Community Space sacula wins 500,000 yen grant in 2025 Kinki Rokin NPO Award!

Community Space sacula (hereafter 'sacula'), a non-profit organization, has been selected for the 500,000 yen grant in the 2025 Kinki Rokin NPO Award, hosted by Kinki Labour Bank. Out of 62 applicants from the Kinki region, only three were chosen for this grant level.

The Kinki Rokin NPO Award, part of the 'Educational Loan de Child-rearing Support Project,' has been operating since 2006 to support organizations involved in child-rearing through educational loans. It is a community-based grant program that has provided 45.06 million yen to 204 organizations to date.

The winning program is titled 'Creating spaces for experiential gap resolution and self-realization for children and youth with local organizations.'

Youth-focused organizations in Kyoto will connect to plan and operate the 'Shimogyo Tsunagaru Fes' (Shimogyo Connecting Festival). The goal is to provide children and youth with opportunities to experience activities they were previously unable to afford. The program features unique mechanisms to bridge experiential gaps, such as using event-specific currency earned through work experiences.

The review committee commented: 'The program was highly rated from the perspectives of social value, feasibility, and civic engagement.'

Comment from Yukari Kimura, Representative Director of sacula: 'I am truly honored to receive such a wonderful award. This is thanks to everyone who supports our activities daily and the children and youth who connect with sacula. Our staff expresses our heartfelt gratitude. sacula has been creating safe spaces for youth who cannot rely on parents and those facing various challenges, under our motto 'A perch and a trigger for everyone.' We will utilize this grant to continue creating opportunities where children and youth can grow in their own way with the local community.'

Organization Profile Name: NPO Community Space sacula Representative: Yukari Kimura, Representative Director Established: October 1, 2016 Activities: Youth space projects (children's cafeterias, youth dining, daytime/vacation support) Consultation and support (support houses, employment support, outreach) Community cafe business (Cafe Bar & Rental Space Suzunari Lantern) Address: [Office] 42 Maison de Tokura 205, Ushigase Hayashinomo-cho, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 600-8031 [Cafe Bar & Rental Space Suzunari Lantern] 45-10 Ebisu-baba-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, 600-8837 Official Website: https://sacula2016.studio.site/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sacula.office