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Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief

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Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief
27 December 2011
(137th report)
Happy Birthday 3.11: Children born in the affected areas on 11 March 2011
26 December 2011
(136th report)
UNICEF Prayer Tree Project: UNICEF decorates trees with children in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukshima!
21 December 2011
(135th report)
Makoto Hasebe visits Minami Sanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture
21 December 2011
(134th report)
"EYE SEE" Project launched in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures
19 December 2011
(133rd report)
The UNICEF Prayer Tree Project 8-meter tree assembled in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture!
16 December 2011
(132nd report)
Lee Byung-hun visits the UNICEF House and delivers a message to disaster victims
14 December 2011
(131st report)
Workshop on Assistance for Single-Father Households and Fathering
12 December 2011
(130th report)
UNICEF Mini Children's Library project completed!
8 December 2011
(129th report)
Psychosocial care for mothers and children by the FSCCP
3 December 2011
(128th report)
Children from Futaba Town, Fukushima escort Japanese and Italian volleyball teams onto the court
1 December 2011
(127th report)
"Happy Birthday 3.11" photo exhibition underway
25 November 2011
(126th report)
Berliner Philharmoniker presents "Solidarity Books" to Tohoku children
21 November 2011
(125th report)
CAP Workshop held in Yamada Town, Iwate Prefecture Protect the children! Toward preventing child abuse!
22 November 2011
(124th report)
Building the bridge to reconstruction!
14 November 2011
(123rd report)
Report on the Great East Japan Earthquake by the Children of Soma
14 November 2011
(122nd report)
Activities start at new preschool building in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
14 November 2011
(121st report)
Assistance for kindergarten and preschool reconstruction: Classes start at a new school building
10 November 2011
(120th report)
JCU Ambassador Agnes Chan visits child friendly space "Futaba Square"
9 November 2011
(119th report)
The UNICEF Prayer Tree Project: Giant Christmas trees coming your way!
8 November 2011
(118th report)
JThe Global Handwashing Dance performed at a child-rearing assistance event in Rikuzentakata City
2 November 2011
(117th report)
Junior high and high school student "Memoirs of 11 March" picked up by the Yahoo! Photo Conservation Project
27 October 2011
(116th report)
Workshops held on building parks for children
21 October 2011
(115th report)
Mini athletics festival held at Otsuchi Preschool in Iwate Prefecture
20 October 2011
(114th report)
Tegami Project: Letters delivered to Fuji Kindergarten in Yamamoto Town, Miyagi Prefecture from New Zealand and Hong Kong
19 October 2011
(113th report)
Tegami Project: Letters delivered to Kashima Primary School in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture from the Central African Republic
18 October 2011
(112th report)
Subsidized influenza vaccinations for 160,000 children in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima
14 October 2011
(111th report)
Photo exhibition “Happy Birthday 3.11” held at Tokyo Midtown until Thursday, 27 October (free admission)
26 September 2011
(110th report)
Children from Yuriage Junior High School in Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture visit the UNICEF House in Tokyo!
16 September 2011
(109th report)
Tegami Project: Letters delivered from Morocco
8 September 2011
(108th report)
UNICEF Photo Exhibition of the Great East Japan Earthquake underway until 11 September
8 September 2011
(107th report)
Many lives were lost on 11 March 2011, but we would like to celebrate the ones that were born.
6 September 2011
(106th report)
Classes start at Kirikiri Preschool’s new temporary building in Otsuchi Town!
1 September 2011
(105th report)
Thank-you messages from the affected areas received in response to the UNICEF Children's Mini Library
30 August 2011
(104th report)
Psychosocial care training held in the Yamamotocho district of Iwanuma City, Miyagi Prefecture
25 August 2011
(103rd report)
Child Friendly Space "Futaba Square" set up for children in Fukushima
23 August 2011
(102nd report)
Towards the complete restart of school lunches at all primary and junior high schools in Onagawa Town, Miyagi Prefecture
22 August 2011
(101st report)
Tegami Project: Letters from the United States delivered at the Students’ Reunion in Futaba Town, Fukushima Prefecture
19 August 2011
(100th report)
Mini soccer balls signed by Makoto Hasebe reenergize Tohoku children
17 August 2011
(99th report)
The 34th Miyagi Sports Association Rubber Baseball Exchange Competition (Jumbo Tournament)!
16 August 2011
(98th report)
"Lights of Hope" warms Otsuchi Town, Iwate Prefecture to mark the five-month anniversary of the disaster
15 August 2011
(97th report)
Child Friendly Spaces expand to temporary housing
10 August 2011
