Disaster Response Japan Project #8934

Disaster Recovery Volunteer Project

by Hands On Tokyo

Project Report | Apr 16, 2019
Disaster Recovery Spring 2019

By Jay Ponazecki | Project Manager

Spring Greetings!

It is hard to believe that it has been more than eight years since the devastating earthquake and tsunami. You have helped us assure people in Tohoku that they have not been forgotten as they continue to overcome daily challenges in further rebuilding their lives. Recovery and rebuilding take years. People are still living in what was originally intended to be temporary housing and there are still significant housing, infrastructure, labor and other shortages in the region. In addition, with the passage of time and the occurrence of devastating natural disasters in other parts of Japan, the number of volunteers going to and the amount of charitable donations being made for Tohoku continue to drop.

Labor shortages continue to make it very hard for local farmers in Tohoku to run their farms and in turn to further rebuild their lives. Many of the local farms are family run with one, two or three family members doing all the work themselves. Growing rice, vegetables and fruit sufficient enough to earn a modest livelihood and to repay the significant debts they incurred after the earthquake and tsunami is very labor intensive and the local farmers cannot do all the work by themselves. They need the continued support of volunteers.

The local farmers always ask us to convey to everyone who supports our volunteer activities in Tohoku just how much they appreciate all the support. What Hands On Tokyo volunteers are able to accomplish in a day would take the local farmers and their families many days to complete.

Ogatsu in Miyagi Prefecture was completely devastated by the tsunami and is still far from being ready for reconstruction and redevelopment.

A local resident built an Oyatsu Rose Garden near the land where her mother perished in the tsunami to calm the souls of those who perished in the tsunami and so that former residents and visitors can once again see beauty when they first enter Ogatsu. It is also a place where families go to grieve the loss of their loved ones in the tsunami. The garden keeps growing every year and now includes a small grove of olive trees. The garden cannot be maintained without the support of volunteers.

Since our last report, we have been working hard to raise money so that we can continue to bring children and their caregivers from Tokyo Area children’s homes to Miyagi Prefecture by bus to volunteer, gain greater confidence and learn about disaster preparedness. For example, we held a Spring Charity Concert in Tokyo in March. We have also been meeting with the children’s homes to plan and organize more of these volunteer trips for the children this coming summer and fall. We also are organizing a volunteer weekend to bring a group of adult volunteers to Tohoku in the fall.

These volunteer trips are very impactful on the children and their caregivers. For the children who are the beneficiaries of volunteer activities at their children’s home, these volunteer trips are an opportunity to experience volunteering themselves, to gain new experiences and life skills, to gain further self confidence and to learn about sustainability. The children greatly appreciate the opportunity and are still benefiting from all that they learned and experienced. Many want to volunteer again and they have encouraged others in their children’s homes and at their schools to volunteer in the future.

With your generous support, we have been able to bring an ever increasing number of children and their caregivers to Tohoku for volunteering. In 2016, we brought 24 volunteers from one Tokyo Area children’s home to Tohoku. In 2017, we brought 77 children and their caregivers from nine children’s homes to Tohoku. And last year (in 2018), we brought 90 children and their caregivers from nine children’s homes to Tohoku. This year we are striving to offer this volunteering experience to even more children and their caregivers. Thank you very much for making all this possible!

There is still so much to be done and there are still many people in need of encouragement and support in Tohoku. With your generous support, we will continue to organize volunteer trips to help farmers and others in Tohoku as they continue to work hard to rebuild their lives.

Thank you very much in advance for your continued generosity, for touching the hearts and souls of so many people in Tohoku and for helping provide these life changing volunteer opportunities to so many children living in children’s homes in the Greater Tokyo Area.

Slowly but steadily the road to recovery is being paved.

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