You’ve probably seen the poster for the Trash to Treasure fundraiser, but did you know that this fundraiser was started by two students back in second grade? Trash to Treasure, an idea started by two Grade 2 students, Kei and Ko, four years ago, makes an impactful difference to those in need in Afghanistan. Now in grade six, both students, with the help of Mr. Southall (club facilitator), strive to make a difference in Afghanistan and advocate the importance of service. This year’s Annual Fundraiser will take place on Wednesday, February 11th (Student-led conference day) in the school Atrium. Parents, teachers, and students are encouraged to donate unwanted puzzles, stationery, video games, or other toys to this fundraiser, as all funds raised will be donated to the Peshawar-Kai, a non-governmental organization founded by Tetsu Nakamura (1946-2019), a Japanese doctor who dedicated his life to Afghanistan by providing medical and humanitarian services to the people in Afghanistan. (For more information, click here)
From an Idea into Reality
The idea for Trash to Treasure started from a morning news boradcast when Kei was in second grade. “I was watching the news in the morning. And NHK was doing a story about the problems in Afghanistan.” But it didnt end here. Kei wanted to take action to make a real difference. “I didn’t want to just feel bad about what was happening — I wanted to do something. When I asked my mom how I could help, she suggested doing it with my friends, and that’s when the idea really started.” Despite Kei being in second grade back then, Kei was determined that he could make a difference and improve someone’s life. After Kei shared the idea of the Fundraiser, his fellow and like-minded classmate Koh decided to help and run the fundraiser. “At first, I didn’t really know much about Afghanistan, but I knew it was important to help people who needed it.” Kei said. As they grew up and started to learn more, Kei and Koh became even more determined and committed to Trash to Treasure. Kei and Koh also emphasized that this fundraiser would not have been possible without the support of their parents and teachers. “We were really lucky to have supportive parents and teachers — without them, we probably wouldn’t have come this far,” Kei said. Koh added on by thanking all of the teachers who often gave up their recess time to help them plan and prepare for the fundraiser. “They let us use their time, even during recess, and we’re really thankful for that,” he said. Additionally, Mr.Southall shared his remarks by saying, “This wasn’t a teacher telling students what to do — this was students wanting to help others. That kind of altruism needs to be encouraged.” He also explained that he originally started as a parent donating goods to this fundraiser. “My first involvement was donating — just like any other parent — by bringing in my daughter’s old toys,” he said. Knowing that Kei and Koh were rising middle school students, he decided to take over as the new facilitator of Trassh to Treasure. With the strong commitment and dedication of Kei and Koh, along with the support of their parents and teachers, they were able to turn this idea into a lasting reality.
Turning Donations into Impact
A lot of work and time by Kei and Koh is put into Trash to Treasure to happen. Kei and Koh initially planned to sell handmade items like bracelets, but decided that selling donated toys would be more feasible and popular for everyone. “We usually start the preparation for Trash to Treasure three months before,” Koh said. With the help of Mr.Southall now, Kei and Koh collect unwanted
items like toys and board games from students, teachers, and parents. After collecting the items, Kei and Koh go through the items and decide on the price, what to sell, and organize the boxes and stock to sell at the fundraiser. Kei and Koh’s hard work allowed them to raise over 200,000 yen 2 years ago and 170,000 yen last year. Once the fundraiser is over, all funds raised will be donated to the Peshawar-Kai (link above). Kei and Koh learned about Peshawar-kai through a friend’s father, a former reporter who frequently traveled to Afghanistan. They chose this organization as all members of the organization are volunteers, meaning that 100% of the funds will be used to help people in Afghanistan. “Peshawar-kai is completely volunteer-run, so every single yen goes to people in need,” Koh said
With the efforts of Kei and Koh, what began as a simple question turned into a lasting effort to help others. Through their leadership, Kei and Koh showed that anyone, regardless of age, can make a difference and make someone’s life better.
