[TOKYO, IWATE, 6 September 2011]
On 17 August, Kirikiri Preschool in Otsuchi Town, Iwate Prefecture began classes at its new temporary building. Their old building, located near the coast, was completely destroyed and washed away in the tsunami.
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| Kirikiri Preschool’s old building |
Following the disaster the school borrowed space in residential housing and at a temple to continue classes. The Japan Committee for UNICEF (JCU) held discussions with the preschool and stakeholders in the local government, and decided to provide assistance for the construction of a new temporary building for Kirikiri Preschool at an elevated part of the town.
On 8 July, a hot summer day, a traditional Shinto ceremony was held to purify the new building. “It’s been a long time, but it brings me to tears to know that we’ve made it this far. This is the first step. It makes me happier than anything to know that we’ve created a preschool for the children,” said Akemi Haga, the preschool’s principal.
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| Construction of the temporary building. |
Toemon Azumaya, the preschool’s Director, commented, “All I can say is thank you. I have done my best to stay strong, knowing that I am not alone and that as long as I have the life spared by the disaster, I will keep on working pushing forward.”
On the day of this new first step, emotions began to swell and some teachers were even brought to tears. Morioka Field Manager Tomoharu Kondo, who oversees all assistance activities conducted by JCU in Iwate Prefecture, said, “UNICEF intends to continue assistance to support urban development that facilitates the healthy and secure upbringing of children, even as surrounding environments change.”
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| Warm wooden flooring was chosen so that children could play safely and comfortably. |
Construction of the temporary building was carried out while holding meetings with builders on the layout, the materials to be used, and other issues in order to ensure that the preschool constructed was safe and comfortable for children.
On 11 August, nearly a month after the purification ceremony, children from the older class gathered at the nearly finished school building.
The children toured the inside with their teachers. Some asked, “Is this going to be our room?” Another student exclaimed, “And this is where we are going to eat lunch!” The children ran around the building, rolled on the wooden flooring and shouted out cheers of joy.
Next, the teachers and students worked together to build a patio in front of the nursery room using easily placed tiles. The children listened intently to the teachers’ instructions and then immediately began absorbed in their work.
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| A group effort to build the preschool patio. | ||
The school finished its big move during the obon holiday season and started classes at the new temporary building on 17 August. Some time has now passed since the preschool opened its new building, and the children could not be more energetic and happy. One teacher told us, “The children have calmed down, and so have the teachers.” Principal Haga said, “I’m so happy we decided to build this. We were given a preschool building where we don’t have to worry about anything else but our own class.”
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The Japan Committee for UNICEF intends to discuss with teachers as it prepares for making Kirikiri Preschool’s new building a Child Friendly Space where the children will feel at ease and be safe.
All photo credits: © Japan Committee for UNICEF
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Fukushima | Notebooks and stationery sets | 16 Apr. | 390 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 | 29 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 | |||
| 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 | Preschool | ||
| Miyagi | Rain coats | 4 June | 1,000 | ||
| Saitama* | Shoes | 15 June | 460 pairs | Converse Footwear Co., Ltd. | |
| Fukushima | Fans | 21 June | 21 | Minamisoma City Board of Education | |
| Miyagi | Jerseys for teachers and windbreakers for students (various sizes) | June | Akashi Hifuku Kogyo Co., Ltd | Junior high schools in Kesennuma City (6 schools) | |
| Miyagi | Used digital piano | June | 1 | ||
| Miyagi | Digital scale | 6 July | 200 | Ishinomaki City Offices | |
| Miyagi | Fans | 6 July | 5 | ||
| Miyagi | Child-size tables and chairs; toys | 22 July | IKEA | ||
| Iwate | Candles for events | 23 July | |||
| Iwate | Wall-hanging fans | 1 August | 200 | ||
| Iwate | Recreation kit replenishments | Regular | |||
| Fukushima | Fans | 2 August | 95 | Minamisoma City Board of Education | |
| Miyagi | Hand sterilizer | 3 August | 4,680 | Lion Corporation | Preschools, etc. |
| Miyagi | Antibacterial freshener | 3 August | 3,600 | Magnet Corporation; Antimicrobial Technology Co., Ltd.; Jutech Corporation; Clean Techno Co., Ltd.; Mitani Valve Co., Ltd.; HY Corporation | Preschools, etc. |
-Number of UNICEF Children’s Mini Libraries distributed: Approximately 240,000 books to over 1,900 locations (as of 4 August 2011).
-Number of children that have participated in the UNICEF “Let’s Play! The Outdoors Playtime Project” in Fukushima Prefecture (including planned numbers): More than 31,000 (as of 4 August).
*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 4 August 2011 (compiled by the Information and Public Affairs Division).