10 June 2011

Japan: 83,000 assisted in three months since earthquake and tsunami

  1. Household items such as bedding have been supplied to temporary shelters set up by the Government of Japan.
  2. In Noda village, Iwate prefecture, volunteers unload household items to be used in temporary shelters.
  3. World Vision runs a school bus between Minami Sanriku town and Tome City, ferrying Tokura primary and secondary school children to and from school. Children received school kits from World Vision.
  4. Volunteers pack school kits including stationery items, in readiness for distribution in Kesennuma city, Miyagi prefecture.
  5. World Vision Japan provides lunch boxes to primary school students. From June, World Vision is providing hot meals to more than 1,000 students and 50 teachers in Minami Sanriku, Miyagi prefecture.
  6. World Vision staffer, Makiba Yamano leads children's activities at a Child Friendly Space. The children are from Minami Sanriku, one of the hardest-hit towns of the 11 March earthquake and tsunami.
  7. Mana, 7, writes that she wants to play piano on her ‘wish paper’.
  8. “I want to play baseball.” “I want to attend a graduation ceremony.” Children from Minami Sanriku wrote their wishes on paper and posted to a wall in a Child Friendly Space.
  9. Children at a Child Friendly Space play with colourful carp kites, known as ‘koinobori’ in Japanese. Carp represent courage and perseverance.
  10. World Vision staffer, Nanako supervises children at a Child Friendly Space in Tome city.

Saturday afternoon marks three months since the world’s largest earthquake struck off the coast of Japan and the subsequent tsunami destroyed or damaged many of the country’s north-east coastal towns.

Some 15,365 people died, almost 100,000 were evacuated and 8,206 are still missing following the 11 March disaster. More than 50 million people were affected and Japan’s Prime Minister, Mr Naoto Kan declared a State of Emergency.   A nuclear emergency added to the complexity of the situation.

For World Vision’s Japan staff, especially relief staff who are used to directly assisting communities in other countries, it was a change to be working within their own country.

Needs assessments were conducted in the first few days following the earthquake, along with distribution of relief items.  A response plan was shaped and directed World Vision to commence assistance in the Miyagi and Iwate prefectures.

In the first 90 days, approximately 83,000 people have been supported in evacuation centres by cleaning of the centres and the creation of community kitchens, and:

Relief item distribution: blankets, clothing, nappies, hygiene kits, sanitary items to women and the elderly, clean water, cooking sets.

Education: Back-to-School kits including stationery, uniforms, sport wear; school bus transportation; and school meals for kindergarten, primary and secondary levels.  Temporary classrooms have been provided.

Shelter: support to government co-ordinated evacuation centres, mainly in schools.

Water and sanitation: temporary toilets and hand washing facilities in primary and secondary schools.

Child protection: Child-Friendly Spaces in 5 locations attended by approximately 300 children each week.

World Vision is also providing sets of household items to the temporary shelters being built by the Government of Japan.  More than 15,000 households will be assisted in the coming weeks.

The Australian public’s generosity was overwhelming with more than $2.2 million donated to the World Vision Australia appeal.

“Thank you very much for your kind and sincere support and prayer for our response,” said Mariko Kinai, Director-Earthquake and Tsunami response, World Vision Japan.

World Vision plans to assist communities in the earthquake and tsunami affected areas for another year.


Post a comment

Gift catalogue

Sponsor a child today

Emergency appeal - donate now