[MIYAGI, JAPAN, 28 July 2011]
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| © Japan Committee for UNICEF |
The Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) provides assistance for the Miyagi Prefecture Inter-Junior High School Athletic Competition so that junior high school students from the disaster-stricken coastal area of Miyagi Prefecture can qualify to compete in the national competition just like children in other regions and so that the they have an equal chance to demonstrate the fruits of their training.
This athletic competition, which also serves as the qualifying round for the national tournament, is an important event for junior high school students that play sports as it is their ticket to compete at nationals. After the disaster it did not look like schools from the coastal areas, where damage was severe, would be able to participate in the competition. Nevertheless, after receiving requests from the Miyagi Prefecture Board of Education and Miyagi Prefecture Junior High School Athletic Federation, JCU decided to implement assistance. Children dream of participating in this competition, and while such assistance would contribute to providing psychosocial care for children affected by the disaster, the event will also serve to generate positive news for disaster victims.
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| © Japan Committee for UNICEF |
“At the opening ceremony on 22 July, Miyagi Prefecture Junior High School Athletic Federation Chair Kenji Sakurai greeted the crowd: “While the disaster rendered school buildings and school yards useless and washed away much of our equipment, each school searched for a place to practice and shared their equipment. That is why we are all here today. Your ability to overcome these difficult circumstances has made you stronger and has given courage and hope to many people. We also received the support of a long list of people. I want you all to take care of your families and respect the feelings of your friends in giving it everything you got out there today. I pray that this disaster has allowed you to grow as human beings and that you will continue to work hard in the future. I am also tremendously grateful for the generous assistance provided by the Japan Committee for UNICEF for their help with travel and lodging expenses.”
Thereafter, Yuki Katahira of Ishinomaki City Kanan Nishi Junior High School and Mizuki Suzuki of Ishinomaki City Kahoku Junior High School gave a commanding pledge of fair play. “We have lost many friends. Our equipment was washed away and we had no way to practice. I am so grateful that, despite these circumstances, the competition is still being held. I pledge to play as hard as I can and make it to the top, never forgetting this sense of gratitude.”
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| © Japan Committee for UNICEF |
The mother of a third-year student from Koriyama Junior High School also told us, “This was my child’s last competition, so I am so thankful that it was held. People that live in the coastal areas where damage is the worst had been particularly vocal in requesting that the event be held. Despite there being talk about not having it at all, the teachers worked very hard. An immense amount of hardship went into looking for a location, setting up the facilities and everything else that needed to be done before the competition. After the disaster I wouldn’t even have dreamed that we would have been able to hold such a grand event. All I can say is thank you—thank you to the Japan Committee for UNICEF and to everyone else who has supported us.”
The junior high school students that participated in the event could also be heard saying things like, “I am so happy the event was held!” “I would have done anything to compete in this event, so we all got together and held a charity event,” and “I want to thank everyone that has supported us!”
| 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 |
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| 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 | ||
| Miyagi | Nutritional supplements | From early April | 4,000 bottles | ||
| 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 | 22 Apr. | 20 | ||
| Iwate | Geiger counters | 28 Apr. | 14 | For schools in Soma City | |
| Iwate | Dressing room/ breastfeeding partition system | 28 Apr. | 21 sets | ||
| Saitama* | Milk | From late April | Shelter in Futabamachi, Kazo City | ||
| Saitama* | Yogurt | From early May | Danone Japan | Shelter in Futabamachi, Kazo City | |
| Iwate | Color pencils (120 sets) and paint (240 sets) | 13 May | |||
| Iwate | Student lamps | 14 May | 15 | ||
| Iwate | Stationery sets | 16 May | 840 sets | ||
| Fukushima | Lockers | 16 May | 22 sets | For the Board of Education of Minamisoma City | |
| Fukushima | Computers | 16 May | 1 | Ishikawa Town Board of Education | |
| Miyagi | 2 copiers; 2 computers; 2 printers | May | For Higashi-Matsushima Day-Care Center and Watari Day-Care Center | ||
| Iwate | Water receiving tank, water purifier tank, water supply tank | May construction | May construction | ||
| Miyagi | Solar-powered vaccine refrigerator | 18 May | |||
| Fukushima | Fans | 30 May | 112 | Minamisoma City Board of Education | |
| Fukushima | Masks | 30 May | 100,000 | Minamisoma City Board of Education | |
| Iwate | 1 copy machine | 2 June | |||
| Saitama* | Shoes | 15 June | 460 pairs | Converse Footwear Co., Ltd. |
-Number of UNICEF Children’s Mini Libraries distributed: Approximately 150,000 books to over 900 locations (as of 20 June 2011).
-Number of children that have participated in the UNICEF “Let’s Play! The Outdoors Playtime Project” in Fukushima Prefecture: Approximately 5,600 (as of 26 May)
*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 17 June 2011 (compiled by the Information and Public Affairs Division).