The non-profit organization PARCHIL (Headquarters: Minato-Ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Shogo Minami) which develops and operates the talk app "PARCHIL" for single mothers and fathers, is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Grand Prize in the Parent Support Service category at the BabyTech® Awards Japan 2023.Among other winners of the grand prizes and excellence awards in different categories are notable Japanese holdings and companies, such as JR East Urban Development Corporation's "CHARICO," Ezaki Glico Co. Ltd.'s parenting app "Kope," Kokuyo Co. Ltd., and Pola Inc. We are honored to receive this prestigious award alongside these prominent organizations.Despite being a non-profit entity with limited funds and resources, PARCHIL is dedicated to listening to the voices of single parents. Our mission is to combat the isolation and loneliness of single parents by maximizing their well-being through connections with people, information, and job opportunities.Comments from the Judges:- It was evident that PARCHIL sincerely tackles the challenging realm of alleviating loneliness for single parents. We support this endeavor.- As the term "single parenting" suggests, the mental anguish caused by the loneliness of single parents affects both the parents and their children. We highly commend PARCHIL for its user-friendly interface, and even for those with low IT literacy, it is easy to register.What is BabyTech?Cited from the official BabyTech® Awards website- BabyTech refers to a category encompassing smart devices and IT services that support pregnancy, childbirth, and early childhood parenting.- Since its introduction in CES 2016, the BabyTech category has gained recognition, including a floor dedicated to it in 2018. It is a growing field with numerous startups and crowdfunding projects, particularly in Europe and the US.We are thrilled to have PARCHIL selected as the grand prize winner in the expanding BabyTech sector, both domestically and internationally.About the PARCHIL App:- PARCHIL is a chatting app that enables single parents across Japan to casually discuss and consult on various topics such as parenting, work, budgeting, and household chores. It facilitates easy connections based on basic information like the ages of children, number of children, residence, and custom tags (e.g., "struggling with raising a 3-year-old").- Features include creating "Preferences & Mindset Cards" for categories like food, movies, and music to promote casual conversations and interactions.- The app ensures safety and security through data encryption, reporting and blocking functions, and mandatory submission of identification documents.Inspiration Behind PARCHIL:- Iserve as the Representative Director of PARCHIL now, but as an infant, I suffered abuse and grew up in a single-mother household. This personal background fuels my strong desire to solve problems faced by single parents. Before founding PARCHIL, I received investment from former ZOZO CEO Yusaku Maezawa and worked on a "Child Support Payment Guarantee Service" at the company "Chiisana Ippo" to address unpaid child support issues.- Through interactions with single parents, I encountered various challenges beyond child support, such as the difficulties of single parenting, biases from society, and lack of social support networks. Despite existing government systems and single-parent support organizations, the overwhelming voices of distressed single parents led to the creation of PARCHIL.Challenges PARCHIL Aims to Resolve:(PARCHIL's Perspective on the Cycle of Poverty and Its Logic Model)PARCHIL addresses the issue of single parents becoming isolated from social resources (such as government program information and private organization support), people (including experts, confidants, and those who can be relied on for child-related matters), and information (parenting advice, specialized knowledge on disabilities, strategies to reduce unnecessary expenses, and job-hunting tips). This isolation leads to an undesired state of loneliness.We will explain the "unwanted loneliness that leads to various problems" and the "causes of this unwanted loneliness."The Multifaceted Problems Arising from Unwanted Loneliness- Because of the influence from the media, when people hear about the issues of single parents, the first thing that often comes to mind is "economic difficulties (poverty)."- Indeed, according to a national survey of child-rearing households (2018), the poverty rates are higher for single-mother and single-father households (51.4% and 22.9%, respectively) compared to dual-parent households (5.9%). Furthermore, the cycle of poverty often continues on to the children (which I personally experienced growing up in a poverty-stricken single-mother household).- However, the background of economic hardship is intertwined with various factors. Our independent surveys and statistical data have shown that the lack of people to consult with similar situations, inability to access resources from municipalities and support organizations, and high levels of loneliness are structural causes of economic difficulties.- A survey by the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Welfare Bureau (2019) revealed that about one-third of single parents lack interaction with other parents or someone to rely on. Our surveys also indicated that approximately 80% of single parents feel they have no one to truly confide in.- Japan, following the UK, has appointed a minister in charge of tackling loneliness and isolation, recognizing these issues as significant societal problems and conducting extensive surveys. PARCHILparticipates in the "Loneliness and Isolation Countermeasure Public-Private Partnership Platform" led by the Cabinet Secretariat’s Office for Loneliness and Isolation Countermeasures.Factors Leading to Unwanted Loneliness1. *The Challenge of Forming Supportive Relationships Among Single Parents* - Even among single parents, there are multiple factors that define their situation, such as the age of the child(ren), reasons for being a single parent (death, divorce, unmarried), existence of disabilities, support from biological parents, child support, interaction with the ex-partner, number of children, income, employment status, legal experiences, residence, and health issues. - With different combinations of these factors, single parents might find it hard to empathize or consult with others in similar situations, leading to a structure where loneliness is not easily alleviated.2. *Difficulties in Existing Services and Initiatives* - The main existing services and initiatives include: (1) in-person communities for single parents operated by municipalities, (2) single-parent exclusive Facebook groups, LINE open chats, and other community services, and (3) social networks like X and Q&A platforms like Yahoo! Chiebukuro. - (1) poses challenges for single parents who are exhausted from household chores, child-rearing, and work, making it hard to muster the energy to attend these communities or coordinate schedules. - (2), though easier to participate in due to their online nature, often involve large numbers of people and a user interface geared towards individual posts, making it difficult for some to follow conversations or open up, leading to unaddressed loneliness. - (3) is often filled with anonymous criticism and slander, making it difficult for individuals to disclose their personal stories and find others to consult with.Given these two backgrounds, our research indicates a need for a service or product that allows people to "easily and securely consult and share feelings with others in similar situations, anytime, anywhere."Current Status and Future Plans for PARCHIL:- Launched on Apple Store and Google Play on June 1, 2023, PARCHIL is now used by single parents nationwide, predominantly by 30-something single mothers who became single through divorce and have children aged 0-6.- Users have shared positive feedback, such as feeling less lonely, exchanging valuable information, and finding empathetic connections.- Our vision for PARCHIL is to become a "super app" specialized for single parents, similar to LINE, encompassing a range of services like educational courses, professional consultations, collaborations with non-profits, and employment opportunities for single parents.Support and Collaborate with PARCHIL:- We invite support and collaboration. Use PARCHIL as a channel and branding tool for your company or non-profit organization.- For inquiries and collaborations, please use the contact form [here](https://forms.gle/21F78fv55QZychpm8) or contact me, Shogo Minami, on Facebook [here](https://www.facebook.com/minamisyogo.shiro/).We look forward to your continued support for PARCHIL.