こんにちは。キッズドアです。
秋の深まりを感じる季節となりましたが皆さんいかがお過ごしでしょうか。

2026年10月でキッズドアは設立17周年を迎えました。
今回は17年前、どのような想いを背景に活動が始まったか、
設立の背景とともに子どもたちへの想いを振り返ります。

Hello from KIDSDOOR,
As autumn deepens, we hope this message finds you well.

In October 2026, KIDSDOOR marked its 17th anniversary. On this occasion, we would like to look back on the inspiration behind our founding and the aspirations for children that have guided our work since the beginning.

イギリスと日本で子育てする中で感じた「環境による格差」

"Disparities Stemming from Environment": Observations from Raising Children in the UK and Japan

キッズドアの活動は、理事⻑ 渡辺由美子が子育てをする中で感じた
「環境による格差」の課題を解決するために生まれました。

2児の子育て真っ最中のとき、夫の仕事で1年間暮らしたイギリスで、子育てにお金がかからないことに衝撃を受けました。家庭にお金があるかないかで、学校教育に差が出ない、社会全体でこどもを育てる仕組みが、当たり前にありました。帰国して日本を見ると、教育費は家庭が背負うものでした。同じ子どもなのに、生まれた家庭で受けられるものが変わってしまう、そんな状況がありました。

KIDSDOOR was founded to address the inequalities that our Chairperson, Yumiko Watanabe, witnessed while raising her children.

When she was in the midst of raising two young children, her husband's work took the family to the United Kingdom for a year. There, she was struck by how little families had to spend on their children's education and upbringing. Whether a family was wealthy or struggling financially had little impact on the quality of education children received. Society as a whole shared responsibility for supporting and nurturing children.

However, upon returning to Japan, she found a very different reality. Educational expenses largely fell on individual families, and opportunities available to children often depended on the circumstances into which they were born.

ひとりの母親として、動きはじめた

Taking the First Step as a Mother

息子の友人に、「乱暴だ」と言われている子がいました。両親が離婚し、お母さんは朝から夜まで働いている。家に誰もいないから、帰りたくない。気にかけるようになると、その子は乱暴しなくなりました。問題はその子ではなく、周りに居場所がないことでした。家に招き、夏休みには博物館へ。学童保育では、大学生と一緒に勉強を教え始めました。

One of her son's friends was often described as "troublesome" or "aggressive." His parents were divorced, and his mother worked from early morning until late at night. He often did not want to go home because no one was there.

As she began spending more time with him and paying attention to his needs, his behavior changed. The issue was not the child himself; it was that he lacked a place where he felt safe and cared for.

She started inviting him to her home, taking him to museums during summer vacation, and helping children study alongside university student volunteers through after-school programs.

ひとりでは、受け止めきれなかった

More Need Than One Person Could Handle Alone

学童保育での様子が、夕刊に小さく載りました。すると、電話が鳴り止まなくなりました。30件、すべてシングルマザー家庭からです。「塾に通わせることができず、高校進学が難しい。勉強を教えてほしい」。困っているのは、目の前の子だけではありませんでした。対応する制度も団体も、探して見つかりません。「それなら自分たちでやるしかない！」と思い立って、2007年に任意団体としての活動を開始しました。

A small article about these after-school activities appeared in a local evening newspaper. Soon afterward, the phone began ringing nonstop.

Thirty calls came in, all from single-mother households.
"We can't afford cram school, and it will be difficult for our child to get into high school. Could someone help them study?"

It became clear that the challenge extended far beyond the children she personally knew. Yet there were few organizations or systems available to provide the support these families needed.

That realization led to a simple but powerful conclusion:
"If no such support exists, we'll create it ourselves."
With that determination, KIDSDOOR began its activities as a volunteer organization in 2007.

社会全体で、子育てを支える仕組みへ

2009年にはNPO法人となり、2021年には高い公益性が認められ認定NPO法人の認定を受けました。
イギリスで見た、社会全体でこどもを育てるという当たり前を、日本にもつくりたい。ひとりの母親の思いから始まった活動は、いま、全国の支えてくださる方々とともに続いています。

In 2009, KIDSDOOR became a certified nonprofit organization, and in 2021 it received official recognition as a Public Interest Certified NPO.
The vision that inspired our founding remains the same today: to create in Japan a society where raising and supporting children is a shared responsibility.
What began as one mother's determination has grown into a nationwide movement supported by people across the country.

皆さまのご寄付で実現できたこと

What Your Donations Have Made Possible

コロナ禍や物価高騰の影響もあり、ますます子ども達を取り巻く生活状況が厳しくなる中、行政が支援できない問題にも対応し、子どもの生活と人生を支えるための活動を続けることができたのは、皆さまのご寄付に支えられてきたおかげです。

塾に通うお金がなく、勉強も体験もあきらめかけていた子どもたちが高校に合格し、
大学に進み、自分で進路を選べるようになりました。

子どもたちの声

・進路の相談に乗ってくださってありがとうございます。
　受験生で切羽詰まっていましたがいろんなアドバイスをもらったり、
　インターンシップに参加させてもらったおかげで自分の進路が明確に決まりました。

・いつも私たちのことを第一に考えてくださりありがとうございます。

・いつも優しく出迎えてくれてありがとうございます。
　私の貴重な経験はほとんどキッズドアから得させてもらいました。

・学校以外の居場所があることで安心して勉強に取り組むことができています。
　本当にありがとうございます！

・いつも学習支援をしていただきありがとうございます。
　キッズドアさんのおかげで私が勉強するときは、費用面での心配がなく
　集中して取り組めています。夢を諦めず、最後まで頑張ります。

The challenges facing children and families have become even more severe due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising living costs.

Thanks to your generous support, KIDSDOOR has been able to continue addressing needs that public systems alone cannot fully meet and to provide children with the support they need to build brighter futures.

Children who once thought they would have to give up on education and new experiences because of financial hardship have gone on to enter high school, attend university, and make their own choices about the future.

Messages from the Children We Support

・Thank you for helping me think through my future plans. I was overwhelmed as an 　exam-year student, but the advice I received and the opportunity to participate in an 　internship helped me gain a clear vision for my future.

・Thank you for always putting us first.

・Thank you for always welcoming me with kindness. Many of the most valuable 　experiences in my life have come through KIDSDOOR.

・Having a place where I belong outside of school gives me peace of mind and allows 　me to focus on my studies. Thank you so much!

・Thank you for your continued academic support. Because of KIDSDOOR, I can 　focus on studying without worrying about financial burdens. I will keep pursuing my 　dream and do my best until the very end.

私達とともに子どもたちの未来を変えませんか

Join Us in Changing Children's Futures

皆様のおかげで北海道から沖縄まで、
日本全国に支援を届けることができています。

ですが、まだまだ支援が必要な子どもたちやご家庭はたくさんいます。
ボランティアやご寄付などを通して、子ども達に学びや体験の機会を届けませんか。
是非私たちと一緒に子どもたちを応援してください。

キッズドアではこれからもすべての子どもが夢や希望を持てる社会の実現のために
活動に取り組んでまいります。

With your support, we have been able to reach children and families throughout Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa.

However, many children and families are still in need of support.

Through volunteering, donations, and other forms of involvement, you can help provide children with opportunities to learn, grow, and discover new possibilities.

We invite you to stand with us and support the next generation.

KIDSDOOR will continue working toward a society where every child can have dreams, hope, and the opportunity to pursue them. Thank you for being part of this journey.

KIDSDOOR is an official charity of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation Charity RUN with HEART.

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