(96th report)
Report on the Iwate Prefecture Inter-Junior High School Athletic Competition
8 August 2011
(95th report)
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon talks with high school students in Fukushima Prefecture
2 August 2011
(94th report)
Fuji Kindergarten temporarily reopens in Yamamoto Town, Miyagi Prefecture!
29 July 2011
(93rd report)
Phase 3 of the Tegami Project! Letters from Iceland are delivered to children at Kamaishi Preschool, Iwate Prefecture
28 July 2011
(92nd report)
The 60th Miyagi Prefecture Inter-Junior High School Athletic Competition!
25 July 2011
(91st report)
Phase 2 of the Tegami Project! Letters from children in Afghanistan are delivered to children in Fukushima
22 July 2011
(90th report)
Phase 1 of the Tegami Project! Letters from children in Kenya are delivered to children in Miyagi
20 July 2011
(89th report)
The 58th Iwate Prefecture Inter-Junior High School Athletic Competition Sumo event
15 July 2011
(88th report)
The 58th Iwate Prefecture Inter-Junior High School Athletic Competition!
12 July 2011
(87th report)
Health checkups bringing communities together
11 July 2011
(86th report)
Children from Onagawa Daiichi Junior High School visit the UNICEF House
8 July 2011
(85th report)
Launch of the "Tegami Project" !Connecting Tohoku children with children from around the world!
6 July 2011
(84th report)
Field Manager Fukuhara visits Miyagi Prefecture Governor Murai on completion of post
1 July 2011
(83rd report)
Round table talk to consider reconstruction assistance for children
29 June 2011
(82nd report)
Reports from the play therapists: Getting closer to the hearts of children
27 June 2011
(81st report)
First report on reconstruction assistance for preschools in Miyagi
24 June 2011
(80th report)
Psychosocial assistance for preschool-age children in Fukushima
23 June 2011
(79th report)
Preschool and Kindergarten Reconstruction Assistance Project
21 June 2011
(78th report)
Prefectural UNICEF Committee Activity Reports in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake
17 June 2011
(77th report)
Iwate Prefecture Inter-High School Athletic Competition First and main event periods complete
16 June 2011
(76th report)
UNICEF Children's Bus Fieldtrips Part II Activity Report
14 June 2011
(75th report)
Makoto Hasebe donates book royalties and event proceeds to children in the disaster area
13 June 2011
(74th report)
Traveling UNICEF photo exhibition highlights disaster relief activities
10 June 2011
(73rd report)
Child Friendly Reconstruction
8 June 2011
(72nd report)
Infant medical checkups now restarted in 14 cities and towns in Miyagi Prefecture
6 June 2011
(71st report)
At Japan global meeting on development goals, UNICEF Executive Director highlights equity
6 June 2011
(70th report)
Full-fledged restart of infant checkups and vaccinations in Rikuzentakata City
3 June 2011
(69th report)
UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake visits the UNICEF House
2 June 2011
(68th report)
Children that supported others around the world
1 June 2011
(67th report)
Iwate Otsuchi Preschool reopens after nearly 80 days
31 May 2011
(66th report)
Update from Rikuzentakata on the Iwate Prefecture Inter-High School Athletic Competition
30 May 2011
(65th report)
Temporary building for Otsuchi Preschool almost complete!
27 May 2011
(64th report)
Play therapy training at kindergartens and preschools in Miyagi Prefecture
25 May 2011
(63rd report)
Assistance for restarting infant checkups and vaccinations in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture
24 May 2011
(62nd report)
Assistance for temporary building construction and major repairs for kindergartens and preschools
23 May 2011
(61st report)
Kick off of the Iwate Prefecture Inter-High School Athletic Competition!Children from all parts of Iwate Prefecture join!
20 May 2011
(60th report)
Deliver a book, create a smile.The UNICEF Children’s Mini Library project continues!
18 May 2011
(59th report)
Assistance for orphaned children: Ensuring the best interest of the children
18 May 2011
(58th report)
JCU assists restart of infant medical checkups and vaccinations in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture
16 May 2011
(57th report)
UNICEF "Let's Play! The Outdoors Playtime Project" starts in Fukshima!
13 May 2011
(56th report)
'Beyond School Books' - a podcast series on education in emergencies
13 May 2011
(55th report)
Flushable toilets installed at Minamisoma City primary schools
12 May 2011
(54th report)
UNICEF Children's Bus Fieldtrips Sign up for the "Let's Play! The Outdoors Playtime Project" in Fukshima!
11 May 2011
(53rd report)
The "Chakkoi" Picture Book Library
10 May 2011
(52nd report)
Vital partners that support JCU assistance activities
9 May 2011
(51st report)
UNICEF Children's Bus Fieldtrips Children smiling everywhere
6 May 2011
(50th report)
UNICEF Children's Bus Fieldtrips Exchange through Soccer: A tribute to reconstructing Tohoku!
2 May 2011
(49th report)
Ambassador Agnes Chan's visit to Iwate Prefecture: Fourth Edition "The only thing left was the gate"
30 April 2011
