A Meaningful Send-Off: Celebrating an Exciting New Chapter at Furano Primary School

On a beautiful, chilly day in March, a group of graduating primary school students in Furano stepped into the Shin Furano Prince Hotel, the most prestigious hotel in the region, many for the very first time. While the air was cold and crisp outside, their laughter, excitement, and warm spirits filled the inside space. Though the hotel is a well-known landmark to many local residents, very few have had the chance to experience it as guests. For these students, today would mark a joyful and memorable beginning to a new chapter.

Dressed in formal wear, it was their first time sitting down to a four-course meal in an environment typically reserved for special milestones. For some, it was an experience even their parents never had, and for a few, it felt more elaborate than perhaps their own parents’ wedding celebrations.

The graduation lunch, held on 22 March 2026, was organised by FURAPERA Community Aid Network, a sister initiative of Giveinstead.sg. Through a campaign on Giveinstead.sg, approximately ¥390,000 (S$3,400) was raised, enabling over 50 graduating students to participate. Each student was supported at roughly ¥7,000 (S$60), ensuring that all students could attend regardless of their family circumstances.

The event was made possible through the collective efforts of the Parent-Teacher Assocation, Shin Furano Prince Hotel, NPO Miraito, the Kanaelle Project, FURAPERA, and a network of dedicated volunteers.

This initiative reflects one of Giveinstead.sg’s key areas of focus: youth development. Beyond financial support, it seeks to create meaningful experiences that shape confidence, aspiration, and a young person’s sense of possibility.

What the students experienced that day went far beyond a meal. The Shin Furano Prince Hotel team created an environment of care and professionalism. The chef personally introduced each course, sharing the thought behind each dish. Senior service staff took the time to personally demonstrate how to use cutlery, handle napkins, and navigate a formal dining setting, offering students a rare introduction to dining etiquette and to an environment many had not previously encountered.

In communities like Furano, opportunities for exposure to new environments can be limited, particularly for children from lower income or single parent households. The gap is not only financial, but experiential. What one is exposed to shapes what one can imagine. And what one imagines shapes what one may one day pursue.

Recognising this, the programme was designed not only to provide an experience, but to encourage reflection. Each student was invited to write down what they hoped to become in the future on a leaf. These were added to a symbolic tree as part of the Mirai Factory (Future Factory) initiative led by NPO Miraito and supported by FURAPERA. In this simple act, aspirations that might otherwise remain unspoken were made visible and shared within a supportive community.

Encouragement also came from beyond Furano. Students received video messages from Shoken, as well as from Kimiko Date, former world number four tennis player and Olympian, who has visited Furano many times. Her message carried a powerful message that where one begins does not define how far one can go.

At the end of the lunch, each student received a photo frame with an Instax mini photograph of themselves. It was a small keepsake, but one that captures a moment where they were celebrated and recognised at an important transition in their lives.

The event was also covered by Hokkaido Shimbun, helping bring wider visibility to what can be achieved when local communities and international supporters come together.

While this was a single event, it reflects a broader approach to community support. In Furano, as recognised in local planning frameworks, many social challenges today cannot be fully addressed by formal systems alone and require community-based collaboration and support.

This graduation lunch is part of that broader vision. This commemorative occasion is a considered effort aimed at broadening horizons and affirming worth. This initiative aims to bring together resources, relationships, and intent to create moments that can shape how young people see themselves and their future.