Japan

Photo: Sludge Removal Volunteers at Orientation (Photo: JEN copyright)

Our Japan Relief partner, Japanese Emergency NGO (JEN) has updated us with the following field report of activities conducted from 24 April to 7 May with the help of RMF's funding.

Beneficiaries

Approximately 6,531 individuals and 241 households were reached by JEN’s activities during this period.

Activities

1) Material Distribution

JEN distributed sludge removal kits including rubber boots, rain coats, jerry cans, and shovels to evacuees in Oshika Peninsula, a 2 hour-drive from Ishinomaki City, where assistance has been delayed. These same supplies were also distributed at 4 evacuation centres of Kesennuma Motoyoshi-cho of Ishinomaki City.

2) Sludge Removal Volunteer Dispatch

Since mid April, and supported by 1,052 volunteers, JEN has completed removing the rubble and sludge from 99 houses in the Watanoha area of Ishinomaki City. A large number of volunteers participated in the sludge removal during Japan’s Golden Week, a series of national holidays. JEN’s volunteers are also now working in Oshika Peninsula.

3) Soup Kitchen Volunteer Dispatch

JEN has been providing hot meals for lunch and dinner to earthquake / tsunami victims who have been taking shelter at their own houses. During this past reporting period, JEN volunteers provided 4,780 hot meals. During the next reporting period the soup kitchen service will start in Oshika Peninsula.

4) Psycho-Social Care through Community Café

JEN is providing a space where evacuees can gather for activities and share experiences for psycho-social care, and do daily activities such as laundry and cooking.. For those evacuees who lost their own transportation, transportation to the city council, grocery stores, and banks etc. will be provided with JEN’s shuttle bus services on request.

This project will start with 3 pilot communities where JEN has already established a good relationship through relief activities. This community space will be called ‘Community Cafe’ and JEN and volunteers will organize various entertainment and relaxation activities with incoming volunteers. A second place for a community café was confirmed in the Kazuma area of Ishinomaki City.

5) Rubble Clearance through Assisting Local Waste Management Contractors

There are still huge piles of rubble in Ishinomaki and clearance work led by the city has started, but the local waste management companies still cannot participate as they have lost their resources due to the tsunami. JEN will assist these companies with 60 vehicles such as Press Packers, Arm Roles and 4t Trucks. JEN is now in the process of renting 12 vehicles.

6). Assistance for People in Transitional Shelters

10,000 transitional shelters will be built and occupied by evacuees in the next 12 months in Ishinomaki City. The first 137 households moved in on the 29th of April. The local authorities, however, are providing the shelters to the residents without furniture and living necessities such as kitchen utensils, clearing materials, and hygiene kits. JEN will also be helping here by providing living supplies according to the moving schedule decided by the city council.

JEN provided kits to 137 households on the 29th of April, and 104 on the 3rd of May. For these 2 groups, the materials were purchased in Tokyo and sent to Ishinomaki.
 

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Planned Future Activities

Livelihood Recovery Assistance

Approximately 10 cases of livelihood recovery projects will be implemented in cooperation with a German NGO and Lions Foundation.

Since the motivation and direction of the city council for recovery of local merchandises has not been clearly shown at this stage, JEN will target individual business owners who are willing to reopen businesses based in Ishinomaki City, even if only temporarily. By the summer of 2011, the local Chamber of Commerce is scheduling to reconstruct some temporary retail premises near Ishinomaki station.

Nutrition improvement and Livelihood recovery projects will now be implemented within the above-mentioned livelihood recovery scheme. JEN will connect local vegetable shop owners in Ishinomaki and farmers in Ibaraki who are affected by the harmful rumors of radio activity from the nuclear power plant and whose agricultural products are either priced under value or cannot be sold in the market, even if it is safe according to the government criteria. JEN has confirmed a partner vegetable shop owner in Onagawa-cho, and is also interviewing another potential partner in the Watanoha area of Ishinomaki City.

Main Issues or Concerns in the Field

A severe staff shortage raised in the last reporting period is being eased in Ishinomaki by employing 9 new staff for JEN Ishinomaki. Additionally, a part-time worker for needs assessment will start on the 10th of May. This local staff recruitment wishes to support livelihood of those who lost their occupations due to the earthquake and tsunami.