Creating efficient and comfortable welfare facilities for vulnerable members of society is a major economic challenge for communities. Even in the best of times, budget considerations play a major role in how a town or city can build residential homes for the elderly, or construct special facilities for the handicapped.

Before Renovation...

Fortunately, a unique, cost effective way forward on this issue has been developed by several NPOs in Japan, working with the support and guidance of The Nippon Foundation. Thanks to this initiative, local communities are finding it easier to finance and provide high quality welfare facilities for those really in need.

The concept is simple. Take abandoned or unused buildings and renovate them for welfare use at a fraction of the cost of new clinics, homes for the elderly, facilities for those with disabilities, foster homes, and hospices.

The organizations involved in these projects specialize in searching out places that can be renovated for use in welfare care.

...and after.

A few examples: a) a 33 year old agricultural office that was changed into a regional welfare support center, b) a 40 year old inn converted into a group home for people with disabilities, c) a 130 year old inn renovated into a day service facility for the elderly, and d) a nursery school that was changed into a day care center for children with working mothers.

These specialized welfare organizations and The Nippon Foundation work hand in hand to save facilities that still can be socially useful, rather than destroying them and wasting available resources. It is also felt that this is a more ecologically friendly way to save resources and protect the environment.