（English）More Information／How to Support

UniLeaf: Bring the wonder of travel to visually impaired people with touchable mini architecture | Kenchoji Temple in Kamakura to all over Japan

>>（English）How to Support by Credit Card

 

 

 

 

 

Established in 2008, UniLeaf is a voluntary organisation, that produces, lends, and disseminates universally designed picture books with transparent braille sheets. As these books have both pictures and braille, the books can be enjoyed together by children with or without a disability. We aim to contribute to an inclusive society where everyone is respected through our project.

Our activities began when I, the founder of UniLeaf came across a universally designed picture book with a transparent Braille sheet from the UK. I decided to ask for a sample book and made it on my own. This was the first universally designed picture book in Japan.

Fifteen years later, the number of handmade picture books has now exceeded 1,200, and the library now lends out a total of 1,800 books every year. We send the books to 35 families and schools every month as a library-by-mail. In 2019, the project received the Prime Minister's Award for its "valuable efforts to create a place where children with disabilities can share the same things in the same environment rather than isolating them, with an emphasis on accepting diversity".

 

 

 

We dismantle commercially available picture books, type braille on a transparent sheet, insert them each spread and re-bound. In this way, children with and without visual impairment can enjoy the same book together.

 

 

 

Nine years ago, in 2014, I visited Lisbon, Portugal. During the trip, I saw a miniature bronze model for the first time in front of the Belem Tower, a World Heritage Site. It grabbed my heart so much that made me wish to have it in Japan.

The model's creator is German sculptor Egbert Broerken. He created the model after seeing visually impaired children struggling with city sightseeing 20 years ago. Today, 120 models have been installed in 60 European cities and the number continues to grow.

Japan has become one of the most tourism-oriented countries in the world, but sightseeing primarily focuses on “seeing” and touchable objects and materials are very limited, despite that they are very important sources of information for blind people.

After two years of twists and turns, a member from the foundation who has supported our library activities connected me with the City of Kamakura and we visited Kenchoji Temple together. The Kenchoji temple supported us and we were able to take the first step towards our dream.

 

 

 

UniLeaf's activities are funded by an annual grant (approx. 300,000 JPY = 2080 USD) and donations (approx. 100,000 JPY = 690 USD), which amounts to about 400,000 yen (approx. 2770 USD) per year. We lend UniLeaf books to mothers of children with visual impairment free of charge. We cannot sell these books due to copyright issues, so there is no way of making a profit. The organisation is 100% volunteer-based.

The estimated cost of producing and installing the miniature architecture model of the Kenchoji temple is 6.2 million yen (approx. 43000 USD). Although we have made every effort to raise funds through grants and donations since the project started, we still have a shortfall of around 4 million yen (approx. 27700 USD). 

In addition, several prototypes are required to make a model that is safe and easy to understand, but a full-scale 3D model prototype will cost an additional 500,000 yen. It may cost a little more, depending on recent price rises and future production methods.

For these reasons, we have decided to raise funds through crowdfunding to realise our dream with support from those who share our vision.

 

 

 

Our initial fundraising target is set at JPY 5 million, which covers the minimum cost required for the production and installation of the miniature model, the crowdfunding fee, and other expenses. The challenge is based on the All or Nothing rule, which means that if we don’t reach the target, your donation will be fully refunded.

If we raise more than the first target amount, we will use the money to cover the cost of the prototype 3D model and any shortfalls in our estimates.

If you agree with our goal of realizing universal tourism through “touchable” miniature architecture, we would be very grateful if you could help us realize the project with your donation.

For a better and more inclusive society, we look forward to your warm support.

 

 

 

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How to Support by Credit Card

 

Thank you for your interest in this project. This part explains how to support our project from computer. Please refer to the following page for details about this crowdfunding challenge.

 

Thank you so much for your understanding that we are unable to ship “some of the return gifts” such as limited Goshuin (temple stamp card) , model of kenchoji, etc. to outside of Japan. 

 

① Click here for registration

 

 

② Registration

 

 

 

③ Please check your e-mail box and access the website to confirm your e-mail  address.

 

 

④ Click here  and Choose the amount of donation with rewards

 

 

 

⑤ Fll in the information of your credit card

 

 

⑥ Fill in address/ information

 

 

⑦ Confirmation of your choice

 

 

⑧ Write a message to the project

(shown in “comment section of project page)

DO NOT post any personal information on the message.

 

Thank you so much!