Volunteer Spotlight: Asha Pai Sethi
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 When Asha Pai Sethi moved from Sydney, Australia to Tokyo last February, one of the first people she met was her neighbor Stuart Peskin. Stuart asked Asha what she was interested in doing in Tokyo. "I told him that I was interested in volunteering, and he told me that I should definitely meet his wife Deva, as she had helped start a volunteer organization called Hands On Tokyo."
From the time she was 18 years old, Asha served as a reading and recording volunteer for a blind law student at Delhi University. Her efforts helped make it possible for the student to graduate with success. In part because of this positive experience, Asha wasted no time introducing herself to HOT.
Asha first volunteered with HOT's English Conversation with the Blind Project, joined by her daughter, Ananya. Since then, Asha has also joined projects at the Senior Home and co-chaired both the India Booth at the International Festival for the Blind on the HOT Day of Service and the After-Party committee. Recognizing her enthusiasm and commitment to volunteering, the HOT Board invited Asha to take on a larger role shaping the direction of HOT as a board member.
"I think that my mom really instilled in me the value of giving back," said Asha. "She taught me that we all have something to give, that it doesn't have to be material wealth. We were always sponsoring someone to go to school or providing books to those who couldn't afford proper schooling in India. I saw my mom get as much out of this as the children did when she would see them graduate or do well in their lives."
When asked what she gets out of volunteering, Asha said, "I've met lovely people, gained a deeper insight into Japan, and volunteering is a bit like exercise-it gets your endorphins going-it makes you feel good!"
Thank you Asha! We are so happy to have you join us in giving back to the Tokyo community.
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| Event Spotlight: HOT Day of Service |
 More than 260 Japanese and ex-patriate volunteers turned out for the second annual Day of Service on October 4 in Tokyo. Employees and family members of 12 corporate sponsors, along with interested Tokyo residents participated in five large projects. Volunteers joined forces to build a new playground at Wakaba-ryo Children's Home, run a Matsuri (festival) at Hakujuso Senior Home, operate an International Festival for the Blind in Takadanobaba, challenge athletes to a sports day with Special Olympics Motor Development Program and participate in an art project with the children of Wakaba-ryo. On this single day, volunteers gave back more than 1000 hours of their time to the Tokyo community, continuing the Hands On Tokyo tradition of strengthening community through service. The annual Day of Service enables Hands On Tokyo to participate in day-long projects that may be more permanent or provide a deeper connection to a partner agency or the people served than our ongoing projects. These incredible contributions would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, our volunteers and our partner agencies--who serve the Tokyo community every day. A HUGE thank you for your support! We look forward to your joining us in service during the upcoming months.
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| Sponsor Spotlight: Hitachi Consulting Co., Ltd. |
 Hitachi Consulting president and CEO, Paul K. Yonamine describes the Japanese consulting firm founded in 2006 simply as a "helping people business". That is exactly what the firm does for employees of countless Japanese companies in pursuing its stated mission to become the premier business consulting and systems integrator for Japanese organizations globally.
The concept of helping people by lending a hand is at the center of Hitachi Consulting's approach to philanthropy and the guiding principle for all we do at Hands On Tokyo. The firm's management was drawn to HOT because of a desire to offer Hitachi Consulting employees the chance to participate in a regular volunteer project in which they could use their own hands to directly help others. The result is the Special Olympics Motor Development Skills project where each month Hitachi Consulting employees and other HOT volunteers help intellectually challenged children play games, dance and negotiate an obstacle course designed to improve motor skills.
Hitachi Consulting was also an enthusiastic supporter of HOT's October Day of Service. In addition to sending 12 volunteers to the Sports Festival project, the firm generously donated official completion medals for the athletes and provided gifts for both athletes and volunteers at the Sports Festival and the After Party. In addition to its partnership with HOT, Hitachi Consulting provides volunteer staffing to Blind Soccer http://www.b-soccer.jp/.
Serving the community wherever he resides has been a hallmark of Paul Yonamine's professional career. The HOT board has benefited greatly from his knowledge and experience over the past months and is honored that he has agreed to serve in a more formal roll as a member of the newly formed Hands On Tokyo Board of Advisors. In a recent speech to employees, Paul described his philosophy about volunteering as: "Volunteering is important because consulting is not just any job, it is a job of helping people. I became a consultant because I knew that I enjoy supporting other people. Through your volunteer activities, I hope you will learn the joy that comes from helping others." That joy is obvious on the faces of the Special Olympics motor development skills athletes and volunteers each month. Thank you, Hitachi Consulting, for your generous and heartfelt support.
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Upcoming
Volunteer Opportunities
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New Project! Hakujusou Senior Home, 2:00-4:00 December 20, January 17 (families and children of all ages welcome) Special Olympics Basketball, Weekends, 1:00-3:00 December 7 SON Advanced Basketball, Weekends, 3:00-5:00 December 7 (Must be able to play basketball) SON Bowling, Weekends, 9:40-12:00 December 13 and 23 (For ages 18 years old and above) SON Motor Development, Saturdays, 1:00-3:00 December 6 (For ages 18 years old and above) Sponsored by:
Wakaba-ryo Children's Home, 10:15-1:30 December 20 (For ages 10 years old and above) Sponsored by:
English Conversation with Blind Adults, Saturdays, 9:45-Noon
January 10
To volunteer for any project, e-mail us at: info@handsontokyo.org
or call: 03-5404-3563
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Save the Date!
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Hands On Tokyo
Taste for Volunteering
Dinner & Auction
April 3, 2009
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Sponsors
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For further information on sponsorship opportunities with Hands On Tokyo,
please contact Yumiko Tategami or Marcela Campos at info@handsontokyo.org
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| Board of Advisors |
Akie Abe, wife of former
Prime Minister Abe
Ted Fujita. President,
AXA Financial Life Insurance Co., Ltd.
Fred Harris, Founder and Chairman,
The Design Studio
Yuichi Katoh, Chairman,
Asia Pacific Land
Hideo "Joe" Morita, President
Morita Asset Management
Parker Simes, President,
Capital International
Paul Yonamine, President and CEO,
Hitachi Consulting Co., Ltd. |
| Board of Directors |
Dawson Steven Lin, Chairman
Hiroshi Amemiya
Alana Remy Bonzi
Wynne Callon (student adviser)
Marjorie Dewey Chiba
Chisa Fujita
Michael Heidemann
Aya Higa
Deva Hirsch
Sheree Hsu
Roger Jasek
Judith Ravia-Hajdenberg
Asha Pai Sethi
Staff
Marcela Campos, Director
Yumiko Tategami, Program Manager
Tel: 03-5404-3563
e-mail: info@handsontokyo.org
www.handsontokyo.org
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