By By Japan Heart | Project Leader
[Overview]
Following up on our previous report, we would like to share an update on our ongoing support activities from January to April 2025 for those affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
It has now been approximately one year and three months since the disaster drastically changed the living conditions of the local residents. Having been involved since immediately after the earthquake and building relationships over this extended period, our continued efforts are now bearing meaningful results.
[Key Updates and Achievements]
Daily Life Support: Snow Removal in Response to Heavy Snowfall
In late February 2025, heavy snowfall hit the Noto region, creating conditions that required early morning snow removal.To help ensure that residents could go out safely, we assisted with clearing snow around temporary housing units. We focused especially on areas where elderly individuals lived alone or where snow removal was insufficient or difficult. Efforts included clearing stairs and ramps frequently used by many residents, helping to create a safer and more comfortable environment for the community.
A two-day basic life support (BLS) training was conducted at a junior high school in Noto Town on February 25 to 26, 2025
Basic Life Support (BLS) training was conducted for a total of 68 students at Matsunami Junior High School and Noto Junior High School in Noto Town, Ishikawa Prefecture. As part of Japan Heart’s relief efforts following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, this program aimed to provide children in the region with the opportunity to learn first aid skills for use in emergencies and disasters. The training also served as a chance for students to interact with university students close to their age, helping them to reflect on their future career paths through hands-on learning and personal connection.
Aftermath of Oku-Noto Heavy Rain Disaster
March 2025 marked six months since the heavy rain disaster that struck Oku-Noto in September 2024. As of January 2025, many roads remained collapsed and numerous houses were still completely destroyed. However, by March, road repair work was underway in various locations, and the number of cleared and restored houses had increased, signaling gradual progress in recovery. That said, the lingering scars of landslides are still visible, serving as a stark reminder of the scale and severity of the flood damage.
“Chat Café” was held from January to April, 2025
Monthly activities have been held in Noto Town and Wajima City from January through April. During the April sessions, we connected with a total of 178 individuals—94 through home visits and 84 at the “Chat Café” venues. Some residents, after seeing footage of the earthquake in Myanmar in March, were deeply affected; the images brought back memories of the Noto earthquake, leaving them feeling emotionally unsettled. At the Chatter Café, we aim to provide a space where people can share and release such emotions, even just a little. In addition to nurse-led home visits, we have also implemented support visits from physical therapists. These focus on residents whose mobility and physical function have declined due to the limited living environment in temporary housing, providing care from a rehabilitation perspective.
[Upcoming Goals]
Sustained Support Through “Chatter Café”: The Role of Empathetic Medical Outreach
Currently, in collaboration with local public health nurses, we regularly organize short-term events (salon activities) aimed at fostering community-building among residents living in temporary housing and identifying potential health-related issues, including those related to medical care, nursing, and social welfare.
As of January 2025, the cumulative number of participants in these salon activities has exceeded 1,000. It has now been one year and four months since Japan Heart began its activities in Noto. Moving forward, we will continue our efforts by listening closely to each individual’s voice and constantly asking ourselves what kind of support is truly needed on the ground.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
