Relief Assistance for Tohoku Earthquake Affected

Project

Relief & Re-establishment activities for those affected by the Tohoku Pacific Area Earthquake

Target Area

Miyagi Prefecture, Ishinomaki City and nearby villages

Activities during September, October & November 2011

[Distribution of daily goods to temporary shelters completed, yet…]

In the end, completed daily goods distribution consists of 70items to 6,800 temporary shelters (originally planned for 7,000) at the end of September. Then, JEN start preparing to distribute air-conditioning devices for the coming winter, allocated for the people who decides NOT to take temporary shelters, but live in the rented (by the government) houses. This situation occurred due to the lack of land for temporary shelters and the kind “choice” given by the local government.

 [Community Space]

Formally acted as “Soup Kitchen”, 3 soup kitchens had turned into “Community Space” since the end of July to maximize the strength of the revitalization of the communities and to respect their motivation to keep the physically and mentally damaged communities. In July, before the soup kitchen close, the residents who benefited had been acting with a sign of being “self-reliant”. Therefore, JEN gained the confidence of let themselves run the spaces. Soon after “Community Space” starts functioning, many variety of activities were installed; such as Hand craft class, Play class (for kids), Choreography class and legal consultation. These 3 spaces are acting as the roll model for next 15 spaces which JEN is planning to install at the temporary shelters.

JEN is planning to open more than 15 community spaces by the end of this year as part of their unique psycho-social care assistance. They will be installed at the temporary shelters. As of October, tea party at 5 compounds (our of 131 in Ishinomaki) have been organized by JEN so far. More to come in year 2012.

[Mud busters are transforming into…]

JEN continues to coordinate volunteer activities in wider community.  To date almost 4,000 JEN volunteers contributed to clean both public and private properties. In addition to that, JEN start supporting fishermen who works for fish production industry who were forced to stop their business, for nearly 7months, due to 1)shortage of tools – wiped away by Tsunami, 2) human resources – need to catch up. The former is supported financially by JEN and the latter is supported by volunteers who give hands. This indicates that JEN is reaching the remote area of Ishinomaki, where were abandoned by delivering the support for months. Aiming to establish the good relationship with locals for both physical and psycho- social recovery. This is essential to avoid the depopulation as the remote area were suffering from it even before the disaster hit the area.

It is also the beginning of the livelihood support, direct to the affected fishermen in Ishinomaki.

JEN continue to seek for volunteer from general public.

 [Income Generation]

Not only for fishermen, JEN supports local logistic companies who lost their business tools – vehicle. They are very important for the main industry of Ishinomaki; “Fishery Supply Chain industry” to begin with. Not only their presence in the city encourages affected people as a sign of recovery, but the owners agreed on the condition raised by JEN that they have to engage with social contribution regularly. Sometimes, they help to deliver the debris collected by JEN volunteers to the garbage collection point, another time, they deliver some material for public spaces. JEN continues to support them till the market value of the vehicle goes down, means that the owners could afford to own them by themselves.

Links:

• JEN's Official Web site (in English)