Born from “Mottainai”: A Student-Led Project to Reduce Waste and Give to Those in Need

I believe that small actions can make a big difference. That’s why I founded ShareCycle, a student-led initiative dedicated to collecting unused dorm items and school supplies and donating them to shelters and under-resourced communities.

Every year, thousands of perfectly usable items are thrown away by students moving out of their dorms. I saw this not only as a problem of waste but also as a missed opportunity to help others. During my sophomore year, I moved to a boarding school in the United States. I grew up with the traditional Japanese concept of “Mottainai(もったいない),” a word with no exact English equivalent — but one that conveys the idea that nothing should be wasted because everything holds value. It’s a mindset rooted in gratitude, reuse, and sustainability.

This concept inspired the mission behind ShareCycle: to give new purpose to items that might otherwise be discarded — creating a cycle of sharing.

I began organizing with friends and volunteers to collect school supplies such as notebooks, pencils, and dry-erase markers; clothing; and toiletries — all before they were thrown away. As of now, we’ve collected over 70 kilograms of reusable items, and we’re just getting started.

Donated clothes are collected through ShareCycle, packed, and ready for delivery to local shelters.

Our mission is built on four core values:

Sustainability — Reducing unnecessary waste through mindful collection and reuse

The Mottainai Mindset — A Japanese concept that expresses regret over waste and encourages us to value, reuse, and honor the things we have.

Equity — Ensuring resources are redirected to those who need them most, especially those who facing temporary financial difficulty.

Youth Leadership — Empowering students to take action in their own communities.

In the future, we plan to expand our efforts to include school supply drives, gently used clothing distributions, and partnerships with local businesses to support even more under-resourced communities.

Through ShareCycle, I’ve learned the power of initiative, collaboration, and consistency. I hope this is just the beginning — not just for me, but for anyone who believes in doing good with what we already have.

If you’re interested in supporting or learning more, feel free to reach out or follow our journey here.