We have received an annual report, a brochure, and other materials from Tears of the African Elephant, an organization we support. Here are two photographs of the materials.

AKYO selected Tears of the African Elephant as a donation recipient in 2022 and began contributing as a monthly supporter. Receiving updates like these is a valuable opportunity to learn about the organization's work.

Looking back at 2025 and beginning activities in 2026​

The annual report thanks supporters and describes changes in the organization's work during 2025, along with its outlook for 2026.

According to the report, Asuka Takita, who works in Kenya, moved her base from the Maasai Mara, where she had worked for many years, to the Tana River area in the coastal region. The report offers a glimpse of the work continuing in a new location to help people and wildlife coexist.

A brochure and an illustration of an elephant and a rhino​

This photograph shows the organization's brochure alongside an illustration of an elephant and a rhino. The brochure highlights wildlife conservation and the importance of coexistence between people and wild animals.

These photographs and illustrations bring us closer to the animals behind the conservation work. We hope sharing the materials encourages readers to take an interest in the challenges facing African elephants and rhinos.

About our support​

You can read why we chose this organization and what motivated us to begin supporting it in Donation to NPO Tears of the African Elephant.

Thank you to all our delegators for supporting AKYO's activities.

For those considering delegating to AKYO, we have provided a guide on how to stake.

Please check the link below. Your delegation to AKYO would be greatly appreciated!

👉How to start staking

Explore our activities and articles about Tears of the African Elephant

April 2024 Donation​

The AKYO pool makes monthly donations from operator reward to the DirectEd Development Foundation, which provides free coding programs to high-potential and under-resourced students to develop the next generation of technology leaders in Africa.

March 2024 Donation​

The AKYO pool makes monthly donations from operator reward to the DirectEd Development Foundation, which provides free coding programs to high-potential and under-resourced students to develop the next generation of technology leaders in Africa.

February 2024 Donation​

The AKYO pool makes monthly donations from operator reward to the DirectEd Development Foundation, which provides free coding programs to high-potential and under-resourced students to develop the next generation of technology leaders in Africa.

January 2024 Donation​

The AKYO pool makes monthly donations from operator reward to the DirectEd Development Foundation, which provides free coding programs to high-potential and under-resourced students to develop the next generation of technology leaders in Africa.

December 2023 Donation​

The AKYO pool makes monthly donations from operator reward to the DirectEd Development Foundation, which provides free coding programs to high-potential and under-resourced students to develop the next generation of technology leaders in Africa.

November 2023 Donation​

The AKYO pool makes monthly donations from operator reward to the DirectEd Development Foundation, which provides free coding programs to high-potential and under-resourced students to develop the next generation of technology leaders in Africa.

Donation of food to Second Harvest Japan​

October 2023 Donation​

The AKYO pool makes monthly donations from operator reward to the DirectEd Development Foundation, which provides free coding programs to high-potential and under-resourced students to develop the next generation of technology leaders in Africa.

September 2023 Donation​

The AKYO pool makes monthly donations from operator reward to the DirectEd Development Foundation, which provides free coding programs to high-potential and under-resourced students to develop the next generation of technology leaders in Africa.

August 2023 Donation​

The AKYO pool makes monthly donations from operator reward to the DirectEd Development Foundation, which provides free coding programs to high-potential and under-resourced students to develop the next generation of technology leaders in Africa.

Donations to DirectEd's Scholarship Pool​

Donation records are now organized by recipient. Choose an activity to read its background and reports.

• DirectEd
• Tears of the African Elephant
• Musical instrument donation
• Second Harvest Japan

Donation of food to Second Harvest Japan​

2022 Donation Destinations​

We have selected a donation destination for 2022. As you can see in the title, the 2022 donation destination has been decided to be "Tears of the African Elephant". The founders are Japanese women who grew up in Africa.

Organization overview【Article 3 of the Articles of Incorporation】
This corporation informs Japanese society and the Japanese people of the current state of endangered wild animals such as African elephants and rhinos, promotes the protection of these animals, and addresses various social issues related to them. In order to overcome this, we aim to raise global interest in environmental conservation and contribute to the construction of a sustainable society in which people and nature coexist in harmony, in cooperation with the general public and domestic and international organizations.

Why did you focus on elephants for this donation drive? Why did you select this corporation? You may be thinking, "Why did you choose this organization? But for some reason, I have always been interested in elephants. As I researched about elephants, I learned that they have the following characteristics and personalities, and I was attracted to them. The following are some of the characteristics and personalities of elephants.

• Elephants are very social, good at adapting to changes in their environment, quick learners, team oriented, caring and very good at communicating. And the elephant never forgets the kindness received. I think it was because I was attracted to the charm of elephants and sympathized with the issues that this corporation is tackling.

The issues that this corporation will address.​

I would like to post some of the issues that the corporation is addressing.

"Japan" is the world's largest ivory consuming country​

• The number of African elephants in the wild has declined by 3% in the last 100 years, and Japan is a major player in this crisis. In the 1980s, the number of African elephants in the wild was halved. It is said that the Japanese ivory market consumed nearly 70% of this amount.

