Who we are

Named for the 1912 American novel, Daddy-Long-Legs, Ashinaga focuses on educating and nurturing future leaders who will contribute to society via caring attitudes, open minds, the energy to act, and an international perspective. Ashinaga got its start over 40 years ago, reaching its current form in April 1993 under original founder and current President Yoshiomi Tamai. Since the "Association for Natural Disaster Orphans" (the predecessor of today's Ashinaga) was established in April 1988, the organization has provided scholarships of 27,527,180,000 Japanese yen (approx. US$280 million) to 28,719 orphaned students, including children who lost parents in the Great Hanshin Earthquake in January 1995. In addition, thanks to Ashinaga support, 21,567 orphaned students have graduated from high school, college, vocational school, or graduate school (as of March 31, 2010). In fiscal 2010, Ashinaga expected to provide scholarships of 2,415,000,000 Japanese yen (US$25 million) to 4,658 high school students, 1,460 college students, 182 vocational school students, and 24 graduate school students, for a total of 6,324 students. In addition to providing scholarships, Ashinaga provides emotional support by holding day programs and camps for younger orphaned children at Ashinaga Rainbow Houses in Kobe and Tokyo. There are also camps for orphaned high school and college/university students in the summer. Nearly 150 orphaned college and university students live at Ashinaga residential facilities in Tokyo and Kobe, where they receive room and board for a mere 10,000 yen (US$110) per month. Additionally, in 2003 Ashinaga established a "Rainbow House" in Uganda, Africa, to provide educational and emotional support to children who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS.