tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73174157878548359752024-03-14T15:09:37.787+09:00Foreign Volunteers JapanForeign Volunteers Japan is created to gather willing volunteers, who wish to take an active role in the Tohoku relief efforts. This is an open discussion forum for sharing and discussing information regarding volunteer activities, aid delivery, and humanitarian relief issues concerning the post-tsunami recovery of the Tohoku region.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-32615031324309220162012-02-18T15:10:00.000+09:002012-03-02T00:51:11.461+09:00Guest Post: Micah of HANDS Kitakami<i>Letter from
volunteer Micah (exchange student) to Japan Studies Student Leaders,
Willamette University. Copied here with permission from Micah and Anna Thomas of the <a href="http://handskitakami.blogspot.com/2012/02/guest-post-micah.html" target="_blank">HANDS Kitakami NPO </a></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The coast along Kamaishi, taken on March 29th 2011</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Greetings
from Japan! Many of you may not know who I am, so I shall take a brief
moment to introduce myself. I am Micah Mizukami, a university freshman in Japan. </div>
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I
write to you all today because I would like to share my experience
volunteering in Iwate Prefecture. In November of last year, I went to
Iwate for the first time with two other Willamette students. Yesterday I came
back from Iwate again after volunteering for four days by myself.</div>
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I’m
sure you all have seen the pictures of the damage and destruction that
was caused on March 11, 2011. Nearly a year has passed since that day,
and things have been cleared up quite a bit. By taking a look at these
pictures, you can see how far the clean up process has progressed. <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/09/see-how-japan-has-rebuilt-in-the-11-months-since-the-earthquake-and-tsunami/">http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/09/see-how-japan-has-rebuilt-in-the-11-months-since-the-earthquake-and-tsunami/</a><br />
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<a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/09/see-how-japan-has-rebuilt-in-the-11-months-since-the-earthquake-and-tsunami/"><br /></a> </div>
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As
all of you are part of JSSL, you are all bound by a common interest in
Japan. If you have the opportunity to come to Japan, whether to study
abroad or not, I highly recommend volunteering. Although the pictures in
the link above make it seem like everything is okay, do not be
deceived. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done in the
Tohoku region of Japan.</div>
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I
spent Wednesday through Saturday of last week volunteering in two
different cities in Iwate, both of which are shown in the link above.
The first two days were spent in Rikuzentakata and the other two were
spent in Kamaishi. Back in November, I went to Kamaishi, so I was
already familiar with the area, but Rikuzentakata was a first. As we
drove to the work site, I could not comprehend what was before my eyes.
There was nothing. If you look at the pictures of Rikuzentakata in the
link above, you will see that there is, in fact, nothing. Nothing but
dirt. Debris separated and organized into mounds. A few buildings
(three, or four) remain, but are badly damaged. It’s as if a town never
existed there. On my first day in Rikuzentakata, I helped build rafts
used to grow and harvest oysters. The second day I spent cleaning dirt
off of letters, postcards, and other paper documents.</div>
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In
Kamaishi, also pictured in the link above, half of the town is
perfectly fine, unaffected by the tsunami. The other half, however, is
eerily quiet, a deserted ghost town. It truly feels like a
post-apocalyptic world. Some buildings have been torn from their
foundations [*], nowhere to be seen, while others stand falling apart,
debris scattered everywhere. The first morning in Kamaishi was spent
helping an old woman, whose house was lost to the tsunami, move her
things from a friend’s house into a temporary housing facility. This old
woman was so grateful that she treated the two other volunteers and me
to tea and Japanese sweets. She also talked of her experience with the
disaster and how she was safely out of the country for a wedding, but
how many friends and acquaintances were lost to the devastation. Despite
losing her house, many of her belongings, and friends, seeing her
gratitude and generosity after simply helping to move her things was
quite moving.</div>
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Other
jobs in Kamaishi included removing dirt, oil, and other debris from the
gutters, cleaning a mound of what used to be a barbershop, and walking
around Kamaishi with a map to mark down which buildings still need to be
cleaned out before being torn down. Another incident that left an
impact on me during volunteering was cleaning the pile of debris that
was once a barbershop. While cleaning up, an old woman sitting in the
back of a taxi passed by, and seeing the volunteers, she bowed her head
deeply towards us. It was a silent display of gratitude and I’m not sure
if any of the other volunteers noticed, but the old woman bowing
silently in the taxi left a deep impression on me.</div>
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However,
we are all volunteers. As volunteers, we have no expectations to be
thanked. Instead after volunteering, we thank the person who asked us to
volunteer before leaving the work site. Thank you for letting us work
here. In November at the quick volunteer orientation, we were told that
volunteers should not have the mindset of ボランティアをしてあげる, but instead think in terms of ボランティアをさせて頂く.
I will humbly receive the favor of volunteering, not I will give you my
help volunteering. It is with this spirit that we volunteer. We are all
grateful for being allowed to work in such an area, grateful to learn
from the experience of volunteering.</div>
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I
met many wonderful people during my stay in Iwate. All of the
volunteers are truly people to look up to. They spend their free time,
their weekends, volunteering. Some even spend all their time
volunteering, with no salary or income. They all know that there is
still a lot left to do, but they work while smiling, laughing. Everyone
works as hard as they can, does the job as best they can. If I have the
chance, I want to volunteer a third time this spring. I hope that other
Willamette students will go and volunteer as well. While the jobs vary
in type and intensity, help is always welcome.</div>
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I
apologize at how long this email has become, but it is my hope that
JSSL will spread the message that although nearly a year has passed,
Tohoku should not be forgotten. Even though the pictures make it seem as
if everything has been cleaned up, that is not the reality of the
situation. A lot remains to be done.</div>
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I
wish you luck with Sakura Matsuri preparations and such. I am also very
impressed at your organization in welcoming the ASP students this year.
Keep up the good work!</div>
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Thank you.</div>
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Peace and Love,</div>
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Micah Hisa Mizukami</div>
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<i>[*]
The buildings in Kamaishi reduced to foundation were mostly torn down
later. Rikuzentakata's buildings were not, they were washed away. --Anna</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> Thanks again to Anna Thomas of the <a href="http://handskitakami.blogspot.com/2012/02/guest-post-micah.html" target="_blank">HANDS Kitakami NPO</a> for allowing us to reprint Micah's letter. </span><i><br /></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-85597257964192803182012-02-16T11:54:00.001+09:002012-02-16T12:37:25.632+09:00Vol Projects: Aid Distribution #1: The Warehouse<style>
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Volunteering Projects: Aid Distribution #1: The Warehouse</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzeKaUlLOZEj-4nr1AN9uHYK6UVVM7YTuOV0hv407R_Swvco_rPTCAnKTp3-dLjPoV6RRwEIv8QnhyphenhyphenMYIUbfUz0x_scWJNRieKure7x18s5Q_RGwyFY6Rr-Fv42RCZT9acTslyPpO4hQ/s1600/DSP+Warehouse1200149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzeKaUlLOZEj-4nr1AN9uHYK6UVVM7YTuOV0hv407R_Swvco_rPTCAnKTp3-dLjPoV6RRwEIv8QnhyphenhyphenMYIUbfUz0x_scWJNRieKure7x18s5Q_RGwyFY6Rr-Fv42RCZT9acTslyPpO4hQ/s640/DSP+Warehouse1200149.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For this series, I’d like to walk through several of the
various volunteer projects out there.
Volunteering in Tohoku involves many different types of work. Everything
from gutting buildings – digging and scrubbing mud – gutting houses – knocking down
walls – running community cafes – holding soup kitchens – clearing ditches –
building shelves – unloading massive trucks – and so forth. </div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;">For today’s entry, I thought I’d quickly talk about the process of warehouse distribution. On Jan 26<sup>th</sup>, we worked with a team effort by <a href="http://www.itsnotjustmud.com/" target="_blank">It’sNot Just Mud</a> and the <a href="https://otr.or.jp/" target="_blank">On The Road project</a> to lend support to <a href="http://dsproject.org/%20" target="_blank">DSP (DisasterSupport Project) </a>to help move 130 tons of aid that was expected to arrive over
a two-day period at their Warehouse facility in Natori city, just outside of
Sendai. This one of their aid warehouses is based out
of the gymnasium of a junior high school in Natori that was devastated by the
tsunami. Although the damage to the
central building has resulted in it being abandoned, the gymnasium was cleared
out, and now provides a space for hosting the incoming aid for distribution to
refugee shelters until last Summer, and is now targeted aid relief for the
residents of the Temporary Housing facilities. However, many of the prefecturally managed distribution centers will be disbanded on March 11th, following the first year anniversary of the disaster.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Natori Junior Highschool - Jan 26th, 2012</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: normal;">When unloading the trucks, there are several different
strategies to handle the unloading process efficiently. Some teams
prefer to set up distribution lines, and pass goods from one person to
the next in long chains. Other teams tend to rely on loading trailer
carts until they are full, and then carting the supplies to their
resting point. For heavy boxes, it's often easiest to form long lines,
and to have people progressively push the boxes along the floor to reach
the resting point. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;">The
work load is reliant on the timing of the trucks to arrive. During the
Summer and Fall the trucks generally arrive on time, but once the snow
starts falling, truck arrivals become quite random. On this day, we had
to split up our lunch break into four separate sessions. After a slow
morning, we suddenly had an onslaught of three trucks show up almost as
soon as the previous one had left. Due to difficult traffic conditions,
there was no way to confirm when the trucks should be coming. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;">Either
way, it's quite satisfying to stand in a room with tons of aid, and
knowing that it'll be helping out the residents of the temporary housing
units in the near future. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unloading boxes of clothing and blankets from the trucks</span><br />
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<br />
<center> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/A6OzP5Eaiyg" width="640"></iframe><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Here is a video produced by our work team, courtesy
It's Not Just Mud, with an entertaining view of the unloading/loading
process. Please check it out!</span></i></b></center><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbBeKe-aItA1dpnE0FpmtTvMba1wKYW4yeAXbJZFZQxAznLo8Fb2-46Q7clXgwLiKJavpnhPHVsHSiHlEcbrveibpkarjzJ9B8OtH4vHy5Z3gjnub3cwXJ8WDsSecMU9qzmIwZYuMhyw/s1600/DSP+Warehouse1200182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbBeKe-aItA1dpnE0FpmtTvMba1wKYW4yeAXbJZFZQxAznLo8Fb2-46Q7clXgwLiKJavpnhPHVsHSiHlEcbrveibpkarjzJ9B8OtH4vHy5Z3gjnub3cwXJ8WDsSecMU9qzmIwZYuMhyw/s400/DSP+Warehouse1200182.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trucks have finally been emptied. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otsukare sama deshita / After the long day.</td></tr>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-8666905752998636542012-02-16T09:10:00.000+09:002012-02-16T09:26:47.290+09:00List of Tohoku Initiatives<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCzEV3Qqd-X-Nisvc3cNkfUktMzdE9RuZbt62g0rVx5zR77c_4BosEbgvJHOgngibZsiBFeUQCJzhAnDeHDNVebJj7cSGvlynMlpxBnCUl_0SLxbaCum28tPzztV7Ne5lPcKK-aio_X3Y/s1600/Tohoku_Initiatives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCzEV3Qqd-X-Nisvc3cNkfUktMzdE9RuZbt62g0rVx5zR77c_4BosEbgvJHOgngibZsiBFeUQCJzhAnDeHDNVebJj7cSGvlynMlpxBnCUl_0SLxbaCum28tPzztV7Ne5lPcKK-aio_X3Y/s400/Tohoku_Initiatives.jpg" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://tpf2.net/initiatives" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" target="_blank">http://tpf2.net/initiatives</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The <a href="http://tpf2.net/initiatives" target="_blank">List of Tohoku Initiatives</a>
is a great crowd-sourced project by the group behind the Tohoku Planning Forum.
Using an attractive webpage designed to utilize regularly updated
information compiled via Google Docs, viewers are presented with an increasingly comprehensive list
of the several initiatives out there that are addressing the needs of
the Tohoku region.<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"> </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">If you scroll through the list, and discover
any gaps on Tohoku Relief focused projects, please consider taking the
time to add them to the list. I will be adding a permanent link to this
via the Foreign Volunteers Japan website as well. Big thanks to the
Tohoku Planning Forum (<a href="http://www.tpf2.net/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.tpf2.net</a>) for setting this up!</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://tpf2.net/initiatives" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" target="_blank">http://tpf2.net/initiatives</a></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-64348940607404155462012-02-03T01:00:00.000+09:002012-02-03T01:00:16.221+09:00Holiday Volunteering (Part 1)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9bR_ykpCsn3d2WAR5U1Nz3MfNS-Pg8j_xulwEki9SivtQ4xitmnC4aojYjhmLf4bgjpI8NBqjEewKwS6BPD32bUew2LwsPiy7rJ47Kt2R6DlsPBaB2_uL80jV90G_LJWm11pGe54LXgr/s1600/2012-12-23+MinamiSoma+Christmas+LR-9113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="465" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9bR_ykpCsn3d2WAR5U1Nz3MfNS-Pg8j_xulwEki9SivtQ4xitmnC4aojYjhmLf4bgjpI8NBqjEewKwS6BPD32bUew2LwsPiy7rJ47Kt2R6DlsPBaB2_uL80jV90G_LJWm11pGe54LXgr/s640/2012-12-23+MinamiSoma+Christmas+LR-9113.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A team of 9 Santas visited Temp Housing Units alongside the regular SaveMinamiSoma distribution. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Although this article is a little late, I still thought it would be worth writing about how the volunteer groups I’ve been working with operated over the Winter Holidays. On December 23rd, FVJ members rejoined the <a href="http://www.saveminamisoma.org/" target="_blank">Save Minamisoma Project</a> ( www.saveminamisoma.org ) to help out on one of their most ambitious missions yet. On top of the regular bi-weekly delivery of aid and supplies for 1000 people living in temporary residences in the town of Minami-Soma, they also sent up a team of nine Santas to canvass the neighborhoods, and bring donated presents directly to the housing units with young kids.<br />
<br />
Expecting somewhere between 400 to 500 children in the Temporary Housing communities of Minami-Soma, the SaveMinamisoma Project brought up presents from three sources. The first batch were gift bags arranged by the SMP team, the second batch was of presents collected by Angela Kennewell who organized a large Toys for Tohoku toy drive (that also supplied our orphanage visit the next day), and the third source were wonderful hand-made Christmas cards produced by all of the kids in Adam Shaw’s classes in Shirogane. (These cards were awesome, by the way!)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkgtP-S8WuQitA5Zuf2K1JngpGXyQLPMEGrd63NOAWTqeAOyv_OShxkNyvgBIind-Fh-PTgqbn7BE87h6z_fnNRPnBIlEnV6QtKvtDzohahXgWVPqEKbiblNnD8cdfBFrOibqo1IdNd7C/s1600/2012-12-23+MinamiSoma+Christmas+LR-9009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkgtP-S8WuQitA5Zuf2K1JngpGXyQLPMEGrd63NOAWTqeAOyv_OShxkNyvgBIind-Fh-PTgqbn7BE87h6z_fnNRPnBIlEnV6QtKvtDzohahXgWVPqEKbiblNnD8cdfBFrOibqo1IdNd7C/s400/2012-12-23+MinamiSoma+Christmas+LR-9009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many cards written for Tohoku by Adam Shaw's classes in Shirogane, Tokyo</td></tr>
</tbody></table> The Save MinamiSoma project has been actively distributing fresh food, nonperishables and water up to the residents of MinamiSoma, Fukushima since late March. While their early distribution efforts were concentrated on bringing any supplies possible to address the specific needs of a few specific refugee shelters, they made a distinction early on to focus on distributing supplies fairly, and evently across the entire population of refugees across the city.<br />
<br />
Although it is logistically difficult for a small group to provide for such a large demographic, SMP has developed an elaborate system for ensuring fairness and evenness for their distributions. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8WI1KnF-3l2c6swdY3V5OTmBslnQIsHvIdhrLjUrp2OtDPgDndaDbfUf_aVZ_3V5yxbACc_Mr8cTc2fzXHZspv0X3HwjwszcyiFmH44OVcnIlJErtJgS-roxO3CjiGnB3NMf9GUIY0Ia/s1600/SMP~Fashion_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8WI1KnF-3l2c6swdY3V5OTmBslnQIsHvIdhrLjUrp2OtDPgDndaDbfUf_aVZ_3V5yxbACc_Mr8cTc2fzXHZspv0X3HwjwszcyiFmH44OVcnIlJErtJgS-roxO3CjiGnB3NMf9GUIY0Ia/s320/SMP~Fashion_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>First, they work closely with a local <a href="http://www.side-by-side-intl.org/130.html%20" target="_blank">NPO called "Side-by-Side"</a> ( http://www.side-by-side-intl.org/130.html ) to canvas the neighborhoods and find out general information about each neighborhood, such as general demographic information, and assessing specific needs in the community, such as the need for children's goods or elderly-care items. <br />
<br />
Then, they hold large fundraisers every second month. This month's one will be held tomorrow (On Friday Feb 3rd, 20:00pm onwards) at Club Velours. Details available on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/153195538123521/%20" target="_blank">Facebook Invite page</a> ( http://www.facebook.com/events/153195538123521/ ) Each fundraiser pulls in a couple thousand dollars, and 100% of that money is directed towards buying fresh vegetables and food for the temporary housing communities of MinamiSoma. Truck rentals, gas and other transportation logistics are generally covered by rotating sponsor organizations. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlOAOfHaybzzxZGz4SWTzQb7wIX46WNx9zvlsJ1t3AHShIQc3AYVYXPyPLqrtGpnH3cQdrxAQ0FbiPMiNaP5VW2bmSLZLmj3_d5JSCqbSlxKTE6WDotxzUMdeW_S6OOqo2Z93gaoGEOxc/s1600/P1150547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlOAOfHaybzzxZGz4SWTzQb7wIX46WNx9zvlsJ1t3AHShIQc3AYVYXPyPLqrtGpnH3cQdrxAQ0FbiPMiNaP5VW2bmSLZLmj3_d5JSCqbSlxKTE6WDotxzUMdeW_S6OOqo2Z93gaoGEOxc/s640/P1150547.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SMP Distribution project in October</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Since the group is still small, they've been effective in practically addressing how much they can accomplish in each run, and based upon how much they've been able to raise. On average they aim to provide 4-5 days worth of supplies for around 1000 people for each run. To address this, each distribution run aims to cover 4~5 temporary housing communities. Since there are close to 7000 people who've lost their homes, SMP gradually rotates across the various communities for each run. The 4 communities visited during the Christmas run have now been visited 4 times by the group, and the two runs in January were also the 4th visits to those respective communities. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiffm1VWImsG5LEcn4-O2ctvLL0eb8Nj1Duek_c7mOdDzOBUpEq86gjAy-TbS1J41hWmQB3mjFSvP76MIi-nl_DrujVv40ULKKdZyCkrs9X2Ql1AC6WcSax2W0QApFaP-eEFoIXrYgGuzG/s1600/2012-12-23+MinamiSoma+Christmas+LR-8974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiffm1VWImsG5LEcn4-O2ctvLL0eb8Nj1Duek_c7mOdDzOBUpEq86gjAy-TbS1J41hWmQB3mjFSvP76MIi-nl_DrujVv40ULKKdZyCkrs9X2Ql1AC6WcSax2W0QApFaP-eEFoIXrYgGuzG/s320/2012-12-23+MinamiSoma+Christmas+LR-8974.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SMP co-founder August distributing Water on Dec 23rd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>While the idea of free distribution of supplies has been discouraged in some communities with recovering economies (such as Ishinomaki), group co-founder August Hergesheimer says that the project address the temporary housing residents of "Minamisoma who lost their homes from the tsunami or forced evacuation due to the radiation. They also lost their future due to the radioactive contamination of their farmland and sea. They receive very little additional support for food, utilities, and other daily expenses." <br />
<br />
"What we do may be very little, but we feel that it is better than nothing and also important to show them that many people care for their well-being. This is why we continue to support Minamisoma."<br />
<br />
Please visit the <a href="http://www.saveminamisoma.org/" target="_blank">Save Minamisoma Project Webpage</a> or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/113980158685755/" target="_blank">Facebook group</a> for more information about their activities. They are always looking for new volunteers to join on the runs, help load the trucks, drivers with Chuugata (up to 8 ton) licenses, help organize the events, and general supporters as well. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhjrtps7HOZb6wzUjvdQB4UYt4qNpZ8TwmG4C7J8SDWkd6uVIKcKChw0iSoOcenXZPPGAs8EMUN9QRus1Lb0ziKlWckKei9lCTe5jbSftVdgJe3AT4vrYUHEZSNxkwUrEonjMGqFZULj3/s1600/SMP_Kahl_21189326_422162523_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhjrtps7HOZb6wzUjvdQB4UYt4qNpZ8TwmG4C7J8SDWkd6uVIKcKChw0iSoOcenXZPPGAs8EMUN9QRus1Lb0ziKlWckKei9lCTe5jbSftVdgJe3AT4vrYUHEZSNxkwUrEonjMGqFZULj3/s400/SMP_Kahl_21189326_422162523_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NHK regular Daniel Kahl explaining how to apply Thai hand-sanitizer</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaVlu8FmXiwjpohyphenhyphenmM1NoMl_-vw1Q2Lej274bQ6J7u6rsjnc-kvJTKzXVweHmiCUCxLS7c_Vm1MCRbpzQrRv8igHfk1cZBDS95juuNbMpqpIJGAMY_UegpnDvq0X4vD-OwEOYojWuAgtT/s1600/2012-12-23+MinamiSoma+Christmas+LR-9021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaVlu8FmXiwjpohyphenhyphenmM1NoMl_-vw1Q2Lej274bQ6J7u6rsjnc-kvJTKzXVweHmiCUCxLS7c_Vm1MCRbpzQrRv8igHfk1cZBDS95juuNbMpqpIJGAMY_UegpnDvq0X4vD-OwEOYojWuAgtT/s400/2012-12-23+MinamiSoma+Christmas+LR-9021.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> A young boy excited about his gift and card. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXi2Ofuea7JOnsZNEC68s50r2JyFjazt4stmvc9BkpMhQpq_CSJfrT3Q1hG1oMIS6CQTVmgONWbccO7JGPwK7-bLv_HQNLKujTtKnkkGXEtF60P6UuyuvAUP6vgy6mayXnZMO05gsuDqK/s1600/2012-12-23+MinamiSoma+Christmas+LR-9132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXi2Ofuea7JOnsZNEC68s50r2JyFjazt4stmvc9BkpMhQpq_CSJfrT3Q1hG1oMIS6CQTVmgONWbccO7JGPwK7-bLv_HQNLKujTtKnkkGXEtF60P6UuyuvAUP6vgy6mayXnZMO05gsuDqK/s400/2012-12-23+MinamiSoma+Christmas+LR-9132.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteer Trevor Impey brings supplies to a Temp Housing unit. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>karaoke.mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03803710302191709402noreply@blogger.com0Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan37.6421608 140.9572756999999737.5223353 140.84517369999998 37.7619863 141.06937769999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-62054743179745273712012-01-13T15:59:00.002+09:002012-01-13T15:59:19.681+09:00Volunteer in Ishinomaki with "It's Not Just Mud"<h3 class="post-title entry-title">
<i>* The following is an excellent editorial piece on a volunteering experience with the It's Not Just Mud group, written by <a href="http://brentdanleyjones.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Brent Danley Jones</a>, posted with permission. </i><br />
</h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34GcZ2rDauSyLpGvIDnQEQkSKW4MOCbMFW0sKncQaDGlnuMM-5SNMbluOSlHQiv8fXI3Ri_Yc2opKA-XwUwgMnR36dlTvj9YXkra7fwjLBGBZWrHFZ5pYV_NHIXcXSVH-RA9-n6tTV4Q/s1600/Ishinomaki26.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34GcZ2rDauSyLpGvIDnQEQkSKW4MOCbMFW0sKncQaDGlnuMM-5SNMbluOSlHQiv8fXI3Ri_Yc2opKA-XwUwgMnR36dlTvj9YXkra7fwjLBGBZWrHFZ5pYV_NHIXcXSVH-RA9-n6tTV4Q/s640/Ishinomaki26.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDk9wSYyFjvIKcaV3Hbbly6H-mwzp4_gdQyjvR5cFOSLEdOk2FjYvRDsmiz3PUy7vGiqP_ilbdtLnpoqwNcVs15GVJ2nLIQDMCoghyYwaO5VZnV0re-EHFdFzAH2QAmLsCgzCG5UuyL8w/s1600/Ishinomaki29.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDk9wSYyFjvIKcaV3Hbbly6H-mwzp4_gdQyjvR5cFOSLEdOk2FjYvRDsmiz3PUy7vGiqP_ilbdtLnpoqwNcVs15GVJ2nLIQDMCoghyYwaO5VZnV0re-EHFdFzAH2QAmLsCgzCG5UuyL8w/s200/Ishinomaki29.jpg" width="200" /></a>THE PROGRAM:<br />
It's Not Just Mud (INJM) is an NPO started by an
Englishman-turned-teacher-turned volunteer leader who upon seeing the
extent of the damage to the coastal city of Ishinomaki decided to start
an organization to support a grass-roots rehabilitation effort in the
community. Although only recently developed, the power of social media
and the positive reputation of the program created a steady flow of
volunteers. Focusing primarily on rebuilding, there is also a strong
community aspect and the very presence of the volunteers can help give
hope. INJM is not alone in the effort as other volunteer organizations
in the area overlap and work together. The people of Ishinomaki, even
nine months after the initial disaster, are still living in the second
floor of destroyed houses or have not yet moved out of temporary
housing, struggling with unemployment and supply shortages, while
picking through the rubble to recover what they can from lost lives.
There is a sadness that has settled about the area that shows signs of
lifting as citizens of the city begin to reassemble, and the presence of
volunteers and their efforts help warm against the winter cold. More
than saying "Ganbarou Tohoku" (do your best banners displayed to support
the most affected region) there are people here, taking no pay, willing
to do whatever task, big or small, that will help return a sense of
normalcy to an area that is still correctly categorized as a disaster
zone. In addition to contributing their hours of work, volunteers in
INJM give a bit of strength and spirit, as if to say "You are not alone"
through their actions. Between the contributions both tangible and
invisible, INJM is supporting those who wish to do their part for the
affected people of Japan.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSG1flarei_elLWGOb4oZhwRqefqhS-2cx6R7jubZUYvRALkwp75erl1ux7hAWrfVQMiUNbFjBvDGIiuLpsaYNmbIjDzlB6xkzrmDQFvCv1_fuWwE84GO9YwM486SdwTWR5gowC91WtY/s1600/Ishinomaki24.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSG1flarei_elLWGOb4oZhwRqefqhS-2cx6R7jubZUYvRALkwp75erl1ux7hAWrfVQMiUNbFjBvDGIiuLpsaYNmbIjDzlB6xkzrmDQFvCv1_fuWwE84GO9YwM486SdwTWR5gowC91WtY/s400/Ishinomaki24.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
THE CITY:<br />
Ishinomaki is a coastal area big enough to get its own stop on the bus
line from Shinjyuku to Sendai. Even 9 months after the highly
destructive combination of earthquake and tsunami, the damage remains
evident. With limited funds and resources, the slowly progressing
process of cleaning up and rebuilding is still the daily task for a
majority of its people. Before, in the area based near the volunteer
organization, there were about 1000 families living in an area of the
city where there are now less than 200 remaining. Some parts of the city
have been rebuilt, some businesses have reopened, and vending machines
again line the streets, however there is an eerie feeling when driving
along the main city strip and seeing brand new buildings neighboring a
shop front that is still bashed in, furniture and debris scattered and
left as it was months before. There is a large ship still breached out
of the port and a gigantic red oil tower barrel in the divider section
of a main highway. Garbage dumps have stacked hundreds of cars in
alien-like pyramids. Barren landscapes near the coasts are like house
graveyards, where only foundations and wreckage are left with a few
shaky but still standing structures in the distance. There is not a
suburban location in the whole city where you can turn 360 degrees and
not see some sign of the catastrophe that took place. The damage to the
city you can't see is left in the hearts of its people, many of whom are
still living in the shadows of their formers lives. The job of
volunteers is to do what they can to repair both. As time passes,
glimmers of hope can be seen as well: new shipments of supplies being
given away on the streets, small memorial shrines along roads, families
restanding their family's grave stones, stores reopening, students
biking on their way to refurbished schools--there is a resilience here
that acknowledges the horrendous past, but continues to push forward
into a better <br />
tomorrow.<br />
<br />
THE DESTRUCTION: <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfIteADjAYjIUPFsCwA2RX4tVuJOrhyphenhyphenC9sEzjZt7yZcr050_EWrwgKtdA3Jj8UL5-7s6EZiK6zeKuMvjobf6o2RWK-WzOP2PRbGqxmqzCNslefuIOBnKHw1iWK_frVbKLOED9Qqpy9ls/s1600/Ishinomaki04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfIteADjAYjIUPFsCwA2RX4tVuJOrhyphenhyphenC9sEzjZt7yZcr050_EWrwgKtdA3Jj8UL5-7s6EZiK6zeKuMvjobf6o2RWK-WzOP2PRbGqxmqzCNslefuIOBnKHw1iWK_frVbKLOED9Qqpy9ls/s400/Ishinomaki04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigs9UnuzxpVKRdE3nMWBo8OLIOGCDlPK1CLFM9dw0Hn3uynhUtvUaO7dWZDDmbJCoB_J5VgHal4aj_hoc-mtPxsZ7v6yRnH87t-mf23rv1N8xF5THKcpAO05ZEANMC8p8ByV3OZsx1h6I/s1600/Ishinomaki19.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigs9UnuzxpVKRdE3nMWBo8OLIOGCDlPK1CLFM9dw0Hn3uynhUtvUaO7dWZDDmbJCoB_J5VgHal4aj_hoc-mtPxsZ7v6yRnH87t-mf23rv1N8xF5THKcpAO05ZEANMC8p8ByV3OZsx1h6I/s320/Ishinomaki19.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
THE WORK:<br />
Everything from breaking down and entire first floor's drywall to
helping a community tent lead a soup kitchen and bingo day for elderly
residents, from cleaning photos of sports days twenty years ago to
helping replenish the dwindled supply of shellfish, the work is varied
and volunteers go wherever they're needed. No labor skills are required
to join, so those who volunteer with INJM take the jobs that simply need
to be done. Sometimes volunteers may work with other organizations, be
they other foreign aid organizations or local community efforts, going
wherever they're told, to do what they are requested to do, as best they
can so someone else with plenty to deal with doesn't have to. Because
everyone is making this effort, it adds up little by little into
progress. It can be surprisingly fulfilling to do what would even seem
like repetitive work, such as taking nails out of rotted boards barely
holding together a house for six hours, but because you've done it
someone else doesn't have to, and they will move to work onto the next
stage in the larger plan to fix a house in the grand scheme project of
rebuilding a city. Every strike with a sledgehammer or conversation
listening to the story of loss puts repair and healing another step
further. The work can be hard, but it not usually to the point of
exhaustion, and always in the company of other like-minded volunteers
whose positive optimism helps ward off some of the residual darkness
that still envelops many corners of the city.<br />
<br />THE WEATHER: S'cold. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfz_6sB6_h49BKAtVudszvBJ3aQzgxCnOnLDHwxb4xNbUjefsMvU5VLp-j9Z7HAd7gRGyfaa9c9pnQhRaIcXj4t6m4shFqQjBS_TYLPYIR7p1BhSzRi4KLcxvMAfYWRykEtYhV8zrPDE/s1600/Ishinomaki30.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfz_6sB6_h49BKAtVudszvBJ3aQzgxCnOnLDHwxb4xNbUjefsMvU5VLp-j9Z7HAd7gRGyfaa9c9pnQhRaIcXj4t6m4shFqQjBS_TYLPYIR7p1BhSzRi4KLcxvMAfYWRykEtYhV8zrPDE/s320/Ishinomaki30.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
THE HOUSE:<br />
Through the power of social networking, when originally setting up INJM
they were looking for a home base to live, and through extensive
tweeting and retweeting found someone willing to leave a house standing
that was planned for demolition. It was fixed up along with a
neighboring home and both now serve as the main base of operations. Over
30 volunteers can fit in and hopefully no one snores. Meals are done
banquet style and everyone is in charge of keeping the place clean and
functional. The main room is the "lounge" where most spend their time
when not out working. It feels like a commune of sorts, and when you get
the right sort of people together (and from my albeit limited
experiences they were always the right sort) you're going to want to put
down your book or laptop and be a part of the house, and you'll most
likely not want to leave.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrtdm97BvOAypsBEvbfNC76W7ukYlqViTe5flDJUnjMr6VZ17VRIWPsPJQPSRRLllHo5sZqd4S8bgYUcP-6aw0_hnq8UgzwVmq8h2wZ2MG_AW2woeFSTfUb3ybMUsn5PNnIbBP0FH9zE/s1600/Ishinomaki01.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrtdm97BvOAypsBEvbfNC76W7ukYlqViTe5flDJUnjMr6VZ17VRIWPsPJQPSRRLllHo5sZqd4S8bgYUcP-6aw0_hnq8UgzwVmq8h2wZ2MG_AW2woeFSTfUb3ybMUsn5PNnIbBP0FH9zE/s320/Ishinomaki01.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
THE ROUTINE:<br />
The basic procedure goes like this: wake up --> toast --> work
--> get home --> chill --> onsen --> party --> sleep.
Volunteers come up for days, sometimes weeks at a time, with others who
came and never left. Volunteers, it seems, never really say
goodbye--they most always come back. This, I would say, is due to a
casual genius of the work and structure of the program. Unlike some
other larger-scale efforts which develop many rules and procedures for
those who come, INJM has a basic routine of working and living that gets
the basics in order so that necessary things get done while leaving the
rest of the time fairly free. Volunteers choose assignment crews to
join and work from about 9am-4pm. After completing the jobs, everyone
eats, sleeps, and lives together in two houses. No mandatory tasks
outside of work are administered to volunteers, but when you see people
preparing for dinner or cleaning up afterwards, you feel compelled to
assist as well, and so everyone does so without being designated to
tasks. It's quite amazing how fast new arrivals, myself included,
quickly fall in line with this system of administration-free
responsibility and seem to adjust to life in the house. The rest of the
available time outside of work and chores is free to be used at the
discretion of volunteers, which usually takes the form of gathering in
the main (heated) room where everyone comes to talk and spend time with
the others there from all over Japan and the world. The feeling of
working with these people, all good people, and then spending the nights
together in revelry is a great source of motivation; the relaxed
atmosphere of the base camp allows the volunteers to unwind while
becoming better friends, making everyone look forward to spending the
next day of work together. Also, after most everyday of work, there is
an onsen trip to relax and recuperate after a day's work and get
everyone clean at once instead of having up to 30 people lined up for
the shower. This is also a… powerful bonding experience, in that you
will most likely be sitting naked in a jacuzzi with friends made that
same day. Lights out by midnight to be up at 8am for a toast buffet.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYHOjslTyZoRwaDEI0iZpSdparHcY7Dx6EOsiu9vfAjUZ2TTaD6NtjsJCCNH1ulaj6YpCkBD0Hfod6BHCdRBQepuB8ai0xR-rvdGw83PiRcxpLC-GGiZfgFi8YJcPOJxs7gDTluP5AYo/s1600/Ishinomaki27.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYHOjslTyZoRwaDEI0iZpSdparHcY7Dx6EOsiu9vfAjUZ2TTaD6NtjsJCCNH1ulaj6YpCkBD0Hfod6BHCdRBQepuB8ai0xR-rvdGw83PiRcxpLC-GGiZfgFi8YJcPOJxs7gDTluP5AYo/s400/Ishinomaki27.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
THE PEOPLE:<br />
The work is the goal, and the people are the energy; volunteering is a
mix of both. The people I met while volunteering were an outstanding
group of positive, humorous, quirky-to-eccentric folks from all around
the world. An Australian oil rig towboat deckhand, a British fashion
designer, a kindergarden bus driver from Brussels, a New Yorker with a
passion for roller disco working at a cosmetics production factory in
Tokyo, a radio engineer from Oklahoma who came just to volunteer,
Japanese company employees who take their vacation just to help
Ishinomaki, English teachers from around Japan using their breaks for a
purpose, a group of Japanese college students, a group of study abroad
college students, and a deaf Japanese girl who taught everyone Japanese
sign language during her visit that people were still using even after
she left. So many people from so many backgrounds, here in Japan for so
many reasons, but all of them brought here for the sole purpose of doing
something for nothing, volunteering to give something back. This
spinning world is powered by such acts of kindness. There wasn't a bad
apple in the bunch, even if some are quieter than others everyone will
find something to laugh about, something to add to the group, and
everyone works to validate their being there. What really surprised me
was just how fast you could feel like real friends living with these
people; I think I may have come at a particularly good time when a lot
of great folks happened to show up all at once, but could scarcely
believe how quickly not just a few people warmed up to one another, but
how everyone came together as a group, and I'm not the only one who
didn't want to leave partly because of that. Doing good work with good
people sounds a lot better than warming my desk at the office.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RAEqM0u5cDh9Gn_fLv9eydRW7mgdoN8slNsyVJ3XIyKYB_OPkXQRVyvKPJOteTpTHbqEPLOrtX_MVjovXag7hyphenhyphenHlpb9v_GvGFNvscnPiPy8GFtbGeXq16CXdqe6yTQlvgFIrCHno9t8/s1600/Ishinomaki31.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RAEqM0u5cDh9Gn_fLv9eydRW7mgdoN8slNsyVJ3XIyKYB_OPkXQRVyvKPJOteTpTHbqEPLOrtX_MVjovXag7hyphenhyphenHlpb9v_GvGFNvscnPiPy8GFtbGeXq16CXdqe6yTQlvgFIrCHno9t8/s320/Ishinomaki31.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
THE PARTY:<br />
Upon arriving back home after the nightly onsen trip, preparations are
made for dinner, and it's a makeshift banquet hall where everyone eats
together. Now properly bathed and fed, the party takes the night. As
many know, when I say party, I rarely mean dancing, flashing lights, and
bad club music. A party is anywhere that good people are laughing and
drinking long into the night, and the parties here are every night to
bond and blow off steam and rejuvenate the soul for the next day's work.