(48th report)
Ambassador Agnes Chan's visit to Iwate Prefecture: Third Edition "I can still hear the cheering children!"
29 April 2011
(47th report)
Ambassador Agnes Chan's visit to Iwate Prefecture: Second Edition A completely devastated city
30 April 2011
(46th report)
Assistance for vulnerable children
28 April 2011
(45th report)
Ambassador Agnes Chan visits the disaster area in Iwate Prefecture
25 April 2011
(44th report)
Moroccan children send messages of solidarity to earthquake-hit Japan
26 April 2011
(43rd report)
Continued assistance to schools: Children attend school entrance ceremonies
26 April 2011
(42nd report)
Ensuring child-friendly reconstruction! JCU announces overview of future assistance plan
25 April 2011
(41st report)
UNICEF Children's Mini Libraries making children smile again!
21 April 2011
(40th Report)
MLB delivers baseball goods to children in the disaster area
21 April 2011
(39th Report)
Volunteers on the frontline of assistance activities
20 April 2011
(38th Report)
Medical checkups restarted for infants in Iwate Prefecture!
19 April 2011
(37th Report)
JCU Representative Director/Vice-Chairman visits the disaster area
18 April 2011
(36th Report)
Back to School and Back to Kindergarten Campaigns
15 April 2011
(35th Report)
Reconfirmed resolve for providing assistance
13 April 2011
(34th Report)
Working towards child friendly reconstruction!JCU Ambassador Agnes Chan visits disaster site in Miyagi Prefecture
13 April 2011
(33rd Report)
Launch of infant nutrition consultation hotline
12 April 2011
(32nd Report)
Schools reopen in the disaster area!
11 April 2011
(31st Report)
Assistance for children one month following the earthquake disaster
10 April 2011
(30th Report)
Official outlook released on children orphaned as a result of the disaster
9 April 2011
(29th Report)
Psychological assistance through playing
8 April 2011
(28th Report)
Nonstop efforts towards reopening schools
7 April 2011
(27th Report)
Assistance for healthcare and nutrition
6 April 2011
(26th Report)
Support breast-feeding during times of disaster!
5 April 2011
(25th Report)
Preparations for the Back to School and Back to Kindergarten campaigns
4 April 2011
(24th Report)
UNICEF Children's Mini Library: The first shipment arrives at the disaster area!
2 April 2011
(23rd Report)
Start of psychological assistance training
2 April 2011
(22nd Report)
The UNICEF Children's Mini Library project for children victim to the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake. "Please send us books!"Now accepting requests from kindergartens, preschools and other institutions in disaster areas.
1 April 2011
(21st Report)
UNICEF Children's Mini Library Project: Apology and request
31 March 2011
(20th Report)
Child Friendly Spaces: Network of assistance grows in disaster areas
30 March 2011
(19th Report)
Early Child Development Kits 2: Kits depart Copenhagen for Japan
28 March 2011
(18th Report)
Major League Baseball and players association commit $500,000 to UNICEF toward Japan relief effort
28 March 2011
(17th Report)
JCU staff partnering with UNICEF experts
27 March 2011
(16th Report)
Deliver a book, create a smile.
26 March 2011
(15th Report)
Partnering with groups of Japanese and foreign experts
25 March 2011
(14th Report)
Deliver a book, create a smile.Launch of the Children's Mini Library for children victim to the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake
25 March 2011
(13th Report)
Early Childhood Development(ECD)Kits for the Children of Ishinomaki
24 March 2011
(12th Report)
It may only be for a moment, but the children are able to smile again
23 March 2011
(11th Report)
The first flight carrying relief goods from overseas arrives at Narita Airport
March 22, 2011
(10th Report)
Support Supplies from Overseas to Arrive Soon
March 21, 2011
(9th Report)
Meeting in Fukushima and Iwate Prefectures on Details of Support
March 20, 2011
(8th Report)
Details of Support Agreed with Miyagi Prefecture
March 19, 2011
(7th Report)
First Shipment of Relief Supplies, 20 Tons of Drinking Water, Arrives at Disaster Hit Areas Support is Pouring in!Thank You Very Much for Your Generous Support
March 18, 2011
(6th Report)
The Japan Committee for UNICEF Dispatches Relief Goods and Japanese Experts to Disaster Hit Areas
March 17, 2011
(5th Report)
Japanese Experts from Somalia, Afghanistan, and Tokyo Office Are Dispatched to Work with the Japan Committee for UNICEF
March 16, 2011
(4th Report)
Messages to Disaster Hit Areas from Ms. Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, Dr. Agnes Chan, and Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara
March 14, 2011
(3rd Report)
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake on Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami
March 14, 2011
(2nd Report) UNICEF Offers Support to Japan for the First Time in Half a Century
March 11, 2011
(1st Report) Psychological Support for Children
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Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief (39th report)
Volunteers on the frontline of assistance activities

