Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Relief (57th report)
UNICEF “Let’s Play! The Outdoors Playtime Project” starts in Fukshima!

[FUKUSHIMA, Japan, 16 May 2011]

© Japan Committee for UNICEF/2011/K.Goto

On 16 May, the Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) launched the UNICEF “Let’s Play! The Outdoors Playtime Project” for children of kindergartens and preschools in Fukushima City. Based under the three slogans “Move your body!” “Interact with animals” and “Get outside and play”, this much-needed project offers children a diverse range of program options, providing regular opportunities for children to travel to places where they can play safely and freely. The first installment of the project received the participation of over 190 children.

It was 10:00 a.m. and veteran Fukushima Transportation drivers lined up beside their large busses in front Saniku Kindergarten in Fukushima City to pick up the children. The children, wearing their gym clothes and protective masks, were led by their teachers outside. Then, the 178 children and 14 teachers hopped on the five waiting busses and off they went.

© Japan Committee for UNICEF /2011/K.Goto

Their destination was the Village of Four Seasons, a 30-minute drive from downtown Fukushima City. On the bus teachers dressed in red t-shirts acted as the bus guides. Taking the bus’s microphone, one teacher said, “Kids, it’s okay. You can take off your masks!” The children then proceeded to pull down their protective masks, which looked too big for their little faces to begin with. The children were so excited to ride in the big seats of the cool-looking busses. They spent the 30-minute drive singing songs, playing quiz games and telling stories, and when they got off the bus they no longer had to worry about wearing their mask anymore.

The wide green space of the Village of Four Seasons, a popular recreation spot, is frequented by many families on weekends. Its well-kept lawns are covered by quiet garden areas, and on the day of our visit a crisp breeze blew in from the surrounding low mountains.

© Japan Committee for UNICEF /2011/K.Goto

Large blue plastic sheets were spread out to sit on, the group said a prayer and then it was time for the children to dig into their bento lunches. It was obvious that the children’s mothers had gone out of their way to prepare great lunches for the trip—some included rice balls, sandwiches, eggs and even meatballs. Unable to withhold the urge to play and longer, as the children ate their bento lunches, one-by-one they slowly began to stand up, escaping to run and roll in the grass and play hide-and-go-seek, releasing all of that energy they had been forced to hold in over the past weeks. Some of the children took off so fast they forgot their shoes! Unable to keep up, the teachers had to put their lunches down and join the children.

The kindergarten’s principal, Kumiko Kanno, commented that, “The children look like they have been totally rejuvenated. Since the accident at the nuclear power station, everything outdoors has been contaminated with radiation, leaving the children with no place to play outside. They were really becoming stressed. It even gives us adults energy to see how happy the children are and how much fun they are having by being allowed to take off their masks and play freely outside. I definitely plan to take advantage of these opportunities.”

© Japan Committee for UNICEF/2011/K.Goto

Due to the time that school ends, the children were only able to play for an hour and a half, but nevertheless it had been a truly long time since the children were able to play outdoors. On the bus ride back, some of the children fell deep asleep in the big, soft bus seats.

According to Toshio Suda from JCU Fukushima, who planned the event, as of 16 May they had received applications from approximately 2,000 children from 15 kindergartens and preschools in the city. Mr. Suda plans to hold the event a total of 22 times by July. In addition to locations in Fukushima City and the rest of the prefecture, more than 20 additional play spots have also been prepared in Yamagata Prefecture and others. This wide variety of destinations present children with such chances as interacting with nature and animals, trying their hand at being a train conductor for a day and other exciting opportunities to play outside. We expect the number of participating locations and children to rise.

After the excursion, we immediately received a letter of feedback from Saniku Kindergarten. The complete text follows:

“Thank you for taking all of our children on Fukushima Transportation’s spacious busses for a day of excitement and fun. The children were so happy. Usually the children are only able to play indoors, so allowing the children to take off their masks and play freely outside helped to relieve the stress they had built up, and you could easily tell by how energetic and lively their all looked. They looked so happy talking with their friends and playing, and it was so nice to hear them say things like, ‘Wow, that was fun!’ We could also tell that the parents were overjoyed to have been provided the busses from Fukushima Transportation, as they all personally walked their children to the kindergarten before it was time to leave. We cannot thank you enough for this wonderful opportunity.”

JCU will continue to invite children from kindergartens and preschools in Fukushima City to places where they can play safely and freely. Make sure to take advantage of this great opportunity!

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	Children’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	6-7 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
Miyagi	Minicar	8 Apr.	3 cars
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	Preschool-size chairs, tables and low tables	14 Apr.	75 chairs; 11 tables; 9 low tables		Donated to preschools, primary schools, junior high schools and high schools in the disaster area as well as their new locations
Miyagi	Mopeds	15 Apr.	5
Iwate	Notebooks and stationery sets for primary and junior high school students	15. Apr.	16,700 sets
Miyagi	183 computers; 57 copiers and fax machines; 61 printers	18-21 Apr.			Distributed to preschools, primary schools, junior high schools and high schools in the disaster area as well as their new locations
Fukushima	Movable blackboards	21 Apr.	10
Fukushima	Temporary toilets	21 Apr.	20

Number of UNICEF Children’s Mini Libraries distributed: Approximately 250 (as of 28 April 2011)

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