[OFUNATO, Japan, 30 April 2011]
“While surrounding settlements were attacked by floods of mud pouring over from Kisen River as the tsunami pushed the river’s water back up stream, Shimoyahagi Town, located in Rikuzentakata City in Iwate Prefecture, miraculously evaded the damage. The cheers of children rang through the air at a preschool in part of town to greet Ambassador of Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) Agnes Chan. On 30 April, the second day of Ms. Chan’s trip to the disaster area in Iwate Prefecture, and she was on a visit to one of the preschools that has received assistance from JCU and others so that it can accept children from Takekoma Preschool, a partially destroyed preschool also located in Rikuzentakata City. Ms. Chan was met by the cheering voices of about 20 children on her visit.
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| © Japan Committee for UNICEF | © Japan Committee for UNICEF/2011/K.Shindo | |
| Ms. Chan reading a book to the children of Shimoyahagi Preschool. | Ms. Chan plays with the children of Shimoyahagi Preschool in Rikuzentakata City as festive carp banners fly above in the sky. |
Shimoyahagi Preschool had only around 10 students before the earthquake. The school’s principal, Ms. Kumatani, said, “I was even thinking about closing the school down at one point.” However, the massive tsunami of 11 March greatly changed the principal’s situation. Takekoma Preschool, which is just a 15-minute drive away, was half-destroyed by the tsunami. Having evacuated their former school, the children of Takekoma Preschool transferred to Shimoyahagi Preschool as new students, causing the school’s previous student body size to increase fourfold to 45 children. Principal Kumatani has taken emergency measures by converting her office into an extra nursery room to handle the large influx.
Dr. Yasuda, the Chief Coordinator for Iwate Prefecture in the JCU Emergency Assistance Headquarters said, “We are now making preparations to implement nutritional assistance for children. We are considering nutritionally balanced snacks and, if needed, supporting the return of school lunches.” Principal Kumatani answered, “We are so thankful to UNICEF for all that they have done for us. We lack the resources to supply school lunches or snacks, so we are forced to limit school hours to three hours a day. On 2 May there is a principal’s conference, and there we will find out what assistance we can expect from the government. I would be grateful if UNICEF would continue to provide the assistance that we are unable to receive from the government.”
On her visit Ms. Chan delivered the requested extra 250 picture books and kami shibai (Japanese picture card stories) for a UNICEF Children’s Mini Library. Ms. Chan read one of those books to the children, Juntaro Tanigawa’s “Moko Moko Moko”, played games, sang and danced, spending over an hour interacting with the children and other teachers.
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| © Japan Committee for UNICEF |
| Ms. Chan and Chief Coordinator Yasuda on a courtesy call to the Ofunato City Mayor. |
Next, Ms. Chan and Chief Coordinator Yasuda drove an hour north to the city of Ofunato. After visiting the Ofunato Resident’s Hall, where 200 people are still living in refuge, they made a guest appearance on Ofunato Saigai FM, an emergency radio station set up at city hall. While lifelines have still yet to find their way to many areas, the two sent out a message of support to the many people still forced to live in harsh conditions in Rikuzentakata City and Ofunato City while also introducing the activities of JCU.
After the radio show, they paid a courtesy call to Kimiaki Toda, the city’s mayor, who had taken time out of his busy schedule to meet with the two. Mayor Toda, a seasoned businessman, emphasized that, “The bottom line is that we are in a fight against time. If a decision is not made on where to use how much of the second supplementary budget that is to come out in June while it is still a bill, it will take too much time—especially if such decisions are put off until after the bill is passed into law.” Chief Coordinator Yasuda continued, “The word ‘child’ was not raised a single time at the prefectural government’s meeting on reconstruction. I hope that you will aim for a form of urban development that creates an environment friendly to children.” Ms. Chan added that, “It is important that temporary housing includes areas where children, women and elderly people can live in comfort. Please don’t hesitate to contact UNICEF if there is anything that we can do to facilitate that process.”
| 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 |
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| 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 | ||
| 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 | 21 Apr. | 20 |
Number of UNICEF Children’s Mini Libraries distributed: Approximately 250 (as of 28 April 2011)
*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 28 April 2011 (compiled by the Information and Public Affairs Division).