[TOKYO, Japan, 21 April 2011]

Today many schools in the disaster area held opening ceremonies. The Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) has continued to extend assistance for the reopening of schools, providing stationery, various school supplies needed by teachers and other goods. JCU has also provided children with psychological assistance via the implementation of Child Friendly Spaces in many areas following the earthquake. A large number of volunteers have been working on the frontline to carry out these activities.

“I feel like we can share the burden of the pain and sorrow.”

© Japan Committee for UNICEF
Volunteers from Hiroshima, Okayama, Kagawa and Ehime Prefectures packaging stationery.

In Okayama Prefecture, volunteers worked to package stationery sets for approximately 16,000 primary and junior high school students living in Iwate Prefecture. A total of 105 volunteers from JCU chapters in Okayama, Hiroshima, Kagawa and Ehime came to help prepare the sets. JCU Okayama staff member Masako Kataoka said, “There was a mother that worked these two days with her baby on her back. The baby was only five months old, and she would sleep and cry while on her mother’s back. I am sure that baby is happy to have a mom like that.”

“Everyone is thankful to have been able to participate in this work and make a contribution, even if only a small one. They have told me things like, ‘While working I thought about the children that are going to be happy to receive the stationery as well as the children that had died in the disaster, and it made me feel sad.’ ‘I was extremely happy to be able to do something for the children, even if only for a short time. I believe that the harder the circumstances, the easier it is to relate and share the pain and sorrow with others,’” said Ms. Kataoka.

© Japan Committee for UNICEF

The donations of picture books, kami shibai (Japanese picture card stories) and children’s books made to the UNICEF Children’s Mini Library greatly exceed initial expectations in number, and a large number of volunteers from Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture have been working everyday to separate, package and ship them.

