JEN reports that temporary housing is being built in the city of Ishinomaki. There are currently more than 22,000 people living in evacuation centers there, so there is an urgent need for housing. During the Golden Week holidays, JEN was able to provide an average … Read more
In some fields, NGOs are winding down their relief efforts. For example, medical assistance is decreasing as the Tohoku region’s own medical institutions are starting to reopen. At the same time, other organizations are starting to prepare for the long-term task of the recovery, which … Read more
The Association for Aid and Relief (AAR) Japan has been working in Rikuzentakata (Iwate Prefecture) to help people living in temporary housing remain active. Extended stays in evacuation facilities make it difficult to find opportunities to exercise and move around as people normally would, so … Read more
As part of its efforts to support the children in Tohoku, Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) have been conducting a “school for play.” The program targets elementary and middle school children and tries to get them out of the shelters, temporary housing, or daycare so that … Read more
In the central section of the Oshika Peninsula are 5 coastal fishing villages, Takenohama, Makinohama, Kitsunezakihama, Sudachi, and Fukkiura. These villages are tucked along the coastline, well off of the main highway that runs along the peninsula, and the roads connecting them to the highway … Read more
JEN‘s efforts to assist in the Tohoku region have drawn more than 2,700 volunteers to date. In the month of September, JEN volunteers will clean up community spaces and factories, help people restart their businesses, and support fishery reconstruction. In Ishinomaki, JEN reports that construction … Read more
***Reflections: Six Months After*** This Sunday, September 11, marks two important dates: the 10-year anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks in the United States and the 6-month mark after the deadly earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11. As we reflect on these … Read more
The Association for Aid and Relief (AAR) Japan reports that they are providing supplies (e.g., cookware, dishes, cleaning/laundry supplies, cupboards, tables, etc.) to approximately 17,500 households living in temporary housing in 13 towns and villages—about half of the affected households in Fukushima Prefecture. As of … Read more
Many survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake continue to live under uncertain conditions in shelters and temporary housing. During the summer, AAR Japan worked to make their lives as comfortable as possible in the heat and humidity. Now they are focusing their efforts on preparations … Read more
In Kitsunezakihama, on the eastern side of the tsunami-ravaged Oshika Peninsula, NPO JEN brought 30 volunteers from one company to assist in the preparations for oyster cultivation—a staple industry of the region. Shells are strung together to provide a bed to which new oysters will … Read more