Giving Machine Partner Organization Introduction – Partner Organization Spotlight Vol. 7: Certified NPO CPAO (Child Poverty Action Osaka)
Osaka
Certified NPO CPAO responds to calls for help from children, single mothers, and young people who cannot rely on their parents and are facing isolation or financial hardship.
“We have nothing to eat today.”
“I don't want to be at home.”
“I have nobody to talk to.”
When these voices reach CPAO, the response is immediate and practical. If someone has no food, CPAO starts by delivering it. If someone cannot come to them, they go to that person instead.
They listen, seek to understand the person's overall living situation, and connect them with government agencies, social welfare services, healthcare providers, schools, and other resources when needed. They also accompany people to consultations and appointments or help them navigate procedures that may be difficult to handle alone.
And their support does not end with making a referral.
CPAO continues to stay involved as needed, whether that means sharing a meal, providing a safe and welcoming place to spend time, or listening when new challenges arise.
Rather than addressing a child's difficulties in isolation, CPAO also considers the family circumstances and everyday challenges behind them.
Guided by its vision of raising children as a shared responsibility of society, CPAO provides comprehensive support for both parents and children, recognizing that their well-being is closely connected.
CPAO also works directly with young people who cannot rely on their parents, offering personal consultations, daily living support, places where they can feel they belong, and opportunities to work and become more independent.
Meet Our Representative
Yukiko Tokumaru
Chairperson, Certified NPO CPAO
Born in Osaka City, Yukiko Tokumaru raised her children as a single mother.
After working at NPO supporting children who were not attending school and individuals experiencing social withdrawal, she joined an international NGO focused on children, where she was responsible for its domestic programs. Her work has included promoting children's participation in society, addressing child poverty, and supporting recovery efforts following the Great East Japan Earthquake.
In 2013, she founded the Osaka Child Poverty Action Group (Child Poverty Action Osaka / CPAO).
Through many years of working with children and families, I have come to believe strongly that the responsibility for raising children should not rest solely on parents and families.
Through my own experience of raising children, I have also learned how important it is to have relationships beyond the family—people we can connect with and turn to support, rather than trying to manage everything on our own.
I want to help create these connections, one by one.
A world where children and families have people outside their homes to share meals, places where they can spend time and feel welcome, and people they can turn to when they need help. A world where they can also be someone others rely on and find a meaningful role for themselves.
I hope the GIVE Machine will inspire more people to learn about the circumstances facing children, young people, and single mothers—and to take even a small step toward getting involved.
Beyond the GIVE Machine
Supporting CPAO goes beyond making a donation.
Learning about its work, sharing its mission with others, and participating as a volunteer are all meaningful ways to get involved.
We hope that discovering CPAO through the GIVE Machine will be the beginning of a lasting connection, rather than a one-time encounter.
To learn more about how CPAO supports children, young people, and single mothers through community and social connections, please visit its official website.