Episode 31: Yuto and the UNICEF Donation

Saturday Evening, After the Radio Broadcast Ended

Saturday evening. The radio had just gone quiet.

Still thinking about the SDGs he had learned about earlier, Yuto opened the website of JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)

As he read, he discovered that many parts of the world continue to struggle with challenges involving water, food, education, and healthcare.

"Come to think of it..."

A memory quietly returned.

It was a television program he had watched years before.

It featured Dr. Tetsu Nakamura, the man who helped secure water sources and build irrigation canals in Afghanistan.

Yuto searched for him online.

As he looked at photographs of water flowing through once-parched land, something deep inside him began to stir.

Dr. Nakamura had not simply treated illness.

He had tried to solve the problem that came before illness—the absence of water itself.

"That's incredible."

"The scale of what he accomplished is unimaginable."

He must have changed countless lives.

Then another thought followed.

"But I'm not a doctor."

"And I don't know how to build irrigation canals."

Yuto sat quietly in front of the screen.

The feeling remained, even though it still had no clear shape.

"Is there something I can do too?"

A Small Step He Could Continue

As he continued searching, the website of the Japan Committee for UNICEF caught his attention.

He learned that donations helped support children around the world.

"So donating is another way to help."

Then he suddenly thought of his Rakuten Card.

Every month, he used it for his ¥20,000 recurring investment.

Little by little, Rakuten Points accumulated.

"What if I donated the value of those points instead of keeping them for myself?"

He opened his calculator.

Over six months, it would be about ¥600.

Over a year, roughly ¥1,200.

It wasn't a large amount.

But it was an amount he could continue without forcing himself.

The quiet feeling in his chest slowly became warmth.

As if confirming that warmth, Yuto looked toward Hikappa's pot.

"Maybe a small step that lasts is what truly matters."

Asking Hikappa

Yuto smiled.

"What do you think, Hikappa?"

"Would it be alright if I donated the value of the points I earn from my recurring investments to UNICEF Japan?"

Hikappa glowed softly, just as it always did.

But somehow, the light felt warmer than usual.

It was almost as if it were quietly answering:

"I think that's a wonderful idea."

"Thank you."

A natural smile spread across Yuto's face.

"Alright."

"From now on, I'll make a donation every six months."

Another Email to Miona-sensei

Yuto opened his laptop once again.

There was one person he wanted to tell first.

Email from Yuto

From: Yuto
Subject: I Decided to Start Donating to UNICEF
Dear Miona-sensei,
Hello.
Both my asset-building journey and taking care of Hikappa have been going well.
Yesterday's radio program about the SDGs made me realize that building wealth and caring for Hikappa both involve thinking about the future.
At the same time, I felt that what I could do alone was still very small.
So I've decided to donate the value of the Rakuten Points I earn from my recurring investments to UNICEF Japan.
The amount isn't large, but it's something I can continue comfortably.
When I asked Hikappa about it, I felt as though it was happy with the idea too.
I'd love to hear what you think.
Yuto

He read through the email one last time.

"Alright."

The moment he pressed Send, Hikappa's light swayed gently.

Its quiet rhythm matched the warmth growing inside Yuto's heart.

He wondered what kind of reply Miona-sensei would send.

Outside the window, the evening light slowly faded.

Hikappa's gentle glow quietly blended into the twilight.

A small step toward someone else's tomorrow had already begun.