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Do you want to change the world? Donate books, cds or dvds you no longer need.

By on January 27, 2018

Despite the cramped living spaces in Japan, some families are guilty of or suffer from excessive book stockpiling. Japan has a word for wanting to keep well-loved books than one can ever read in a lifetime – ‘tsundoku’.

Whether you are a tsundoku having a hard time letting go or someone who owns old books or cds/dvds that are just collecting dust and space, consider donating them to your favorite cause.

Afterall, helping worthy causes could have life-altering benefits to many.

Where to donate? Charibon.

Charibon, (portmanteau of “charity” and “bon” – French word for ‘good’), an easy- to-use charity platform will take books (only with ISBN), cds or dvds you no longer need. In order to determine the monetary value of items you are donating, they are  sent to Value Books, a wholesaler of books and recycle company,  for appraisal. Once value is determined, proceeds are immediately sent out to the charity organization dealing with a cause you choose to support. The best part is that pick up of donated items is free for a minimum of 6 or more boxes.

How to donate

  1.  It’s relatively easy to book a pick-up. Use a Google Translator and go to Value Books Homepage.   https://www.valuebooks.jp/signup
  2.  Sign up as a member by typing in your email address twice on the two fields. Click the blue field on bottom right. 3. You will receive an email notification on the address you provided with a link. Click the link and it will take you to a page that looks like this. Fill up the fields with your name, birthday, postal code, mail address, password (twice to confirm), then click confirm (blue field on bottom right.)4. When the next page pops up, fill up the fields number of boxes you are donating, desired date and time of pick-up. The third field from top marked “sokufuri” is if you want to be notified of its value before donation (left) or not (right).  Note:  Six boxes or more is free shipping. Sender pays charges for boxes less than 6.  Ignore the bottom field (campaign code) if this is your first time donating.  Then specify the NGO/NPO name to whom you would like to donate.5.

CHARIBON partners with these non-profit organizations –

Friends of El Sistema Japan
An NGO that promotes music education to and friendly exchange between disabled children. Profits from your donation enable the NGO fund purchase and maintenance of musical instruments that children use for free.

National Network for Victim Support
An organization that helps the needs of crime victims in Japan through mental care and administrative support.

Bridge for Smile
This charity organization provides childcare facilities and career education programs to orphans, victims of abuse, hospitalized children in Japan.

Amnesty International
An international organization for the protection of human rights.

Florence
Florence works to help society by promoting work-childcare balance. It creates small-scale nurseries to address the immediate daycare needs of working parents.

Independent Living Support
Your donation helps pay for transportation expenses, meals of homeless people struggling to live and integrate into society through the organization.

Japan Rescue Association
It dispatches therapy dogs to earthquake victims at disaster-stricken sites.

Japan Refugees Association
Donations to this organization help refugees integrate into society by supporting their needs. Refugees in Japan have more than 15,000 consultations a year with medical and legal professionals.

Nobel
Nobel is an Osaka-based charity organization that provides a special daycare for sick children who can not use regular daycare. The support is limited to those whose parents work and family income is no more than 2 million yen a year.

Kamo No Hashi Project
Donations to this organization help fund sustainable and developmental programs to prevent child labor, abuse and human trafficking.

The Big Issue Japan Foundation
Books donated here are used by homeless people as self-help tools.

Sodatte Agenetto
School dropouts can find their raison d’être through books that inspire and equip them with knowledge they need to be a useful member of society.

Room To Read
Room to Read believes it is important for children in Asia and Africa to acquire reading, writing and reading habits early to raise the likelihood of completing higher education. It has been working with various government agencies in supporting 10,700,000 children since 2000.

AFS Japan Association for Public Interest
“Make Peace Not War” is AFS’ slogan. Every year, AFS’ 80 branches in Japan invite around 400 students from overseas for various cultural exchanges.

NPO Bond Project
Its rehabilitation and damage control programs supported by lawyers and clinical psychologists and counselors are aimed at troubled girls: school dropouts, victims of rape, drug overdose, and those with suicidal tendencies.

NPO Forest Lifestyle Research Institute
Founded in 2003, the NPO helps childcare facilities by holding fund drives in order to plant trees and learn things that have to do with forest management. A donation of 40 books translate to childcare for 10 years.

Japan Blind Football Association
The JBFA supports visually impaired individuals through football and other social activities. About 200 schools a year participate in the fund drive.

