Shin Fujiyama is a Japanese American philanthropist who co-founded Students Helping Honduras in 2007 with his sister Cosmo Fujiyama[1] after visiting Honduras on a service learning trip for the first time.[2][3]
Shin Fujiyama | |
|---|---|
 Shin Fujiyama in El Progreso, Honduras in 2022 | |
| Born | September 16, 1983 Kanagawa, Japan |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Mary Washington |
| Occupation | Philanthropist |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Employer | Students Helping Honduras |
| Title | Executive Director |
Fujiyama was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, a small fishing village in Japan.[4] He graduated from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia in 2007 with a Bachelor's degree in International Affairs and pre-medicine. Shin speaks four languages fluently: Japanese, English, Spanish, and Portuguese. He opened a YouTube channel in 2020, showing his daily life in Honduras, initially for his family and friends in the US, but it became very popular in Honduras, making him a recognizable figure in the country.[citation needed]
In 2023, he decided to run 125km from the frontier with Guatemala to San Pedro Sula. He achieved this between 13-17 July, 2023. He raised funds from this run for his project to create 1000 schools in Honduras. In April 2024, he decided to run between San Pedro and the capital of Tegucigalpa, a distance of 250km. On July 4, 2024, he announced that his next run would be 3,000km from the border between Mexico and the United States, finishing in San Pedro Sula, running a marathon a day.[citation needed]
He was included as a "young wonder" in the 2009 edition of the CNN Heroes television special.[5]
References
edit- ^ Aoyagi-Stom, Caroline (21 September 2007). "Fujiyama Siblings Dedicate Themselves to Helping Honduran Orphans". Pacific Citizen. Archived from the original on 27 November 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ "Fredericksburg.com - Shin Fujiyama School of Hope Honduran village honors UMW senior, missionary". Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2009-07-28. Fredericksburg.com/Freelance Star Newspaper
- ^ "University of Mary Washington | Hero in Honduras". Archived from the original on 2009-08-13. Retrieved 2009-07-28. UMW Today
- ^ "Fighting poverty one campus at a time". CNN. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
- ^ "CNN Heroes - Shin Fujiyama". CNN. Retrieved 2022-06-11.