[SENDAI, Japan, 23 June 2011]
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In response to requests received from local governments in Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures, both devastated by the 11 March earthquake and tsunami, the Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) is now providing assistance for the construction of temporary and permanent preschool and kindergarten buildings, as well as for the large-scale restoration of such buildings, in seven areas in the two prefectures.
It was decided that for the first phase of this assistance, JCU will support the construction of a temporary wooden school building for Asahi Preschool in Minamisanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture. On 10 June (Fri) the first participatory workshop was held to hear the opinions of the preschool’s teachers, parents and students in order to construct a school that is safer and more comfortable than before.
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During the morning hours, the school’s children, parents and teachers gathered to construct the perfect kindergarten. The participatory workshop was held with the cooperation of students from Playground Supporters, a group led by Professor Kenya Ishihara from the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering of the Chiba Institute of Technology and Associate Professor Masayuki Sato of Waseda University’s Faculty of Human Sciences.
The children lied down on pieces of cardboard and then their parents used magic markers to trace the children’s silhouette onto the cardboard. Next, they cut out the silhouettes and the children drew on their own faces and clothes.
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Once everyone had a cardboard version of themselves commemorative pictures were taken. Using the pictures, students at the Chiba Institute of Technology created dolls of the children that were one-tenth their actual size.
The children were ecstatic to see their miniature dolls. While watching the children play with their dolls inside the model of the kindergarten, teachers and parents discussed what building layouts and furnishings would make the kindergarten better.
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| Students from Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University cooking. |
In the afternoon, Professor Hiroko from the Child Education Department of Isobe of Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University joined hands with her students to make potage soup, chicken rice and vegetables for the children. One of the mothers smiled and said, “It feels like it’s been ages since we have gotten the children together for such a fun picnic.”
Many of the parents that participated in this event had been unable to meet the other parents since the disaster. The following are quotes taken from conversations with the parents at the event:
“I was happy enough just to see my child smile. I also felt that we had made progress after talking with the other parents and hearing that they worried about the same things.”
“There were many parents that I had not been in contact with yet, so I was relived to see them today. I like to think that everyone is doing fine on their own, but meeting everyone here today left me mixed feelings; I was happy knowing that everyone is doing well but felt lonely because we cannot see each other very often. I think this type of event was a great opportunity. I work, so it is difficult to change my schedule without sufficient warning, but since this is for the children, I plan to do everything I can to come in the future.”
“My child looked super happy to meet his friends that he had been out of touch with for so long. That’s what made me happiest. My child also said that he had a great time.”
JCU will continue to promote the “Everyone’s Kindergarten” project with teachers, students and parents from kindergartens in Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures.
All photo credits: © Japan Committee for UNICEF/2011
| Receiving Prefecture |
Type of Emergency Supplies |
Arrival Date |
Quantity | Donating Company |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miyagi | Water | 19 Mar. | 12,288 bottles |
VanaH Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Fukushima | Water | 22 Mar. | 12,672 bottles |
VanaH Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Miyagi | Underwear for boys and girls | 22 Mar. | 200,000 | ||
| Iwate | Underwear for boys and girls | 23 Mar. | 30,000 | ||
