work to support children’s homes (orphanages) affected by the disaster. We will immediately address their needs, the needs of the children who rely on them and will continue to support those children in the long-term.
Our first act will be to restore basic necessities, including both personal and shared items. We will replenish basic needs such as clothing, baby supplies and basic medicines. We will also provide homes with items that will help them rebuild a nurturing environment for the children that rely on them for care and support; items such as toys, computers, books and supplies for a variety of hobbies. We will work directly with children’s homes and the government agencies responsible for them to best assess the needs of each and every home affected by the disaster. Through our combined networks, our organisations will directly purchase and distribute necessary items quickly and efficiently.
Our second act will be to connect children’s homes directly to professional child counselling services and also to provide them with a wide range of activities to help their children emotionally move on after the tragedy they’ve endured. Proper counselling along with activities such as trips to theme parks, camping, going to concerts and various others will improve children’s outlook on their lives and future. Counselling services and activities will be funded and arranged directly through our organisations’ networks.
Your monetary donations will help rebuild lives that were shattered within minutes. You will be replacing necessities, including both personal and shared items that took years for children and homes to collect. You will be providing children with professional counselling and a wide range of therapeutic activities to help them move on past the tragedy they’ve endured. Through your donations, you will allow us to provide children’s homes with the goods and services they need to create safe and nurturing environments once again for the children who rely on them. You will personally be turning these institutions back into supportive homes.
To donate directly to Living Dreams & Smile Kids Japan, please make a wire payment to our NPO bank account. We will be sure to provide you with detailed reports so you can see how your funds are spent.
Bank Name: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Branch Name: Mita Dori Branch
Branch Address: 5-28-1 Shiba Minato-ku 108-0014 Tokyo Japan
Branch Code: 623
Swift Code: SMBCJPJT
Account Type: Ordinary
Account Number: 8104945
Account Name: Living Dreams
Living Dreams is a registered Japanese NPO that has been actively working with 33 children’s homes in the Tokyo area since 2008. Their mission is to help these kids on the path towards becoming responsible, confident and empowered young adults. Centered along the LAST Principle (Learning, Arts, Sports, and Technology), long-term and regularly occurring programs are developed under each category to help improve a child’s overall motivation and confidence. Ultimately, each program works to enrich, encourage, and empower. Living Dreams brings to this joint venture substantial experience in running NPO programs as well as a wealth of resources in both the local and international community.
Royal Holloway responds to Japan disaster
Mar 16th
Royal Holloway of the University of London responds to the Earthquake/Tsunami disaster and interviews Mike.
http://www.rhul.ac.uk/aboutus/newsandevents/news/newsarticles/japandisaster.aspx
Consulate General of Japan in New York Talks about SKJ
Feb 14th
Consulate General of Japan in New York Talks about SKJ
The consulate general of Japan in New York just mentioned us in a letter about why the JET program is great. Read it here or click on the images below!



PS: we are now linked on the Embassy of Japan’s website in Brunei!