Picture on right: Volunteers from JCU Kanagawa separating, packaging and shipping children’s books for the UNICEF Children’s Mini Library project.

Students that helped build Child Friendly Spaces

© Japan Committee for UNICEF
Children and volunteers playing at a Child Friendly Space at a shelter in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture.

Meanwhile, nearly 40 university students from different prefectures joined hands as volunteers at disaster sites in Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures to provide psychological assistance to children via Child Friendly Spaces under the direction of Japanese experts dispatched from UNICEF. Child Friendly Spaces are being promoted using Early Childhood Development (ECD) Kits and recreation kits delivered from the UNICEF Supply Division in Copenhagen after adding clay, origami paper and other toys that Japanese children are familiar with, and making other creative changes to ensure that the spaces are a place that is fun for children.

Ms. Saito, a senior in college that volunteered in Miyagi prefecture, commented that, “I was so happy to get to know these children. During picture time there was one child that drew a picture of a tsunami, and it left me with mixed emotions.” Koki Otaka, a freshman in college, said, “I always wanted to do something for the disaster area. I was surprised and relieved to see how energetic the kids were. I am very grateful for the opportunity to take part in this type of effort.” Also, Wataru Sasaki, a student from Morioka Junior College that participated in the activities, said, “I became impatient watching the scenes of the disaster area on television and decided to join the effort myself. The work was hard but I it motivated me knowing that what I was doing would make life easier for the primary school students. My younger brother is also in primary school, so it makes me happy to help out other children that are his age, even if only a little.”

JCU staff member Yukiko Asami has been involved in Child Friendly Space activities at a shelter in Ishinomaki City. Ms. Asami said that it took more than three weeks after the disaster, but children finally began speaking more about it. “One boy, a first year junior high school student that was on the way home from school when he heard the tsunami alarm and was able to escape back to school, told me, ‘They still haven’t found some of my classmates yet. I will start junior high school in April, but even the school uniform I bought is dirty.’ His mother also said that she is scared everyday when she returns home, which is surrounded by rubble, because of the thought that she may find a dead body. The children really look forward to UNICEF coming. On the outside these children appear no different than any ordinary child; however, there were times when you could sense the presence of sadness or discomfort in their behaviour or expressions, such as when begging for a piggy-back ride or hug, crying over something small, becoming aggressive, and asking everyday ‘Are you coming back tomorrow, too?’”

© Japan Committee for UNICEF

Soichiro Kurotaki, a Meiji Gakuin University student that joined activities in Miyagi Prefecture, said that, “I participated in activities related to Child Friendly Spaces for 10 days. During that short time I experienced things that I normally wouldn’t have been able to experience in over a year. At the disaster area there were people that had lost everything yet still had a strong will to live. Meeting these people made me realize that I have to keep strong.”

Picture on right: Haruto Suzuki, a child staying at a shelter set up at Higashihama Primary School in Ishinomaki City, tells Ryuichiro Kurotaki(Meiji Gakuin University) about his experience: “When the earthquake happened on 11 March I came to the gym. Then I heard the roof make this loud boom sound. The glass from the windows began to break and the clock and other things started to fall down. We all cleaned up everything, but the glass broke again because of an aftershock on 7 April, so we had to clean it up once again.”

Current arrival status of relief supplies

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
   
Miyagi RChildren’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 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
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 Chairs (for 3-5 year olds) 14 Apr. 75
Iwate Tables (for 6 people) 14 Apr. 11
Iwate Low tables 14 Apr. 9
Iwate Notebooks and stationery sets for primary and junior high school students 15. Apr. 16,700 sets
Miyagi 183 computers 18-21 Apr. 3 computers at 61 locations Distributed to kindergartens, primary, junior high and high schools affected by the disaster as well as their new locations
Miyagi Copier/fax machines 18-21 Apr. 57 Distributed to kindergartens, primary, junior high and high schools affected by the disaster as well as their new locations
Miyagi Printers 18-21 Apr. 61 Distributed to kindergartens, primary, junior high and high schools affected by the disaster as well as their new locations

*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 20 April 2011 (compiled by the Information and Public Affairs Division).

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