OKI 100 Yen Fund of Love activity
OKI Group donations designated for a wide range of support activities
Launched in April 1996 as a social contribution activity that any employee can easily take part in, the OKI 100 Yen Fund of Love is a voluntary program that collects 100 yen each month from participating OKI executives and employees. The total funds collected from executives and employees, plus a matching amount contributed by OKI, is used to fund blood transport vehicles and other items for the Blood Centers of the Japanese Red Cross Society in various regions of Japan at the start of each year.
In October 2000, this activity expanded to the entire OKI Group. In addition to the activities mentioned above, three new support activities have been launched. In late March 2006, the system was revised to make it possible for each individual to be able to donate 100, 200, or 300 yen every month, instead of the previous uniform amount of 100 yen. As of March 31, 2008, 33 OKI Group companies participated in this program.
Activities in fiscal 2007
Donation of blood transport vehicles (¥2,996,760) --- Initiated in fiscal 1996
Blood transport vehicle donated to the Red Cross Blood Center in Kagawa Prefecture
On February 21, 2008, OKI donated a blood transport vehicle to the Red Cross Blood Center in Kagawa Prefecture. Equipped with emergency lights and with its rear seat section converted into a refrigerated compartment, which keeps blood at temperatures from -5°C to +20°C, the vehicle is used to transport emergency blood supplies. To date, OKI has donated three loudspeaker vans and 15 refrigerated blood transport vehicles, including the vehicle mentioned above.
Provision of used clothing to overseas refugee camps (activity currently suspended) ---Initiated in fiscal 2001
All OKI Group companies participate in the activities of the Wakachiai Project (Sharing Project) to provide used clothing to refugee camps in Tanzania and other countries as part of the NGO's refugee relief activities. Part of the funds collected through the OKI 100 Yen Fund of Love is used to cover the costs involved in domestic and overseas delivery of boxes of used clothing. (Note: This activity was suspended in fiscal 2007 for lack of funding.)
Support for employment of individuals with severe disabilities (¥2,000,000) --- Initiated in fiscal 2001
Since fiscal 2001, OKI has supported the SOHO Support Project initiated in April 2000 by Tokyo Colony, a social welfare corporation. The project establishes groups of individuals with severe disabilities in the Kanto area, who are unable to commute to a job site on a daily basis, into telecommuting teams, contracting them to perform software-related tasks from home. The goal is to help physically challenged individuals achieve independent lives.
Support for voluntary organizations (¥2,970,000) --- Initiated in fiscal 2001
Within OKI Group companies some employees have physically challenged family members and some participate in volunteer activities for the physically challenged. OKI provides financial assistance to volunteer organizations with which OKI employees are associated, based on requests from employees and the Corporate Philanthropy Office. In fiscal 2007, OKI provided such support to 24 organizations, some of which are described below.
Action with Lao Children
Action with Lao Children is a nonprofit organization that sends books to schools in Laos, supports the establishment of school libraries there, helps develop Laotian authors and picture book writers, and helps manage children's cultural centers. Using funds collected through the OKI 100 Yen Fund of Love, OKI provides support to the above-mentioned activities. It also sponsors the local publication of Lao-language books. Each July, OKI sponsors an event to create picture books in the Lao language by attaching Lao translations to Japanese picture books. OKI initiated this effort in fiscal 2000, and participating employees have produced and sent a total of 392 books to children in Laos.
"The Baby Monkey and His Magic Tail," a picture book, published in fiscal 2007
Lao children reading picture books published with assistance from OKI
Minsai Center Japan
Ecology-type collection box for unused spoiled postcards and unused prepaid telephone cards (produced in fiscal 2007)
The Minsai Center Japan is an organization that provides financial support to help children in Thailand enter junior high school and children in Laos and Cambodia enter elementary school, drawing on funds obtained by converting spoiled postcards and unused prepaid cards into scholarship money or cash. Based on unused spoiled postcards and unused prepaid cards collected by employees, the OKI Group provided educational assistance to five children in Thailand and one child in Laos in fiscal 2007. Each year, funds collected through the OKI 100 Yen Fund of Love also help produce tools that help expand the number of those who support this program.
Dixie Queens
Dixie Queens performing in a welfare facility for the disabled on April 16, 2006
The Dixie Queens is an amateur jazz band formed by OKI Group employees in the Takasaki District in Gumma Prefecture. The band provides free performances at children's care facilities, schools for the disabled, nursing homes, children's halls, facilities for the disabled, and elementary schools. Funds collected through the OKI 100 Yen Fund of Love help support the activities of the Dixie Queens.
Architectural Association of Japanese Deaf (AAJD)
Using funds collected through the OKI 100 Yen Fund of Love, the Architectural Association of Japanese Deaf (AAJD) produced "SOS cards" to help victims of disasters or accidents who have difficulty expressing themselves in speech in emergencies. The SOS cards were made available on the AAJD website on October 10, 2007. Anyone wishing to use the SOS cards can download them for free. By pointing at the appropriate card, individuals with speech difficulties can communicate information—for example, the area of the body in pain, their condition, and their intention—to emergency personnel or others, including rescue teams or people providing first aid until the arrival of an emergency medical team. An English version of the SOS cards is also available for people who don't speak Japanese.
Front cover of the SOS cards
Content of the SOS card (second page)