Don't get me wrong, the purpose of all volunteers being here is to help
the people of Ishinomaki as best we can, and that goal of making an
outstanding contribution to the community is never surpassed by anything
else. With that work completed, however, the night is your own, and
spending time with these amazing members and happily chatting and
laughing for hours seems to be the best way to spend time before bed. A
few chu-hi Strongs from the local convenience store and laughter amongst
friends is the best thing to get you into a deep sleep and avoid the
chilling cold that takes the house as soon as the lively conversation
comes to a close (and the heating stoves are turned off). Some of the
dumbest moments led to some of the biggest laughs, such as the story of
Oklahoma's hometown single stop sign parade, or certain complications
involving a virgin marriage and birthday candles, and the true nature of
dance parties. The Party is where you make new friends of complete
strangers and I made a baker's dozen in only five short days.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoe8oqVIJKL-KmJ7M5F48mhNNn_6nEjZa9QEdzzR2WECa7L82s_beQCdk11Lxd1mZ57icg8JL9n3I9bqWxA5AnzTTb0krJV_ih2g_vM2eO4Gjab6oV_3EvXHqsoA4GcNIzHOpWg_H23c8/s1600/Ishinomaki17.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoe8oqVIJKL-KmJ7M5F48mhNNn_6nEjZa9QEdzzR2WECa7L82s_beQCdk11Lxd1mZ57icg8JL9n3I9bqWxA5AnzTTb0krJV_ih2g_vM2eO4Gjab6oV_3EvXHqsoA4GcNIzHOpWg_H23c8/s320/Ishinomaki17.jpg" width="239" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
THE RESULTS:<br />
A feeling of accomplishment. The positive vibe from helping people
through hardship. Many new friends. Knowing you've made a difference.
Having finally been able to aid in an effort I felt compelled to assist
in ever since March 11th, 2011, albeit if only in a small way for a
short time. Smiles from those around you and the validation of doing a
little bit to help the country you live in. Actually going to Tohoku and
doing your best after reading hundreds of signs saying "Tohoku, do your
best!" I was originally planning on staying 3 days, maybe four, but
ended up pushing all the way into the 5th, barely catching the last
train home from Tokyo so that I could be up at 7am for work the next
day. Others felt the same, wishing they could have stayed longer, and
entire groups revised schedules to be able to continue volunteering.
Throughout my life I don't have a history of giving back. I enjoyed it
when I did, but didn't seek out the opportunities often. Something about
the work, organization, situation, and people of It's Not Just Mud
really came together to instill a sense of having done something good
that I hadn't felt in too long a time. I'm already planning my trip back
when I'm back on break, and thinking about who I'm going to take with
me. Volunteering in a disaster zone gave me a new look at myself, to see
the things I was worrying about as insignificant, and allowed me a
better look at the bigger picture. This world and the people in it
thrive off kindness. Even when politics and big corporations, mother
nature, and jerks-in-general seem to be making a bigger change than good
actions, it is all I can do to participate in a program like this so at
least I'm doing something positive to help those around me, hoping
those good energies are received and duplicated. It's motivating, and I
plan on taking this as a fresh start to a new year. And I'll be back for
more. Maybe you can be too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BJAo-6gRJ4rZ1ZEau8WtTACyxn8Asr66jwVvJO0dxQ_mJGG93RiDu3puAo9Qjv6HD7Jcy4-Di-OMTh2vov4duQMm4p6cbfgokUe8kjm2F1I9m-TuetHawjb10bnLUqqgCxK6O_ThDss/s1600/Ishinomaki25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BJAo-6gRJ4rZ1ZEau8WtTACyxn8Asr66jwVvJO0dxQ_mJGG93RiDu3puAo9Qjv6HD7Jcy4-Di-OMTh2vov4duQMm4p6cbfgokUe8kjm2F1I9m-TuetHawjb10bnLUqqgCxK6O_ThDss/s640/Ishinomaki25.jpg" width="640" /></a><i><b><a href="http://brentdanleyjones.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Please visit the blog of writer Brent Danley Jones</a> to follow up on his further adventures and writing. His Profile states that Brent is a "Writer writing from somewhere in Japan. Expect to see novel
serialization, flurries of haiku, the occasional drinking song, and more
metaphors than you can shake a stick at."</b></i><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-60084264439358958212012-01-13T14:40:00.001+09:002012-01-13T14:40:30.886+09:00Tohoku Planning Forum #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5JsqPZjqv_iZhUXPz-6xMxDke1tyhOGsby1WvLFpCiNP3zCp_Wk0t7BWbMAwZlUG0me1cyBvwIlP2UkBs5tFlzVRAD21-QK7EdrllcLUu8Bw1fHdQkGKCuyUdC2q9D3pX8pj0zQOtZM/s1600/TFP-1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5JsqPZjqv_iZhUXPz-6xMxDke1tyhOGsby1WvLFpCiNP3zCp_Wk0t7BWbMAwZlUG0me1cyBvwIlP2UkBs5tFlzVRAD21-QK7EdrllcLUu8Bw1fHdQkGKCuyUdC2q9D3pX8pj0zQOtZM/s320/TFP-1" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
英語で行うが、この東北の震災後の復興計画に関するフォーラムはForeign Volunteers Japanの活動に役に立つかもしれません。<br /><br />私は第一回のフォーラムでボランティア活動について発表をしていて、とっても良いディスカッションになりました。FVJは団体としてこれから段々大きくなって行くから、将来の活動についてはいろいろ考えなければならないと思うので、もし東京に居て、月曜日の夕方に都合が開いてたら、是非参加して見てください。<br /><br />On Monday, January 16th, the Tohoku Planning Forum will be holding its second seminar regarding the rebuilding of the tsunami-hit regions of Tohoku.<br /><br />
A few FVJ members took part in the first forum and found it to be a valuable experience providing many lively discussions on what needs to be done, and how to better manage resources for reconstruction. Since FVJ is gradually expanding our project scope, I think this forum could be a good experience for gaining some perspective on what still needs to be done, and to continue planning how we can address some of those needs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKR-aBwCni1AnAuMcgWd8l4jG7WPCFiiD09Izzti-3J9iCdS-AGNQKuxWzC4nJDE8mVCMDDygH9WxcP0RU_cidaftRhrK-2XKPwzGd8ToqkXhUxlUvJWrLm7doK7s59MLEHDEY1-WMwdQ/s1600/TFP2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKR-aBwCni1AnAuMcgWd8l4jG7WPCFiiD09Izzti-3J9iCdS-AGNQKuxWzC4nJDE8mVCMDDygH9WxcP0RU_cidaftRhrK-2XKPwzGd8ToqkXhUxlUvJWrLm7doK7s59MLEHDEY1-WMwdQ/s400/TFP2" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><br />Starting from 19:00 on Monday at Keio University, this time's forum welcomes three eminent Japanese experts with firsthand experience in community building in various places in Tohoku:<br /><br />1. Prof. Hiroto KOBAYASHI, Keio University<br />(Minamisanriku: Community building in temporary housing estates, rural-rural community support)<br /><br />2. Prof. Naoto NAKAJIMA, Keio Univerisity<br />(Kamaishi: Learning from past disasters in Tohoku and reconstruction in Kamaishi)<br /><br />3. Prof. Michio UBAURA, Sendai University<br />(Ishinomaki: Downtown revitalisation and reconstuction of a commercial center)<br /><br />The event is produced by Architecture for Humanity, Tokyo (@AFHtyo) and Tokyo Planning Forum (@TPFsquare), in cooperation with Keio University.<br /><br />Please consider checking it out on Monday if you can. Hope to see you there.<br />
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For more details, please visit the <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=131093207003606" href="http://www.facebook.com/TPFsquare">TPF² Facebook Group</a><br />
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Or their <a href="http://www.tpf2.net/" target="_blank">Webpage: http://www.tpf2.net/</a>Michael Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02227347916417185845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-86893988167292722002012-01-01T23:16:00.001+09:002012-01-01T23:17:23.312+09:00BBC Interviews It's Not Just Mud project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jPvvEVOSCvA/TwBpHOsErYI/AAAAAAAAAEI/L6duE-WZk9U/s1600/Jamie%253DNews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jPvvEVOSCvA/TwBpHOsErYI/AAAAAAAAAEI/L6duE-WZk9U/s400/Jamie%253DNews.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<span class="messageBody"> I'm currently up here in Ishinomaki with the group, so I may be a little biased, but thought it would be of interest to FVJ members to see this interview
by BBC News with Jamie El-Banna, founder of the It's Not Just Mud
volunteer group, based in the Watanoha district of Ishinomaki, about the
early days of coordinating volunteers, and the experiences that drove
him to establish a long-term volunteer-based relief organization for
Tohoku relief. </span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<span class="messageBody">It's Not Just Mud has already collaborated with Foreign Volunteers Japan on
countless projects,</span><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> such as our events with the orphanage in Ofunato,
for doing several soup kitchens, providing a rest station for deliveries with the SaveMinamisoma project, providing a distribution center for the Coats for Kids project, and
for hosting many volunteers from FVJ looking to help out up North. </span><span class="messageBody"> </span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<span class="messageBody">The It's Not Just Mud project is certainly my first recommendation now for
people wanting to head up to volunteer in Tohoku. Please check out the
video at the following <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16377120" target="_blank">BBC New Link: </a></span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"></span><span class="messageBody"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16377120">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16377120</a></span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<span class="messageBody">For more information on the INJM project, please visit the webpage <a href="http://www.itsnotjustmud.com/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.itsnotjustmud.com</a></span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<span class="messageBody"> I will be writing a follow up post on my latest stay with the group, and will also be doing some posts on local businesses that they've helped get back on their feet over the last several months. </span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}">
