[HANAMAKI, Japan, 2 May 2011]
On the third day of her visit to Iwate Prefecture (1 May), Ambassador of the Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) Agnes Chan visited Funakoshi in Yamada Town. This small port town, tucked away amid the Sanriku coastline, is no longer recognizable after the tsunami, which washed away the town and the thick, five-meter-tall breakwaters along with it.
Wakaki Preschool is located about a block away from the breakwaters. Just like many other preschools and kindergartens, thanks to daily training and the resourcefulness of the teachers, all 90 of the preschool’s students survived the tsunami unharmed. At the preschool building, on the other hand, the only thing left was the gate. It was believed that the preschool stood no chance of reopening, as it was a private preschool operated by a social welfare corporation.
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| © Japan Committee for UNICEF /2011/k.shindo | © Japan Committee for UNICEF /2011/k.shindo |
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| © Japan Committee for UNICEF |
| Chairman Yamazaki making a greeting at the preschool’s opening ceremony. |
Nevertheless, Zuisen Temple, the temple located on top of the mountain that the teachers and children fled to on 11 March, has now reached out to the preschool. On Ms. Chan’s visit, an opening ceremony for the preschool was held in a temporary nursery room set up in the large hall within the temple. Chairman Yukio Yamazaki of Wakaki Preschool greeted everyone while trying to fight back the tears, “I had no idea what to do given the circumstances. But then we received so much amazing assistance from people all over Japan. I cannot thank everyone enough.” Mr. Yamazaki then called out to the15 children in attendance, “Everyone, I want you to make a lot of friends here. And I want you to do your best to reenergize the community.”
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| © Japan Committee for UNICEF |
| Ms. Chan delivering a message of encouragement to the disaster victims on radio station Miyako Saigai FM. |
After the opening ceremony for Wakaki Preschool, Ms. Chan headed north on Route 45. She visited Miyako Saigai FM, a radio station in Miyako City, in order to deliver a message to the disaster victims. Right before entering the studio, children saw Ms. Chan’s car and began to yell things like, “Look! A UNICEF car!” and “I got the school supplies you sent!” Even during the radio program a local primary school student called in and said, “I would like to thank everyone at UNICEF for the school supplies they gave me.”
Miiko Fujiwara, a volunteer radio personality for the program, said that, “I am so thankful for the assistance from UNICEF, which couldn’t have arrived at a better time. Also, thank you for continuing to consider what our needs are.” As a result of the disaster Ms. Fujiwara lost 11 relatives in Yamada Town, where Ms. Chan had just returned from visiting. Holding back her tears during the interview with Ms. Chan, she called on the program’s listeners to remember the importance of protecting the children. Ms. Chan responded by saying, “The tsunami was big, but not as big as your hearts. The people of Tohoku are so strong. So strong in fact that it gives me a sense of hope. I would also like to call on all of Japan’s celebrities, as it is your voices that bring comfort to the disaster victims. Keep up the hard work.”
After that, Ms. Chan visited a shelter set up at the Green Plaza Sanriku Miyako. Approximately 700 disaster victims still live at the shelter, which is located in Taro Town, Miyako City, an area that was also extensively damaged by the tsunami. After speaking with the disaster victims for about an hour, Ms. Chan spent another hour happily responding to the requests of over 100 people that asked for autographs.
On 2 May, the last day of her visit, Ms. Chan will visit preschools in Kamaishi City and Otsuchi Town. These preschools have been reopened thanks to what JCU staff are calling the “Mikawaya Project”, under which efforts have been carried out to thoroughly respond to the individual assistance needs of preschools and kindergartens in the area. Ms. Chan will also make an appearance on radio station Kamaishi Saigai FM.
| 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).