Free The Children Japan

What Free The Children Japan does

Free The Children Japan (FTCJ) is a certified NPO (認定NPO法人) established in 1999 as the Japanese chapter of the global Free The Children / WE movement founded by Craig Kielburger in Canada in 1994. Headquartered in Setagaya, Tokyo, the organization supports more than 10,000 children and youth in Japan to engage in social contribution activities through educational programs, overseas study tours (primarily to the Philippines), the Change Makers Fes annual event, and the We are the MOVEMENT youth-led social action platform. It also delivers international cooperation programs for children in the Philippines, India, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the Philippines school feeding program for indigenous Aeta communities as a flagship overseas activity. Representative Director Nakajima Sanae has led the organization since its founding, supported by a small operational team.

FTCJ operates as a program-based NGO rather than a technology company; there are no proprietary software products, APIs, or AI capabilities. Its portfolio of programs includes: Change Makers Fes (an annual live event for youth aged 25 and under who have taken social action); Philippine Study Tours (7-day experiential programs); SDG4 Education Campaign (annual advocacy targeting political parties and ministries); Take Action Camp (summer residential program); We are the MOVEMENT (youth-led grant-funded social action); School Outreach / 出前授業 (facilitator-led workshops and classroom materials); Child Opinion Listening Support (consulting services for municipalities); and a Safeguarding Policy framework formalized in 2024.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of monthly recurring individual donations (Kids Power Supporter, Pen Pal Supporter), one-time donations, corporate sponsorships and event sponsorship fees, fair trade product sales and consignment, study tour participation fees, foundation grants (Japan Foundation, Daito Kentaku Group Mirai Fund, Children's Dream Fund), JICA co-sponsorship, and legacy/bequest giving. Pricing for donations is contributory and voluntary; study tour fees are program-cost based; and Change Makers Fes is free for qualifying youth participants aged 25 and under. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on school partnerships, organic social channels (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, LINE), email newsletters, and word-of-mouth through its youth network. FTCJ does not disclose revenue, headcount, or financial figures publicly, and is not backed by venture capital or private equity.

Name

Free The Children Japan

Legal name

認定特定非交響活動法人フリー・ザ・チルドレン・サービス

Website

https://ftcj.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Free The Children Japan is a Tokyo-based certified NPO that supports more than 10,000 Japanese children and youth in social action through educational programs, study tours, and the Change Makers Fes event, while delivering overseas aid projects in the Philippines, India, Kenya, and the DRC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development and Child Rights Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Rights & Protection (BPADAGAG), School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD)

Keywords

• Youth empowerment programs
• Child rights education
• International development
• Community fundraising
• Study tour programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Setagaya, Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monthly recurring donations (Kids Power Supporter, Pen Pal Supporter programs) and one-time donations. Individuals support the organization's various programs including school feeding support in Philippines, child rights education, and overseas independence support.
2. Corporate Donations and Sponsorships: Corporate donations and event sponsorships, particularly for Change Makers Fes. Companies provide financial support in exchange for brand visibility and social impact association.
3. Fair Trade Product Sales: Sales of fair trade products including委托販売 (consignment sales) of fair trade goods. Proceeds support overseas independence support programs.
4. Study Tour Fees: Fees collected from participants for overseas study tours to Philippines and other countries. Covers program costs for educational experiences with children in developing regions.
5. Foundation Grants: Grants from Japanese foundations including 日本財団 (Japan Foundation), 大東建託グループみらい基金, and government-affiliated funding bodies like 子どもゆめ基金.
6. Legacy/Bequest Donations: Inheritance and legacy donations from individuals who include the organization in their estate planning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Free The Children Japan delivers education, advocacy, and experiential programs for children and youth, anchored in child rights, SDGs, and youth empowerment. Its core offerings include the Change Makers Fes annual event, Philippine Study Tours, We are the MOVEMENT youth-led social action program, Take Action Camp (TACJ), school outreach workshops and classroom materials, child opinion listening support for governments, and overseas development support in the Philippines, India, Kenya, and the DRC.

Product overview

Free The Children Japan (FTCJ) operates as a certified NPO focused on child rights and youth empowerment, running multiple interconnected programs rather than a single technology product. The core offerings include Change Makers Fes, a celebratory live event for youth social action; Philippine Study Tours providing experiential learning abroad; the SDG4 Education Campaign for policy advocacy; Take Action Camps for youth development; We are the MOVEMENT for youth-led project funding; School Outreach Programs delivering educational workshops; Mail Magazine and LINE for supporter communications; and Safeguarding Policy and Child Opinion Listening Support services for government/NGO consulting. The organization functions as a program-based NGO rather than a technology company, with no software products, APIs, or AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• We are the MOVEMENT: A project supporting children and youth social action, where youth plan and host their own social action events with organizational support and grants from the Daito Kentaku Group Mirai Fund and others.
• Change Makers Fes
• Change Maker(s) Program
• チェンジメーカー・フェス
• チェンジメーカー・プログラム

Products and services

• Change Makers Fes Annual live event for children and youth aged 25 and under who have taken social action (ソーシャルアクション) on SDGs-related issues, celebrating their achievements with celebrity guests, performances, and networking.
• Philippine Study Tours Study tours to the Philippines for youth, including homestay experiences with indigenous Aeta communities, visits to partner organizations, and hands-on volunteer activities such as school meal support distribution.
• SDG4 Education Campaign Annual advocacy campaign promoting quality education (SDG4) through youth lobbying targeted at political parties and government ministries on children's rights in education, support for foreign-origin children, and school protection.
• Take Action Camp (TACJ) Summer camp program for elementary through high school students to learn about social issues and develop action plans for creating change.
• We are the MOVEMENT Program supporting youth-led social action projects with grant funding from Daito Kentaku Group Mirai Kikin and operational support from FTCJ, in which youth plan and implement their own social action initiatives.
• School Outreach Programs (出前授業) Facilitator-led workshops and educational programs delivered at schools on topics including child rights, SDGs, and international cooperation, with teaching materials available for classroom use.
• Child Opinion Listening Support (こども意見聴取サポート) Consulting services provided to government agencies and organizations for conducting child participation and opinion-gathering exercises, including facilitator training and material development.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 10,000 children and youth engaged in social contribution activities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JICA (国際協力機構)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of Change Makers Fes and partner for international cooperation education programs. Supports study tours and youth exchange initiatives.
• プレダ基金 (PREDA Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization in Philippines managing child protection facilities, fair trade operations, and community development. FTCJ supports PREDA's work and organizes study tours to their facilities.
• WE (Free The Children International)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal parent organization. Inspired Change Makers Fes based on WE Day events held in 15+ cities worldwide since 2007. Shares programmatic methodologies and global network resources.
• 世田谷区・渋谷区・川崎市等地方自治体coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with Japanese municipalities for child participation programs, opinion-hearing initiatives, and educational workshops. FTCJ provides facilitation services and program support.
• C-United株式会社minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Change Makers Fes 2024. Operates café chains (珈琲館, Café du Créme, Café Veloce) and provides event sponsorship.
• 教育協力NGOネットワーク (JNNE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of education-focused NGOs in Japan. FTCJ serves as secretariat for annual SDG4 education campaign advocating for education policy improvements.
• 日本NPOセンター (JNPOC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNPO support organization providing backing for Change Makers Fes and other FTCJ programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FTCJ
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FTCJapan
• Facebookfacebook.com/freethechildrenjapan1999
• Instagraminstagram.com/freethechildrenjapan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Free The Children Japan