STUDY FOR TWO, Ochanomizu University Chapter: Activity Report in Academic Year 2015

2016年2月11日更新

STUDY FOR TWO (SFT) is a large-scale organization with chapters in universities around the country. The group’s volunteers collect surplus used textbooks on campus and sell them at half the original price. The proceeds are used to provide support for education in Laos, so that the project provides benefits for both students in Japan and children in Laos. There has been a chapter of the group at Ochanomizu since 2012; this marks our fourth year.

Making Christmas goods

We organized a sale of used textbooks from April 7 through April 20, 2015 as one of the activities of the “Tomo ni Ikiru” [Living Together in a Global Community] study group. We set out our stall in front of the university library in order to attract as many passers-by as possible. By publicizing our activities during orientation at the beginning of the new academic year and focusing on raising our profile among first-year students who use textbooks more than any other group, we were able to achieve sales of approximately ¥180,000 from the spring period alone this year. In the autumn, we took steps to boost sales by choosing textbooks likely to prove popular and placing them on prominent display at the front of the stall. As a result, we made ¥90,000 from the sale of textbooks. Total sales for 2015 came to ¥270,000, our highest figure yet. Of this, ¥240,000 was donated to provide scholarships for 24 schoolchildren in Laos.

Besides selling textbooks, we also carry out a variety of other activities including raising awareness of the group and collecting textbooks and paperbacks on campus. In the summer, we made jiaozi dumplings with students from China. In the winter, we made Christmas-related ornaments, a first for the Ochanomizu chapter. Large numbers of students had participated in our food-related events in the past, but this year we were able to widen participation among groups that had previously been underrepresented, including first-year Japanese students.

Members selling used textbooks

Since the branch opened in 2012, awareness and proceeds from textbook sales have been increasing every year. We will continue to work on fun ideas for projects enjoyable for Ochanomizu students and make it easier for even more people to take part in our sales and other events. Endeavoring to evolve Ochanomizu branch of STUDY FOR TWO group, we hope we can count on your continued support for our activities.

Our thanks to everyone who helped out at the sales and events, and to everyone who donated or bought textbooks.

（Kurumi Kumagai, representative of SFT Ochanomizu chapter
and 2nd Year Student, Faculty of Letters and Education）