Although 10 months have passed since the earthquake and tsunami struck the Tohoku region, a great deal of clean-up work still remains. In December, JEN volunteers joined with volunteers from Mitsui Bussan and entered the Yagawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki for the first time to start … Read more
The Association for Aid and Relief (AAR) Japan held a special event for children at a school in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, in a town that has been affected by the radiation leak from the nuclear plant. Children are only allowed outside to play when the … Read more
As part of its efforts to help heal the emotional scars children have suffered from last year’s disaster, NICCO held events earlier this year in which children participated in creating dioramas. The dioramas were built in 3 stages: (1) “Our town before the disaster” (5 … Read more
NICCO offered an outline of its efforts to provide “kokoro no kea“—care for the heart—focused on children in the Tohoku region who are suffering from or are susceptible to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of their experiences. With the help of child psychologists … Read more
Although one year has passed, there are still many areas of Tohoku that still look much the same as they did right after the disaster. The Association for Aid and Relief (AAR) has launched a new campaign, “Flowers and Messages for Tohoku” to help add … Read more
JCIE and MetLife Alico Japan announced 21 grants for organizations helping children and families affected by 3/11. These include groups such as Peace Jam, which aims to create a peer support group of mothers with small children in Miyagi who have been facing great challenges … Read more
Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) has been working with children in Tohoku, using sports to help them heal emotionally. One of the problems, however, has been a lack of sports facilities. Following last year’s disaster, many of the middle school sports grounds in the city of … Read more
The Association for Aid and Relief (AAR) reports that about 400 children are currently living in 13 temporary housing sites in the city of Soma, Fukushima Prefecture. These children, who have suffered through the trauma of losing friends, relatives, and their homes, have had no … Read more
Springtime in Japan is the time for cherry blossom viewing, and last month the Association for Aid and Relief (AAR) helped to ensure that local residents who are living in temporary housing could celebrate the season and enjoy a sense of normalcy by offering a … Read more
The August 2012 edition of Sotokoto magazine includes a feature article on the Sanaburi Foundation, a recipient of the BTMU Americas Community Recovery Award through JCIE’s Japan NGO Earthquake Relief & Recovery Fund. The article describes the origins of this unique community foundation, its mission of supporting recovery in … Read more