Terra Renaissance
The organization helps and support the cause of former child soldiers in Africa and victims of 4 to 6 million landmines in Cambodia. It carries out technical training and basic education to prepare children as responsible members of society.

Chance for Children
Children and victims of earthquake are offered learning opportunities by issuing educational vouchers used for signing up at cram schools.

Japan Cancer Society
Through the organization’s information-disseminating activities and materials, it is able to raise awareness on cancer, hold pink ribbon counseling for free,campaigns and conduct cancer screening.

Teach for Japan
They dispatch volunteer public school teachers to poverty-stricken areas to ignite passion among children. Modeled after “Teach for America”, the concept aims to solve various societal issues by giving children a good learning opportunity.

Shine On Kids Foundation
With 300 books for example, this organization supporting families and children fighting childhood cancer and other serious illnesses, can buy treatment beads for 1 year. The beads are a symbol of hope and courage. The same number of books can also help 5 children receive a visit from facility dogs as part of animal therapy.

The World Child Foundation
Focused on expanding learning opportunities and providing basic necessities to help the lives of children in Myanmar, one book donated can buy 2 soaps, 6 books can treat 1 child and 20 adult patients of malaria.

Samurai School
This NPO school provides youth with on-the-job experience and seminars to awaken their ‘samurai’ spirit that leads them to be independent.

Kodomo no Hiroba (Yamashina Daigo Child’s Plaza)
Provides learning and living support to marginalized children.

OISCA Foundation
An international NGO founded in 1961, OISCA’s “Children’s Forest Program” promotes and supports children’s environmental education, afforestation and love of nature. A donation of 4 books can help a child in Thailand buy seedlings to plant a tree.

Save Takata
An organization focussed on rebuilding the city of Rikuzentaka, Iwate and disaster recovery after the catastrophic Tsunami of March 2011.

Shanti Kokusai Volunteer Association
Books donated help stock up children’s libraries at refugee camps in Myanmar and Cambodia where they are badly needed.

Human Rights Now
A Japan-based association made up of lawyers, researchers, journalists and citizens whose advocacy is aimed at improving human rights situation, does fact-finding and policy advice. 1000 books will help the association dispatch legal counsels to areas for free consultation. 3000 will help spread the word at the United Nations Human Rights Council to get supper in solving problems.

ADDS (Advanced Developmental Disorders Support)
ADDS is a local support network for autistic children and families. 600 books approximately valued at 30,000 yen will help fund small activities to help autistic children enhance communication and social skills or help fund 40-hour training sessions of university students (therapists).

Shibuya University Network
Sponsors community-based learning opportunities and public service in Shibuya on nature and ecology.

Nihon IDDM Network
IDMM Network conducts research initiatives in helping patients and their family find a cure for Diabetes Type 1. With 200 books donated to the cause, 5 basic experiments for can be done.

Tochigi Youth Supporters Network
The network promotes social business and a better society to Tochigi youth through community projects and activities.

Kukuru
An association that looks after the mental and physical well being of care givers to disabled people. 80 books will help subsidize the cost of one care giver to assist a disabled person in bathing.

Social Artist Network
Ten books will help children who live in orphanages fund a hobby or arts-related activity.

Madre Bonita
Provides training classes and support to mothers with post partum, child-rearing and health issues. 80 books will help fund a 50% discount on classes for single mothers and those with disabled children.

NPO Kizuki
Assists school dropouts in preparing them for social reintegration through education. With 20 books, teachers will have access to a 3-month worth of teaching materials to be used for children in poor families.

Medecins du Monde
Headquartered in Paris, Medecins du Monde or Doctors of the World is a non-profit international humanitarian organization that tackles global social issues including homelessness in Japan. Proceeds from books help fund shelter operations, rehabilitation programs, food and medical support.

PLAS
PLAS is also an international non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the lives of AIDS orphans around the world. It works with Uganda and Kenya’s local organizations on education and prevention of disease transmission from mother to child. With 10 books, two educators can do village, hospital, and market meetings for one full day.

Japan Foundation for United Nations University
The Japan Foundation supports and contribute to the activities and goals of the United Nations University in solving global problems, promoting science and technology and technical cooperation. 1,000 books can help students in developing countries to have access to Japan’s advanced technology and culture.

 

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