EGAKU for
Kids & Youth

We ran the EGAKU Program at an offsite for alumni of the Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Study Abroad Initiative – a public-private effort led by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Japan.
 
48 student leaders spearheading Tobitate! alumni and PR activities nationwide gathered to look back on why and how they got involved through the EGAKU theme, ‘Origin.’ Participants reflected on their personal ‘Origin’ stories and the hopes, challenges, relationships, fears and struggles behind them. It was an incredibly powerful session, brimming with hope for the future.
 
Below are some of the participants’ comments:

• “I discovered a new version of myself through EGAKU. Going forward as I change, I hope I’ll continue discovering new versions of myself.”
• “It was an opportunity to compare the person I was before I studied abroad, and the person I am now. I felt the connections between the past, present and future.“
• “I felt it’s important for me to be honest with myself about the things that make me uncomfortable, and act accordingly.”
• “I believe the things I felt in this program are at the core of who I am. I want to remember and treasure these things, and let them guide how I act.”
• “Usually when I paint a picture, I decide on a theme first and then paint that idea but this time I just went with the flow. I think the general sense that it was possible to redo it helped me approach it that way. I’m going to become a teacher next year and I hope to create that kind of environment for the children.”