Seibo Japan is an international non-profit organization dedicated to its mission: to feed every hungry child in the world a hot meal at school. Launched by Tony Smith, also the founder of the British telecommunications company Mobell, in January 2015 and headquartered in Japan, Seibo provides school meals in partnership with local communities in Malawi, one of the world’s poorest nations.
Japan Charity Spotlight: Seibo Japan
How Seibo Japan Started
In the late 1990s, Tony Smith visited Malawi in East Africa for the first time, and from speaking to the locals, he discovered that creating employment opportunities for youth was a critical need. Inspired to make a difference, he decided to use his business profits to establish a vocational training center in Chilomoni, Malawi. As the program evolved, the team recognized the unique challenges of poverty in the country. To address these issues, volunteers and representatives from the UK, Malawi, and Japan collaborated to launch the Seibo Malawi school meal project. Today, the center in Chilomoni serves as a hub for vocational training as well as the base for Seibo’s school meal program.
What does “Seibo” mean?
One of the Japanese volunteers, Sawako Nevin, played a pivotal role in establishing Seibo Malawi and now serves as its Director. The name “Seibo,” meaning “Holy Mother,” was inspired by Sawako’s alma mater in Japan, reflecting the organization’s mission to nurture children’s growth through school meals.
Why Supporting Malawi Matters
The power of a meal goes beyond nutrition; it acts as a gateway to education and a brighter future. According to the UN Human Development Index, Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, facing challenges such as poverty, drought, flooding, and a lack of resources. By addressing hunger in schools, Seibo empowers children to learn and grow despite these adversities—laying a foundation for their futures as well as those they may go on to impact in the future.
Charity Meets Social Enterprise: Seibo’s Model for Impact
Seibo Japan combines fundraising with social enterprise to create sustainable change. Being a mission-driven organization amplifies its impact and ensures that team members in Japan and Malawi can see the tangible difference their work makes in the lives of others. Corporate donors underwrite specific costs, while Seibo multiplies the impact of every donation. Remarkably, 90% of all individual contributions go directly to school meal programs in Malawi.
Seibo operates through the dedication of individuals like Makoto Yamada, the Chairman and Manager of Seibo Japan. He focuses on fundraising and building connections with companies and schools to raise awareness of Seibo’s mission, and has spoken on TEDxSophia U about “Doing Charity by Doing Business”. In terms of educational activities, these are implemented across 30 schools and counting, aiming to introduce NPO and social impact work, encouraging participation in charity work across Japan.
One example of their social impact work is Warm Hearts Coffee Club, a donation-based coffee sales brand that sells coffee from Malawi, from which the proceeds go back to those in Malawi. In collaboration with Mobell, Seibo Japan also runs social business courses with all participation fees directed to school meal support activities in Malawi.
Get Involved
Seibo’s innovative system allows anyone—individuals, businesses, and organizations—to contribute meaningfully. You can support Seibo by:
Purchasing coffee from Warm Hearts Coffee Club
Using Mobal Japan SIM cards (where the majority of profits go to its charities)*
Volunteering your time or donating directly
Guided by the belief that “we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give,” Seibo Japan connects people across the globe to make a difference. By investing in education, developing innovative business and social enterprise models, and feeding children in need, Seibo shows us that positive change is possible—even from miles away.
Learn More
Be part of the movement to help all children realize their full potential in life - starting with a hot meal at school in Malawi. Visit Seibo Japan’s website, follow their journey on social media, or join their mailing list to stay updated and learn more.
*Note: Mobal Japan is powered by Mobell Communications Ltd.