14,000 ivory pieces registered since 1995​

• International trade was banned in 1989, but anyone can register ivory that entered Japan before then. Since there is no need to prove the source of ivory, it is considered a problem that illegal ivory can be mixed with legal ivory and not be identified.

Illegal ivory is not subject to control if cut.​

• In Japan, anyone can register ivory as new legal ivory, even if they cannot prove its origin, as long as they write that the ivory came in before 1989. In addition, only single tusks need to be registered for sale, and cut pieces are not subject to registration.

80% is used for seals​

seals = Also known as a name stamp.

• What does Japan use ivory for? As a former ivory powerhouse, Japan consumed 67% of the world's ivory in the 1980s. Since China stopped selling ivory, Japan is again the world's largest seller. Today, 80% of ivory is still used as seals.

About 8,000 ivory dealers in Japan​

• While domestic sales of ivory are being withdrawn one after another in foreign countries, Japan has many dealers in stores and on the Internet. Recently, there is also concern about the increasing number of cases of ivory bought in Japan being illegally taken overseas.

Ivory is banned in many countries around the world.​

• In 2015, a UN resolution unanimously adopted a ban on ivory sales. In 2017, China, which has the longest history of ivory use, also banned trade. And in 2020, if things continue as they are. Japan may become the only ivory market in the world.

There are things we can do to protect a world that will still have African elephants 10 years from now!​

When I learned about this, I decided to donate as a Monthly Supporter.

Finally​

In Japan as well, in order to aim for a "breakaway stamp", the trend of full-scale introduction of electronic contracts / electronic signatures, which is becoming commonplace internationally, not only for companies but also for ministries and agencies, is finally getting worse due to this corona disaster. seems to be progressing. The article will be in Japanese.

In an era of "no hanko" the future of "electronic contracts/signatures" in the midst of the corona crisis Interview with Professor Tezuka of Keio University

I sincerely hope that Japan will not become the only ivory market in the world, and that ivory poaching will end. I would appreciate it if this donation could help African elephants. Thank you for reading to the end.

For past donation activities, here.

Thank you for reading to the end. We have posted the staking method, so please access it from the link below and delegate it, it will be encouraging in the future! Thank you!!

👉How to start staking

Thoughts on making donations​

I'm going to write why I thought I'd do a donation activity. I don't think I suddenly thought of anything. When I look back on my life, I realize that I often put money in collection boxes and donate to NPOs' fund-raising activities (It's just a little bit, but I valued the feeling of wanting to donate.) And looking back, I remember the time when I went to the place where the 24-hour TV charity fundraiser was held and donated.

Well, that's why I decided to do it without thinking too much about it.
Where should I donate first?

There are many donation destinations, but I spent days searching for donation destinations that were easy for me to approach and start, but I couldn't narrow down the donation destinations. In the midst of all this, what suddenly crossed my mind was "music".

I was searching for "donation music" and "music donation", but there were many hits such as major music foundations, but I thought that it was a little different, so I searched variously and finally found myself. I was able to find a donation destination that I want to donate!!

We will announce the donation destination today!

The first of AKYO's donation activities is... musical instrument donation!!

Musical Instrument Donation Furusato Nouzei​

What is musical instrument donation Furusato Nouzei?
The Musical Instrument Donation Furusato Nouzei Payment is a new tax payment style utilizing the "Furusato Nouzei Payment System" in which unused musical instruments lying around Japan are donated to schools and music organizations through local governments, and the assessed value of the donated musical instruments is deducted from taxes. Inabe City, Mie Prefecture, has started this project to create a sense of gratitude among children for the donated musical instruments and to revitalize the town with smiling faces, which is the original purpose of the "Furusato Nouzei Payment System".

I selected this donation recipient because I thought it was a great match between my desire to donate and the students' desire for musical instruments.
It looks like they mainly donate unwanted instruments that are no longer in use, but this time I took the plunge and bought a brand new snare drum!
The other day, I stopped by a music store to look at snare drums, and among the many snares available, I found one that I really liked and thought I would like, at a price I could afford. I tried it out and decided immediately that I liked the maple sound of the snare drum.

Here is that snare drum!

It's been a long time since I bought a snare drum, and it reminded me of a very nostalgic memory.
I can't play the drums now, but I discovered music when I was 17 years old, and have been learning the drums on my own for about 12 years.
Also, why did you choose this school as the recipient of the donation? All schools have the same desire for students to donate, but this school's desire to donate is different from the past. I think the decisive factor was that he felt similar to me and had experienced almost similar things.
It was something like this:

I was very impressed with this statement. I also used to play on a secondhand instrument from my senior, so it overlapped with my old self.
And I was happy to see your performance on YouTube. We live in a very convenient age, don't we? I would like to encourage school teachers to post their videos on YouTube. It is a great pleasure to see your hard work.
AKYO will be conducting donation activities as one of our future activities.
We would be very happy and encouraged if you would support and encourage us in our donation activities as well.
Thank you for reading to the end.

For past donation activities, here.

We have posted the staking method, so please access it from the link below and delegate it, it will be encouraging in the future! Thank you!!

👉How to start staking