Yuto Doya: Cloudy with a Chance of Sun

2018/10/30

Once upon a time, there was a very poor village called Keio Village.

All the villagers lived their lives desperately every day. With no prominent industries or jobs, the villagers struggled to find work just to survive. In the village lived a fine man named Yukichi. Yukichi made pens, and in his factory, he employed the villagers and supported their livelihoods. Yukichi's wife made clothes and trained many seamstresses. One day, Japanese people began a movement to "donate pens and clothes to developing countries around the world," and many pens and clothes arrived in Keio Village as well.

Yukichi, his wife, and the factory workers all lost their jobs.

(This story is a work of fiction.)

The action of "providing goods," which seems like a wonderful movement, can sometimes rob a country of its growth and people of their livelihoods. It is true that providing goods leads to temporary happiness, and it is important in emergency situations such as natural disasters. However, continuing to do so can suppress the economic development of developing countries in particular.

Three years have passed since I shifted my challenge from the world of "finance" to the completely different world of "fashion, education, and Africa." The brand we created, "CLOUDY," is a team and a brand aimed at creating employment and providing educational opportunities in Africa. We have created 160 jobs at our local factory in Africa, increasing the options available in each person's life. This March, our third school, "Chocolate School," opened in Ghana, and 280 children are now energetically attending school for the first time in their lives.

I never imagined that Africa, where I first landed out of shallow curiosity for a graduation trip, would influence my life to this extent. My adrenaline levels increase year by year as I face a mountain of challenges every day that I want to dedicate my life to.

"To generate solid numbers as a business." It is a common phrase, but this vision is precisely what is important for an NPO, and our mission is to establish a new business model by linking NPO activities with business operations.

But every month when I go to Africa, there is something I think about: "Everyone is always smiling more than Japanese people." When it comes to finding happiness, the Japanese are suffering a total defeat.