HOME > JAPAN EARTHQUAKE UPDATE
April 26, 2011
YMCA Disaster Relief and Recovery Plan: Overview |
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First year after the disaster |
Phase 1: Emergency At evacuation centers |
Establishment, operation/ management and support of Disaster Volunteer Centers |
| *Overcoming lack of infrastructure or lifeline: asking their needs, offering evacuation centers, distribution of food supplies and daily necessities | ||
| *Support at evacuation centers: distribution of supplies, stress-reduction and physical exercise programs | ||
| *Assist to clean private houses: carrying broken furniture, tidying and cleaning up inside the houses | ||
| *Help the weak: support nurseries and after-schools, recreation, mental counseling, nursing care for the elderly | ||
| *Distribution of picture books, stationeries, toys and sporting goods for children | ||
| *Request of Coordinators of Japan YMCA Disaster Volunteers | ||
Phase 2: After Emergency Moving into temporary housings |
Support for normal livelihood (Planning and operating projects) | |
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For a half year to two years
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*Camp and after-school programs for children: grief retreat camps, trauma-reduction camps, etc. | |
| *Supportive activities for classes, recreation and "field day" at schools | ||
| *Short or long stay for the elderly: offering YMCA campsites and training centers | ||
| *Programs and activities at YMCA centers: wellness (aquatic and gymnastic) programs, learning/ studying support | ||
| *Support affected students and youths: vocational training and scholarships | ||
| *Training for students as disaster recovery volunteers | ||
Phase 3: Restart normal livelihood No evacuation centers |
Training of Trainers who promote recovery (Building citizen-participated communities) | |
| *Training youth leading trainers for recovery | ||
| *Support students' lives: scholarships, dormitories, and high schools with correspondence courses, vocational trainings, etc. | ||
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For one to five years
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*Childcare: nurseries and after-schools | |
| *Long-term mental counseling | ||
| *Establishment of Recovery Support Centers | ||
April 14, 2011
"Field day" at a evacuation center! A "field day" planned by Sendai YMCA was taken place at a refuge at Naruse Daiichi Junior High School in Higashi-matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture. About 30 kids who participated on April 6 are from Nobiru Elementary School which was totally destroyed by tsunami.Most of the children have gone outside of the city or the prefecture. Even though some of them are still in Higashi-matsushima, they are staying at different evacuation centers inside the city so they haven't seen each other for a while. Also they haven't done anything active.YMCA youth volunteers and the kids did some typical Japanese field day sports such as a tug of war, tama-ire (throw soft small balls into baskets placed about 2.5m high) and relay. They enjoyed running around and playing with other school mates.The staff says that children aren't able to play outside due to their life with restrictions. The children said that it was happy for them to see their friends.On April 11, another "field day" was held. It was supposed to be on April 8 but was cancelled due to another big earthquake on the day before. Volunteers had wanted to see the kids and vice versa. They played soccer, beach volleyball, dodge ball, baseball etc. Children are found to be much healthier and more cheerful with our "field day" programs.Next "field day" will be taken place at Nango Gymnasium on April 13 due to transference of the refuge. (School operation will begin at Naruse Daiichi Junior High School on April 21.)Note: The teachers' Room of Nobiru Elementary School will be transferred to the 3rd floor of the city office building. Also classes will be held there. 60% of the pupils are expected to come.Support to be done by YMCA: Nobiru area is heavily damaged and it is impossible to expect how long it would take to recover. What is sure is they are the kids who are responsible for the recovery of the area. The kids are not only who are supported, but also who support others.
April 8, 2011