<span class="messageBody">Cheers. </span></h6>Michael Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02227347916417185845noreply@blogger.com0Japan, Miyagi Prefecture, Ishinomaki, Watanoha, Sakaeda3838.4184168 141.347990938.412196300000005 141.3381204 38.4246373 141.35786140000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-33799796427233132772011-12-30T16:25:00.000+09:002011-12-30T22:45:07.664+09:00Ishinomaki Case Study: Recovery of Maruka Pro Fish Shop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6599972165_89829f1c83_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6599972165_89829f1c83_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">Maruka Pro shop in November 2011</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.2340994409751147"><span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although this article is a little different than what we usually post on FVJ, I thought it might be interesting to look at the current state of businesses around Tohoku, and discuss the steps they are taking in order to re-open. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the case of the downtown of Ishinomaki, the first business to recovery quickly with a unique plan that I had come across was that of the Maruka Pro Fish Shop. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ishinomaki-maruka.com/wp-content/uploads/sinsai.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.ishinomaki-maruka.com/wp-content/uploads/sinsai.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fig 1: Maruka Pro Shop shown during the initial post-tsunami clean-up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There may have been a time when recovery from a disaster for small businesses just involved getting the mess cleaned out, the damage repaired, new product ordered in, and hanging a "business as usual" sign on the door. However, this is no longer the case. Even for small businesses, the business model today is complex and being able to continue following an interruption of any kind relies on a wide understanding of all the influences that could affect it as well as having carefully prepared plans to get those influences back together following the disruption. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not only do small and medium-sized businesses need to struggle and work hard and fast to survive commercially, when battling against big-box stores and internet-shopping. While potentially being exposed to incidents that are outside their control, small businesses in most industries also need to operate within tight-industry regulation, and to stay on top of their own business processes, personnel and procedures.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6d6d6d; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"80 percent of businesses without a well </span></div>
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<span style="color: #6d6d6d; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">structured recovery plan are forced to shut down </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6d6d6d; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">within 12 months of a flood or fire."</span><span style="color: #6d6d6d; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6d6d6d; font-size: x-small; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Source: London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 2003)</span><br />
<span style="color: #6d6d6d; font-size: small; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hk1KTNHV8k/Tv2ogcuh2iI/AAAAAAAAAD8/5VTWTeVvMPY/s1600/2011052515221875e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hk1KTNHV8k/Tv2ogcuh2iI/AAAAAAAAAD8/5VTWTeVvMPY/s320/2011052515221875e.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sadly, as many as 80% of businesses hit by fire, storm damage, tsunami, or earthquake go out of business within a year because they have not planned effectively for recovery. The downtown Ishinomaki case makes this especially clear. Nine months following the disaster, many of the businesses in the downtown core, and the majority of businesses in the Watanoha district have failed to come back online. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #999999; font-size: small;">May 25th Reopening poster for Maruka</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Estimates of the direct material </span><span style="font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">damage</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the tsunami are said to exceed ¥25 trillion ($300 billion), but insurance and government coverage will only be able to cover a fraction of those losses. Although there's not much that can be done in the cases where an entire business' physical location, and many of the management and staff members were lost, there are several other cases where the lack of a business continuity plan to resume business elsewhere, also contributed to the post-disaster closure of the business. </span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The case of the Maruka Pro Shop in Ishinomaki is a strong case for following the Best Practices scenario for post-disaster Business Continuity Practices. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Business continuity planning is not only necessary to protect an organization against extreme disasters such as the big-three cases that affected the East Coast of Japan, it's also important to take into account the importance of preparing for electrical problems, IT failures, theft, damage, or irregular and unseasonal local conditions. What should a business do in the case that their best people suddenly resign? Or if one of their key suppliers goes under? Or a new competitor opens up nearby? Creating contingency plans for all of these cases, on top of larger disasters, and understanding the impact on day-to-day business planning, is essential for maintain both day-to-day business, and preparing for long-term profitability. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite being completely gutted by the tsunami, losing long-term access to the local fishing pier due to infrastructure damage, losing ice suppliers, and losing many of its customers in the local region, the Pro Shop Maruka managed to reopen its doors on May 25th (only 64 days after the tsunami) in the hard-hit coastal district of Ishinomaki, thanks to effective business continuity practices. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ishinomaki-maruka.com/wp-content/uploads/sinsai2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.ishinomaki-maruka.com/wp-content/uploads/sinsai2.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pictures of the re-opening day of Maruka Pro Shop on May 25th. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ishinomaki-maruka.com/wp-content/uploads/tensyu1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.ishinomaki-maruka.com/wp-content/uploads/tensyu1.png" width="133" /></a></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Maruka Pro Shop is managed by a Mr. Masahiko Sasaki and his wife, Mrs. Kazuko Sakaki. Mr. Sasaki has come to be known as the "Walking Fish Dictionary" thanks to his expansive knowledge of different types of fish, their habitat, uncountable ways of preparing and cooking fish, as well as knowing much about the deep link between the sea and Japanese folklore. He can always be seen first thing in the morning at the local sea ports, haggling and bidding for the biggest and heartiest fish to be caught. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ishinomaki-maruka.com/wp-content/uploads/tensyu2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.ishinomaki-maruka.com/wp-content/uploads/tensyu2.png" width="133" /></a></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mrs. Kazuko Sasaki comes from a long lineage of fishermen. She is the eldest daughter of the president of "Miyamoto Fisheries" which has been operating since well before the Meiji Era. It was her idea to refocus Masahiko's business on the professional sector, to become a provider of top quality and bulk fish products for small and medium sized businesses across Miyagi. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sasaki's had lived through smaller disasters before. They were familiar with how a tsunami could affect local businesses and the fishery sector, by experiencing the tsunami generated by the Great Chile quake of 1970. They knew that fishing supplies would be momentarily disrupted, and expected there to be damage to their main shop. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They studied the breakdown of their business, and worked hard in developing business continuity planning processes and practices that would ensure that, whatever the disaster, the day to day activities of their shop would be able to get back up and running quickly. This included clear processes for their employees so that there is no doubt what action to take, whatever the circumstances. In the case of potential tsunami, the shop workers were well trained in escape routes to nearby hills. The Sasaki's emphasized that personal safely was the first priority, and told their staff to drop what they were doing, and to run to the hills. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since Pro Shop Maruka is a middleman, acquiring fish directly from the ports, and selling it to smaller and mid-size businesses, rather than walk-in customers, they were very dramatically hit by the tsunami. Since most businesses in the downtown district had their first floors devastated, and partial flooding of the second floors, many businesses ended up going out of business completely. Since insurance companies refused to cover coastal businesses with tsunami or flooding insurance, and government compensation would only be enough to cover personal living expenses, most businesses without and effective business continuity plan have been unable to cope post-tsunami. