ToC Clarifies Direction and Leads to Field Operations. - NPO Tsunageru -

How can we make the hardships of raising multiples visible?

NPO Tsunageru (Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture) supports parents raising multiples, such as twins and triplets, both online and in person. Its programs include 'Futago no Heya' (the Twins' Room), a LINE open chat where parents of multiples across the country can join at any time, and 'Futago House,' a community facility in Amagasaki City. Both are offered online and in person.

Its representative, 中原美智子, is herself a mother of twins and the author of 『ふたごじてんしゃ物語』 (The Twins' Bicycle Story). Speaking from her own experience, she gives voice to the social situation and daily hardships faced by mothers of multiples, and she is advancing the expansion of Tsunageru's programs.

The organization first tried to organize its wide-ranging projects using a logic model. It then encountered a dilemma: a complex and chaotic social issue like raising multiples is difficult to organize or express with a logic model. It paused its work, unsure how to proceed.

'Perhaps a tree-type ToC, which makes it easy to freely draw diverse elements, would make this possible?' From December 2020 to December 2021, I served as the facilitator of the ToC creation workshops. In principle twice a month, every session was held online via Zoom, and we worked together on the consideration and creation of the ToC.

Articulating and visualizing Tsunageru's worldview through the ToC

What challenges come with raising multiples, how can a path to solutions be drawn, and what future should be pursued? To be honest, working out Tsunageru's ToC was not easy.

When a child is born, mothers of multiples feel great joy, yet immediately after giving birth, anxiety quickly sets in: 'Can I raise two babies on my own?' Many become exhausted by single-handed childcare, and they are puzzled: 'Parenting should be full of love, so why does it feel like this?' However, through connecting with Tsunageru's programs, they realize, 'I am not alone.' Through exchanges with peer supporters and others, they come to want to help other mothers facing the same difficulties, and they join the 'onshi' (passing on kindness) movement. Tsunageru's worldview gradually came to be put into words in the ToC and visualized in a diagram.

Ms. 中原 was particular about speaking on behalf of mothers of multiples. The bottom of the ToC has a field for the 'systemic problem' (the root of the social issue). Even though the space is limited, she deliberately included as many of the voices of mothers of multiples as possible, so that people encountering the topic for the first time could more easily imagine it.

Board members and members of Tsunageru also took part in the ToC creation workshops. As they came to see the same vision and path through the ToC, communication progressed.

Acquiring the ToC as a backbone for management thinking, and putting it into practice in the field

The ToC was first completed in words and diagrams, and after a designer produced the visual design, it was published on Tsunageru's website as news.

Finally completed! The 'Theory of Change' of NPO Tsunageru.

The ToC is introduced between the representative's message and the organizational overview.

In July 2025, I visited the Kansai region and spoke with Ms. 中原 and Tsunageru's board members. Conversations such as 'Right now, in ToC terms, I'm thinking about this part' and 'I understand' unfolded. Their management principles are placed within the ToC, and they are putting great effort into what might be called 'ToC management.'

Please also enjoy 『ふたご、みつご　悩まない　多胎チャンネル』, which is full of practical articles!

Tsunageru is also actively seeking donations. Please visit the support page!