神戸朝鮮高級学校の生徒たちにより良い教育環境を！継続支援にご協力を

 

Thank you for visiting our website. 

 

We are the Group of Supporters for Kobe Korean Senior High School.

 

The group was formed on September 14th, 2019, with Japanese volunteers determined to develop and facilitate exchanges among students of Kobe Korean Senior High School (hereinafter referred to as KKSHS) in Tarumi Ward, Kobe City, their teachers and staff members, guardians, and local residents, with the chairperson of local community and exchange council (Fureai Machizukuri Kyogikai) serving as the representative.

 

The teachers, staff members, students, and the local residents around KKSHS have deepened their exchanges for over 10 years through various local activities.

 

Since  our group was founded, we have organized an art work exhibition by KKSHS Art Club and a mini concert by Brass Band Club held at the lobby of Tarumi Ward Office, as well as the film screening of Nijino Kiseki (literally translated as Miracle of the Rainbow).

 

These events helped expand the circle of exchanges into different local areas. 

 

 

 In January 2022, we tried a crowdfunding project to purchase 30 laptop computers and ensure a sufficient environment for students to learn, even under the difficult conditions in the school.

 

As a result, we received 1.6 million JPY.

 

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who supported this project. 

 

 

The newly purchased laptops have good specs to the satisfaction of the students who didn’t feel any stress using the computers to collect information and coding as extracurricular activities. 

 

 

■ Kobe Korean Senior High School (KKSHS)

KKSHS was established on April 18th, 1949.

 

The school building was relocated to the current location in Tarumi Ward, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture in 1958.

 

Korean Senior High Schools fall under the so-called “high schools” in Japan, and Koreans living in Japan whose roots are the Korean Peninsula study here.

 

Their educational curriculum is structured based on the one applied to Japanese high schools, however, it includes Saturday classes in which students take ethnic subjects related to their ethnic backgrounds such as language, history, and culture.

 

In recent years, they focus on language education, and the curriculum enables students to learn not only Japanese and English, but also Chinese as extracurricular classes from 2021. 

 

KKSHS is engaged in activities in Kobe through exchange programs between Korean Peninsula and Japan.

 

With the understanding that KKSHS is a communication hub with other non-Japanese schools in the region, we hope to establish a coexisting relationship with Japanese and international societies while developing our identity as a new generation of Koreans in Japan. 

 

Throughout our history of 73 years since establishment, about 10,000 students graduated, contributing in a wide range of fields including business, medicine, sports, art, education, and research.

 

They are part of Japanese society and play a role as contributors to the multi-cultural society of coexistence. This is consistent with the realization of SDGs and Diversity and Inclusion.

 

The members of the group have already been deeply impressed by the students of KKSHS who, through various exchange programs amid difficult reality, are determined to live their lives positively.

 

As Koreans in Japan, they understand the society, history, and culture of both Japan and the Korean Peninsula.

 

They truly are the “bridges” of friendship and exchange between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. We believe they are the “treasures” for Japanese society.

 

 

 

 

 ■ Why a crowdfunding project?

 

Currently, there is not sufficient support provided from the Japanese government to KKSHS.

 

Although Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City and other municipalities support us, the level of such support is lower in recent years.

 

Schools are run dependent on the tuition fees paid by the guardians and the donations from other Koreans in Japan. Under the pandemic and the prolonged recession in Japan, Japanese finance is chronically tough, affecting educational activities and infrastructure needed for education in Japan. 

 

Also, since KKSHS is not applicable to the Japanese government’s exemption of high school tuition fees, the high tuition fee becomes an economic burden for a number of students who otherwise could have studied in KKSHS. 

 

As we expanded the circle of exchange at our group, we began to hear from people that more contribution to the educational activities in KKSHS should be made and that we should never lose the shining smiles of the students.

 

Against such a background, we initiated a crowdfunding project to help them purchase laptops for class.

 

While the project was successful thankfully, we decided to accept “continuous supporters” who can help us run the school and set up the educational infrastructure to do so. 

 

 

 

 ■ Project overview

 

We accept continuous monthly supporters to help improve the situation surrounding KKSHS, where there are triple difficulties of 1) non-applicability by the Japanese government of tuition exemption program to KKSHS, 2) reduction in subsidy by some of the local governments, and 3) the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Due to this, the financial standing of KKSHS is running short of 6 million JPY for FY2022 budget. 

 

We start from supporters that can donate 500 JPY every month.

 

All your support  will be donated to help run the school and set up the educational infrastructure to do so (excluding the commission to Ready For). KKSHS, which is the recipient of the donation, has already agreed to accepting donations and disclosing the school’s story to the crowdfunding project. 

 

 

■ Project outlook

 

Currently, the Education Council of KKSHS (Board) is the main driver of the project to accept continuous supporters, in addition to the donation projects and one-time donations which are to support guardians, graduates of KKSHS, and other Koreans in Japan. 

 

The concept of the project is to gather small amount of support from many people so we all can be a part of supporters to KKSHS. We believe that it is our responsibility as Japanese to support the students of KKSHS who are the “bridge” of exchange  between the Korean Peninsula and Japan and therefore “treasures” for Japanese society.

 

This effort is significant in order to create a sound and diverse society in Japan where people respect each other. 

 

Through the exhibition by KKSHS Art Club and concert by Brass Band Club held at Tarumi Ward Office, many people were touched and impressed by the richness of art and music expressed by the students and the teamwork they demonstrated, which made us re-confirm the importance of this crowdfunding project.

 

We sincerely hope that more people who did not even know KKSHS get to know how amazing the students are, and that more support and exchanges follow. 

 

We appreciate your support very much.

 

 

■ Cautions before you donate

・ Support to this crowdfunding project is not applicable to deduction for contributions. 

・ Only credit cards are accepted as a means of payment. Visit here for more details. 

・ This crowdfunding project allows only one course per person. You cannot apply for multiple courses. 

・ This project accepts monthly continuous supporters. The first payment will be made when the first donation is provided. From the following month, a payment will be made on the 10th of every month. Please visit here for frequently asked questions regarding support. 

・ We cannot return the donation once it is finalized. Please visit here for more details about cancellation from the following month. 

・ You cannot change the donation course once decided. If you want to change the donation course, please cancel once, and re-apply for the course of your choice. Please visit here for more details on how to cancel the donation. 

・ Please refer to “naming rights, posting of your message, and other similar benefits” for more details on the gift conditions related to disclosing your name as part of the benefits of this project course. 

・ Please note that your message sent as comments to support the project may be used for promotional purposes during or after the project.