SDGs ambassador NAKAZAWA Takuya (3rd year Faculty of Economics) was awarded an “Encouragement Award” at the 5th annual Okayama Collaborative Community Development Awards on November 23 for introducing the TABLE FOR TWO (TFT) initiative to Okayama University. Each year, the Okayama city recognizes effective collaborative efforts to solve social issues. The theme of the Awards changes annually and this year the theme was “Community, Food, and the Future”.

Mr. Nakazawa introduced TFT started in Japan that aims to curb obesity and unhealthy eating habits in developed countries while also alleviating hunger in developing countries to Okayama University in April 2019. He organizing for TFT-branded meals to be added to Okayama University’s Co-op and TFT lunch boxes have been introduced since July 2020.

By purchasing a TFT-branded meal, 20 yen is donated towards providing school meals to children in participating schools across East Africa and Southeast Asia. Last year, our university sold 4,207 meals, amounting to a total donation of 109,412 yen.

Upon receiving the award, Mr. Nakazawa expressed his desire to continue his work in the near future, saying, “This prize is the result of sustained collaboration between numerous parties. I hope to deepen community collaboration by promoting the unique initiatives instigated by Okayama University.” Associate Professor MACHIDA Hisashi from Okayama University’s Institute for Education and Student Services commented, “This prize is a win for all SDGs ambassador students. Our students are acutely aware of the value of the SDGs for this and future generations, and I believe that our university will contribute to society in increasingly meaningful ways.”