UNITE FOR CHILDREN

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief (81st report)
Preschool Reconstruction Assistance Project Report
First report on reconstruction assistance for preschools in Miyagi

[MIYAGI, Japan, 27 June 2011]

Watari Town Mayor Mr. Saito and JCU staff announcing the decision for assistance to be provided to Yoshida Nursery School.

The Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) is providing assistance for the construction of temporary buildings and large-scale repairs to kindergartens and preschools in response to requests from local governments in Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures, both of which suffered significant damage in the 11 March earthquake and tsunami.

Yoshida Nursery School was located in Watari Town, Miyagi Prefecture before the tsunami entirely destroyed the school’s facilities. The school is now forced to rent space at the town’s Yoshida West Children’s Hall to hold classes. Today, the school’s principal and teachers are holding discussions with JCU with the aim of constructing a new temporary school building.

On 6 June, Tomoko Matsushita, JCU’s staff member in charge of preschool and kindergarten reconstruction activities, notified the school of JCU’s decision to extend reconstruction assistance. After receiving the announcement, Watari Town Mayor Kunio Saito, Residential Group Leader of the municipal government’s Health and Welfare Division Yasuaki Takahashi, and the school’s principal Ms. Suzuki gathered together with the school’s teachers, children and parents to share the joyous news.

A refrigerator donated to Yoshida Nursery School

Mayor Kunio Saito greeted the crowd, “I cannot express how grateful I am to the Japan Committee for UNICEF for their assistance in the construction of the new temporary preschool building. They have even donated a large-size refrigerator, television, PC, printer, and two strollers. We have thus formed a new relationship with the Japan Committee for UNICEF. I hope that, through this experience, the children will sense that they are supported by people from all across Japan and that we are all connected.”

Principal Suzuki tearing up at the announcement to provide the preschool with assistance.

Yoshida Nursery School Principal Ms. Suzuki cried as she extended words of gratitude in response to the decision for the school to receive assistance: “I am so thankful. I cannot wait to see the children playing freely again. I am also truly thankful that the Japan Committee for UNICEF got this equipment for us so quickly.”

Ms. Takahashi, the Residential Group Leader of Watari Town’s Health and Welfare Division commented that, “Ms. Matsushita from JCU suggested that, since we are going to be building a new building from scratch, it would be a waste not to incorporate the wishes of everyone from the preschool into the construction of the building. I hope that the bonds that tie us together grow stronger as we work to build a better preschool by exchanging our views.”

JCU will continue to advance the Kindergarten Reconstruction Assistance Project while incorporating the needs and requests of teachers, children and their parents.

All photo credits: © Japan Committee for UNICEF

Current arrival status of relief supplies

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).