Development Worldwide
This project's parent organization is Butterfly Table Tennis Manufacturer
It operates in Japan
It uses Table Tennis
Entered the Corporate Citizenship Campaign of the Year
More about Development Worldwide
Butterfly founder, Hikosuke Tamasu, founded the Tamasu Company in 1950 with the brand name “Butterfly”. Mr Tamasu was in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb exploded in World War 2, and wanted to use table tennis as a vehicle to help world peace and to encourage friendship between the youth of the world. From that time a significant percentage of profits has been donated to assist National Teams, sponsor players and fund special projects f around the world. Since the International Table Tennis Federation[ITTF] started the ITTF Development Program in 1999 many of their projects have been funded by Butterfly including:
- 53rd Anniversay of Butterfly-53 Tables valued at approximately US$800 each were donated to developing countries worldwide[every year from the 50th anniversary, Butterfly donates the number of tables matching the year to “in need” clubs and groups in Japan.
- Afghanistan Project-ITTF was the first International Sports Federation to move back into Afghanistan post-war in 2004. Butterfly donated around US$20,000 worth of table tennis clothing, tables, rackets and balls.
- Tsunami-ITTF Development Program, launched a major project to assist the countries affected. Butterfly donated around US$20,000 in cash, tables, clothing, rackets, balls.
- Oceania Development Program-Butterfly have supported this program for more than 1o years with rackets, and balls for every country ITTF visits, as well as outfitting their junior and cadet teams.
- South Africa Project-Connected to the World Cadet Championships Butterfly sponsored a special project in a financially disadvantaged area providing a training camp, clothing, rackets and balls and providing 2 players and a coach with the opportunity of a lifetime to join the World Cadet Training Camp and to watch the event.
- Signed on as major sponsor for 2 humanitarian projects per year with ITTF Development Program and Peace and Sport providing over US$10,000 in shirts, clothing, rackets and balls per year.
- An annual donation to one continental Junior Championships on a rotating basis of elite racket and balls for the participating countries.