| Fukushima | Water | 23 Mar. | 4,680 bottles |
KIRIN MC DANONE WATERS Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Miyagi | Children’s shoes | 23 Mar. | 10,000 pairs |
||
| Miyagi | Children’s diapers | 24 Mar. | 80 packs | P&G Japan | |
| Iwate | Children’s underwear | 24 Mar. | 9,700 | ||
| Fukushima | Water | 24 Mar. | 12,288 bottles |
VanaH Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Iwate | Shoes | 26 Mar. | 1,404 pairs | Achilles Corporation | |
| Iwate | Underwear for boys and girls | 27 Mar. | 28,266 | ||
| Iwate | Boots | 27 Mar. | 7,462 pairs | ||
| Iwate | Wipes | 28 Mar. | 1,200 | P&G Japan | For babies |
| Miyagi | Recreation kits Early Childhood Development kits |
2 Apr. | 50 of each | Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division | |
| Iwate | Recreation kits Early Childhood Development kits |
2 Apr. | 50 of each | Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division | |
| Miyagi | Book bags | 6 Apr. | 70 | Nihon New Bag Chain | |
| Iwate | Book bags | 6-7 Apr. | 340 | Seiban | |
| Miyagi | Schoolbags | 8 Apr. | 18,000 | Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division | |
| Iwate | Schoolbags | 8 Apr. | 18,000 | Procured from the UNICEF Supply Division | |
| Miyagi | Personal security buzzers (for crime prevention purposes) | 8 Apr. | 5,000 | ||
| Iwate | Personal security buzzers (for crime prevention purposes) | 8 Apr. | 5,000 | ||
| Miyagi | Minicar | 8 Apr. | 3 cars | ||
| Miyagi | Nutritional supplements | From early April | 4,000 bottles | ||
| Fukushima | Water | 11 Apr. | 1,536 bottles | VanaH Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Miyagi | Replenishments for recreation kits | 12 Apr. | 60 sets | ||
| Miyagi | Miniature toy cars | 12 Apr. | Approx. 1,200 | TAKARA TOMY | |
| Sagamihara* | Water | 12 Apr. | 12,288 bottles | VanaH Co., Ltd. | Two-liter plastic bottles |
| Miyagi | Play mats | 13 Apr. | Two types; 80 of each type | IKEA | |
| Miyagi | Drawing sets | 13 Apr. | 60 sets | IKEA | |
| Iwate | Preschool-size chairs, tables and low tables | 14 Apr. | 75 chairs; 11 tables; 9 low tables | Donated to preschools, primary schools, junior high schools and high schools in the disaster area as well as their new locations | |
| Miyagi | Mopeds | 15 Apr. | 5 | ||
| Iwate | Notebooks and stationery sets for primary and junior high school students | 15. Apr. | 16,700 sets | ||
| Miyagi | 183 computers; 57 copiers and fax machines; 61 printers | 18-21 Apr. | Distributed to preschools, primary schools, junior high schools and high schools in the disaster area as well as their new locations | ||
| Fukushima | Movable blackboards | 21 Apr. | 10 | ||
| Fukushima | Temporary toilets | 22 Apr. | 20 | ||
| Iwate | Geiger counters | 28 Apr. | 14 | For schools in Soma City | |
| Iwate | Dressing room/ breastfeeding partition system | 28 Apr. | 21 sets | ||
| Saitama* | Milk | From late April | Shelter in Futabamachi, Kazo City | ||
| Saitama* | Yogurt | From early May | Danone Japan | Shelter in Futabamachi, Kazo City | |
| Iwate | Color pencils (120 sets) and paint (240 sets) | 13 May | |||
| Iwate | Student lamps | 14 May | 15 | ||
| Iwate | Stationery sets | 16 May | 840 sets | ||
| Fukushima | Lockers | 16 May | 22 sets | For the Board of Education of Minamisoma City | |
| Fukushima | Computers | 16 May | 1 | Ishikawa Town Board of Education | |
| Miyagi | 2 copiers; 2 computers; 2 printers | May | For Higashi-Matsushima Day-Care Center and Watari Day-Care Center | ||
| Iwate | Water receiving tank, water purifier tank, water supply tank | May construction | May construction | ||
| Miyagi | Solar-powered vaccine refrigerator | 18 May | |||
| Fukushima | Fans | 30 May | 112 | Minamisoma City Board of Education | |
| Fukushima | Masks | 30 May | 100,000 | Minamisoma City Board of Education | |
| Iwate | 1 copy machine | 2 June | |||
| Saitama* | Shoes | 15 June | 460 pairs | Converse Footwear Co., Ltd. |
-Number of UNICEF Children’s Mini Libraries distributed: Approximately 150,000 books to over 900 locations (as of 20 June 2011).
-Number of children that have participated in the UNICEF “Let’s Play! The Outdoors Playtime Project” in Fukushima Prefecture: Approximately 5,600 (as of 26 May)
*Areas receiving disaster victims.
*In certain cases some supplies may be taken from prefectural supply storage warehouses and distributed to shelters and disaster sites in other prefectures.
As of 9:00 a.m. on 17 June 2011 (compiled by the Information and Public Affairs Division).