Date: June 19, 2025
Place: Tokyo
Participants:  About 15 campers, 1 LIT, 1 graduate, 9 Mirai no Mori staff, 18 sponsors
Sponsor: Morgan Stanley

As part of an ongoing partnership, we recently visited a care home in Tokyo with Morgan Stanley, whose employees had the rare chance to see where the children’s daily life takes place and to connect with them in a comfortable setting. The visit took place after school, and the children greeted the group with excitement. As care workers busied themselves with dinner preparations, the Mirai no Mori team, along with energetic Morgan Stanley volunteers interacted with the children through 2 Summer Camp activities.

The first was crafts: making God’s Eyes, a traditional Mexican good luck charm made with yarn and sticks. Many children with experience at our Summer Camp jumped into the craft immediately, while others followed along with support from repeater campers and camp staff, learning a new skill.

For children who preferred something more active, we brought a Mirai no Mori classic: Running Tic-Tac-Toe. Facilitated by a current LIT (Leader in Training) and a program graduate, both with camper experience, the game offered a fun challenge under the sun. This game is always a great way to encourage teamwork and camaraderie, with Morgan Stanley volunteers enthusiastically joining in for several rounds on the care home’s outdoor field.

For the Morgan Stanley team, this visit was a unique opportunity to see the environment where the children live and understand more deeply the impact of their support. For the children, it was a joyful experience filled with familiar faces and new memories.

We are deeply grateful to Morgan Stanley for their continued support, not only through sponsorship, but through the time, energy, and care their volunteers bring. 

“As an LIT, I’ve facilitated many activities, but this was my first time leading the Running Tic-Tac-Toe game. I’ve played it many times as a camper, so I thought it would be easy, but explaining the rules in a simple, clear way was more difficult than I expected. I’ll be at all sessions of Summer Camp this year, and I’m excited to try again with better preparation and improve my facilitation skills.” by LIT 

“I’ve joined several outdoor programs, but this was my first care home visit. It was impactful to see the children in their daily setting, and it reminded me of why we do this work. The children looked genuinely happy to see familiar faces, and I’m glad we were able to make their weekday a little more special.” by camp staff 

“As an intern, I usually support behind-the-scenes operations, so visiting the care home and seeing the strong bond between the children and volunteers was eye-opening. It’s clear that Mirai no Mori truly brings joy and connection to these children’s lives.” by intern