What Social Hearts is all about

Social Hearts, a new non-profit organization, founded by father and son to overcome the generation gap with bonds and achieve the theme of Happy Second Life for the elderly.

We aim at enhancing lifelong learning , job creation & volunteer opportunities, along with enriching human interaction and exchange as core initiatives.

We focus on the elderly living in temporary housing in Otsuchi, (Iwate Prefecture) which the hardest hit by the Tsunami on March 11,2011

We intend to apply the lessons and best practices of Otsuchi in servicing neighboring communities; and share our know-how with other Pacific-Rim countries.

Our challenge has just began with the theme of a “Happy Second Life” for the elderly.

Message from President

Japan is widely known as the country with the fastest-aging society and related challenges. In September 2013, the demographics of seniors over 65 was 25%, exceeding thirty million of the total population. By 2035, the ratio of seniors may exceed 33%. That is why it is critical to reflect on the dignity and quality of life of our senior citizens, and act now with the purpose of enhancing their lives and enabling them to continue their contribution to society with wisdom, knowledge, skills and a long-lasting experience.

Building on 25-year senior-management experience, as President of multinational semiconductor subsidiaries in Japan, and subsequently focusing on social innovation, as Advanced Leadership Fellow at Harvard University, I have partnered with my oldest son to build a dedicated team with an inter-generational perspective, vision and strength. Together, we launched, in February 2013, “Social Hearts” (Hearts in PLURAL) a non-profit organization, supported with an international advisory board drawn from my peers at Harvard University as well as respected friends

With the vision of a “Happy Second Life”, our mission is to serve seniors in a compassionate, cordial and friendly environment, by providing lifelong learning activities, job creation and other qualitative-interaction opportunities that enhance knowledge, physical, social and emotional well-being and dignity.

Maintaining a loving smile of seniors is our desire, hope and wish.

Please team-up with us to make a “Happy Second Life“ a reality for Otsuchi seniors and in and beyond Japan.

Snapshot:

Name: NPO ( Non for Profit ) Social Hearts

Establishment: February 2013

Founder: Makoto Kawakami ( President)
Masafumi Kawakami ( Vice President )

Head Quarter:
Tokyo:
1401 3-25-18 Yoga Setagaya-ku Tokyo, Japan 158-0097

Mission:

We achieve “ Happy Second Life” for the elderly with the purpose of live.

Vision:

We promote Lifelong learning, human interaction and exchange and Job creation for the elderly through our initiatives

Advisory Board Members:

Major Focus Domain:

1. Lifelong learning
– Conduct “ Senior Hearts Class “ for the elderly living in temporary housing in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture after 3.11.

– Implement a series of specific seminar for the elderly living in Tokyo cosmopolitan

2.Human interaction and exchange
– Ensure “ Community space “ for interaction of the elderly and youth

3.Create volunteer and job opportunities for the elderly
– Implement experience based learning sessions offered by a group of the elderly

4.Promote Otsuchi for increasing nonresident population
through tourism and experience based learning

5.Other new initiatives to achieve vision and mission

Major Activities:

1. “ Senior Hearts Class” as a part of lifelong learning
It is offered to the elderly who are living in temporary housing after 3.11. It is held at three different senior support centers in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture on a bi-weekly base.
– Yell Support Center
– Nukuttko House
– Wanottuko House

The contents of each class are well prepared by Social Hearts to accommodate need of the elderly who come to “ Senior Hearts Class with good motivation and intellectual curiosity. The age of the attendees is between 70`s and 90`s. The number of each class consists of 10-15 senior people at each senior support center.

2. Interaction among the elderly and college students
A group of students from Tokyo University and Iwate University
join Social Hearts for Senior Hearts Class to assist the elderly on a regular base. The elderly is so delighted to welcome those students just like their grandsons or granddaughters.
Over the summer vacation, a number of students from a various of universities in Japan visited Otsuchi and participated Social Hearts activities to get to know the elderly.
Last June four 2012 Harvard University Advanced Leadership Fellows with one wife and grandson also visited Otsuchi for the first time and spent valuable time with the elderly together.