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Support Children’s Vaccines: Transform Your Unwanted Items

As the year comes to a close, many families clean their homes and find unused New Year cards and other belongings. Instead of tossing these items aside, consider a meaningful way to utilize them to save lives. From December 15, New Year card acceptance begins again. However, many of these cards may remain unused due to mistakes or simply because they went unutilized.

The nonprofit organization, Japan Committee for Vaccines for Children (JCV), based in Tokyo, has launched a campaign to collect these unused New Year cards and other postal items. This initiative aims to protect vulnerable children from infectious diseases by converting these postcards into vaccines for those in need in developing countries. Unfortunately, every day, around 4,000 children lose their lives due to diseases that could be prevented with vaccines. Your contribution, however small, can help save young lives.

Transforming Unused Postcards into Life-Saving Vaccines

JCV encourages the donation of unwanted New Year cards, postcards, and both used and unused stamps. Upon receiving these submissions, the organization exchanges them at designated postal services or businesses to obtain funds, which are then used to purchase vaccines. For instance, sending in ten 85-yen New Year cards can provide the polio vaccine to approximately 30 children.

Furthermore, even used stamps with postmarks can contribute to vaccine donations. Collectors are willing to pay about 1,500 yen per kilogram of these used stamps, and the profits will be donated to support children’s vaccines.

Clearing Out for a Cause: Donate Unwanted Goods

During your year-end cleanup, many unnecessary items may come to light. If you’re pondering whether these belongings can be of use elsewhere, or if you feel it’s too wasteful to throw them away, consider donating them through partnerships with supporting companies, such as Book Off’s “Kimochi to.” service.

This service allows for the donation of various goods, including books, DVDs, and video games, among over 30 categories. By packaging your items and applying through their dedicated website, a courier will pick them up at no cost. All proceeds from the sellable items are donated to JCV. Additionally, throughout December, if you send more than ten items, a bonus of 500 yen will also be added to your donation championed by Book Off.

A Heartfelt Message from Vanuatu

Last year, JCV undertook a field trip to one of its support countries, Vanuatu. During this visit, a mother living on the remote island of Lelepa conveyed a touching message to the people of Japan.

"In our island, there is no hospital, and we still do not have electricity. If a child contracts an infectious disease in such conditions, it’s a disaster. That’s why I eagerly await the day my daughter can get vaccinated. To everyone who continues to support our vaccination programs in Japan, thank you very much. Thanks to you, my daughter has been able to grow up healthy."

The Stark Reality: 4,000 Children Lose Their Lives Daily

In developing countries, infectious diseases such as polio, tuberculosis, and whooping cough continue to pose significant threats, leading to the loss of many children’s lives and smiles each day—about 4,000 daily. It translates to a child dying every 20 seconds from diseases that, with proper vaccinations, are preventable.

The Japan Committee for Vaccines for Children (JCV) is devoted to delivering vaccines to children in these regions, working tirelessly to save lives and futures through its vaccination support initiative. The vaccines are extremely cost-effective: most come at about 20 yen per dose and even the most expensive cap at roughly 280 yen. Collaborating with UNICEF and health ministries around the world, since its establishment in 1994, JCV has provided vaccines to over 133 million children.

Thanks to your support, JCV aims to distribute vaccines and cold chain equipment valued at approximately 117.75 million yen to Myanmar, Laos, Bhutan, and Vanuatu by 2025.

Organization Overview

• - Name: Japan Committee for Vaccines for Children (JCV)
• - President: Mutsuko Kenmochi
• - Founder: Kayoko Hosokawa (wife of former Prime Minister Yoshihiro Hosokawa)
• - Location: 4-1-9 Mita, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
• - Website: www.jcv-jp.org
• - Established: January 29, 1994
• - Special Supporters: Keiko Takashita (Vaccine Ambassador), Suguru Wada (former professional baseball player), Yu Hayami (singer/actress), and others.