Seibo Japan’s representative, Makoto Yamada, gave a lecture at TEDxSophiaU held at Sophia University.
Thank you very much for the invitation!

Lecture Content
The content can be broadly divided into two parts.

Doing Charity by Doing Business
Firstly, it’s about the encounter between the representative of Seibo Japan who joined the company in 2017, and the founder of Mobell Communications Limited, a supporting company of Seibo, Tony Smith. Yamada shares about his encounter with Tony and how it led him to the challenge of “doing charity through business” in a company.

During his university years, studying theology and English literature, Yamada met people who invested a lot of time in charitable contributions, which he admired for their nobility but questioned their sustainability. Through Tony, he encountered a company attempting charity through business methods. Details about Tony, the founder, and Yamada, the representative, can be found here.

As a result, Yamada went to Malawi to experience Mobell’s charity efforts, and this mission led him to grow Seibo as an NPO while engaging in mobile service sales. The relationship between Mobell’s charity and Seibo can be seen here.

Intrepreneurship
The second part is about “Intrepreneurship.” While the term “entrepreneur” is gaining popularity, Yamada discusses a similar concept, emphasizing the importance of joining a company with a shared mission and implementing new initiatives within it. He talks about how Seibo, with its mission of not only supporting global travel through mobile phone services but also changing the world, started contributing to Malawi’s school meals, aligning with their mission of changing the world through charity.

Message within the Lecture
As of 2024, the term “entrepreneurship” is popular, with more people aspiring to turn their passions into profitable ventures. While this is admirable, Yamada suggests another approach: joining a company not just for its content but for its mission and working towards embodying that mission.

Finding values that excite oneself and a mission that aligns with those values is crucial. Exploring various subjects in university helps individuals discover what truly inspires them.

Application in High School Classes
These insights influenced discussions about career choices and aspirations in university and were integrated into English classes at Nagano Seisen Jogakuin Junior and Senior High School. Yamada visited the school and emphasized:

-Crafting a personal story as a foundation for speech-making
-Simplifying and clarifying the message to be conveyed
-Creativity within time constraints
-Application to future learning

These points were demonstrated through actual presentations. Additionally, several TED talks were recommended, encouraging students to not only study English but also learn how to effectively convey their ideas and move others emotionally.

Here you can watch the actual presentation.

Seibo’s Educational Initiatives and Future Plans
Seibo, named after “Holy Mother Mary” to symbolize care for all people, is dedicated to supporting daily meals and education for children in Malawi, contributing to their future. They also aim to give back to education in Japan and work towards shaping the future alongside all children worldwide.
You can find some case studies from here.

Seibo actively introduces Malawi in Japanese schools and collaborates on activities that support Malawi.