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Rfa8jHsA0CAfiRHSyl2GKElC9k1oiIbckVzg6q-HkwgKkkUl7SAbNd397Rr8tGLNqnn9QuXCsxLHs7VZcnIa1Z4QW0lQNxZUYLwTuEdnEZ1aKZunOVI" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Rfa8jHsA0CAfiRHSyl2GKElC9k1oiIbckVzg6q-HkwgKkkUl7SAbNd397Rr8tGLNqnn9QuXCsxLHs7VZcnIa1Z4QW0lQNxZUYLwTuEdnEZ1aKZunOVI" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Employing teams of local volunteers, coordinated through local Volunteer Centers, and by visiting the temporary offices of Peace Boat and other local post-disaster NPOs, the Sasaki's were able to get their shop cleaned out, remove the tsunami sludge, and remove any rotting insulation within the first couple weeks following the disaster. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once their store-front was moderately recovered by early April, they followed up with a plan to offer the front part of their shop to their pre-disaster customers. Since the majority of coastal businesses were devastated, this means that many of their own customers had also lost their shop fronts. An important element of disaster planning involves contingency plans for not only the acquisition of materials, and relocation, it also means finding ways to protect or recover your customer base. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Pro Shop Maruka's case, they extended the offer to four of their local customers, who had lost their own businesses completely. The Takigawa Japanese restaurant, Baorai Sushi, Ishikawa Sukiyaki, and the Loulan Chinese Restaurant. With a date set for a May 25th opening, the Sasaki's invited the four businesses to set up small stalls in the front of the Pro Shop Maruka. They worked with the Ishinomaki 2.0 and IDRAC (Ishinomaki Disaster Recovery Assistance Council) to secure loans for buying new stoves, fridges, and supplies, and used the power of social media and local newspapers and radio broadcasts for promoting their business. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pro Shop Maruka excelled at putting their Business Continuity Plan into action, and serves as a beacon for other tsunami, and disaster-affected businesses to prepare for worst-case scenarios comprehensively and effectively. </span></div>Michael Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02227347916417185845noreply@blogger.com0Japan, Miyagi Prefecture, Ishinomaki, Kokucho, 14−138.4344802 141.302916738.2354672 140.9870597 38.633493200000004 141.6187737tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-56999229416988347212011-12-07T23:57:00.001+09:002011-12-18T16:55:02.362+09:00We Will Always Remember You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://files.en.rocketnews24.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/arigatou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3758" height="284" src="http://files.en.rocketnews24.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/arigatou.jpg" title="arigatou" width="400" /></a></div>
In October, Kenji Araki, a director from NY came to Tohoku to film a video as part of another project, and joined the It's Not Just Mud crew for a couple days. This video is addressed to international citizens as a thank you message from
the people of Tohoku, and really conveys a warm and encouraging message.<br />
<br />
To the people of the world: there is a video we would like you to see.<br />
On March 11, 2011, at 2:46pm, the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region of
Japan was hit by the most powerful earthquake the country had ever
experienced. As the overwhelming scale of the destruction from the
quake and resulting tsunami became clear, and the number of lives
reported lost continued to climb to reach over 10,000, the people of
our country were devastated with grief and a sense of dejection.<br />
<br />
It was during this time that you, the people from different countries
across the world, called out to us with a message of strength and
support: “Ganbare Nihon!”—Be strong Japan! You lifted out spirits and
gave us the courage to keep our heads up and move forward.<br />
<br />
Nowhere is this feeling of appreciation stronger than it is with the people of
Tohoku. Anyone who has spent time helping with the rebuilding efforts
knows how strong these people are, and how thankful they are.<br />
<br />
This video by Kenji, titled “We Will
Always Remember You” begins with a series of video footage showing
the terrible disaster the earthquake wrought.It then turns the spotlight to Taylor Anderson (then 24), an
American assistant language teacher (ALT) in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi
Prefecture—one of the areas hit hardest by the disaster.<br />
<br />
Anderson,
was teaching at an elementary school when the earthquake hit, stayed
with the frightened children until they had all been safely evacuated.
However, on the way home, Anderson herself fell victim to the tsunami
that came rushing in after.<br />
<br />
Anderson’s students appear in the
video and speak of their memories of their teacher: “Taylor sensei was
really nice. She really cheered us up when the earthquake struck.”<br />
<br />
There were many other touching scenes in the pre-production
footage that Kenji showed the It's Not Just Mud crew when he stayed with them in October, and it's great to see the wonderful final product. As Jamie of
INJM puts it "If you have been to Tohoku post disaster on any kind of
relief mission, this video is relevant to you. Feel free to share." <br />
<br />
It's only 7 minutes, but definitely worth watching. I'd recommend having a box of tissues handy nonetheless.<br />
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<i><b>Update: Since the video was pulled from YouTube by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York due to copyright infringement, despite the wish of the director for the video to find as large an audience as possible, we have embedded a version shared on a Japanese video sharing site below. Please check it out. </b></i><br />
<br />
<center><script src="http://ext.nicovideo.jp/thumb_watch/sm16388428" type="text/javascript">
</script><noscript>&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#8221;http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm16388428&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#8243;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;【ニコニコ動画】【転載】We Will Always Remember You&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</noscript></center> </div>
Here is an earlier video also by Kenji Araki filmed on March 17th, and conveys a message of support and solidarity for Japan. Ice T and Robin Williams also make appearances in the film. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/24017903?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://vimeo.com/24017903">Rise Again, Japan!</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user4491104">Kenji</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>Michael Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02227347916417185845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-71463447781924802532011-12-01T19:24:00.000+09:002011-12-05T19:33:02.973+09:00Please fill in the Survey on tokyo hazard vulnerability and preparation<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6035/6214226228_4cfddf5d89_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6035/6214226228_4cfddf5d89_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relief supplies for Minamisoma - During delivery by Rescue Japan</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title">
<a href="http://sarajeans-notes.blogspot.com/2011/11/survey-gathering-information-related-to.html">Please fill in the Survey on tokyo hazard vulnerability and preparation</a>
</h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
This survey aims to gather information related to disaster preparedness
from residents in Tokyo targeting 4 Wards (Edogawa, Koto, Meguro and
Minato)<br />
<br />
It focuses on the following hazards Floods, Tropical storms and Typhoons, Water scarcity, Fire, Extreme heat, Extreme cold.<br />
<br />
Fill in the form here: <br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGVBWVFMNkUxZFdFeVRDdnlRb1VpV3c6MA" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/<wbr></wbr>spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=<wbr></wbr>dGVBWVFMNkUxZFdFeVRDdnlRb1VpV3<wbr></wbr>c6MA</a> <br />
<br />
Results will be used for a presentation in December and essays to be
completed by the New Year. Basic data will be posted in mid December
(http://sarajeans-notes.blogspot.com/)<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3 class="post-title entry-title">
<a href="http://sarajeans-notes.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-post_29.html">東京の災害に対する脆弱性とその防災意識調査</a>
</h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
Please share this link for the J survey on hazard preparedness:<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFdZM29ONllzNVdsLWg5cHNRcU1jR2c6MA">https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFdZM29ONllzNVdsLWg5cHNRcU1jR2c6MA</a><br />
<div>
<h1>
東京の災害に対する脆弱性とその防災意識調査</h1>
</div>
こ
の調査は、国連大学の災害と人道援助のコースの履修生によって行われています。東京都民の災害に対する防災意識についての情報を収集しております。洪水、
熱帯性暴風雨、台風、水不足、火災、猛暑、厳しい寒さといった天候に起因する災害に焦点を絞ってご質問させていただきます。
お近くにお住まいの地域の方々にもこのアンケートに答えてくださるようお誘いいただければ幸いです。東京の住民のウェブサイトにもお載せいたします。<br />
<br />
お時間を取らせていただいて恐縮ですが、よろしくお願いいたします。<br />
<br />Michael Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02227347916417185845noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-12427773079986478612011-11-05T17:08:00.003+09:002011-11-05T17:27:52.991+09:00It's Not Just Mud<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmAnyPR977kThsUBpZVpG6sAxEPW7F0AfIa_XVdZzgJ8ZrJs9J5KarqT-_mRcr6S4s5Tjly_dRU4ckBDo3xdtdgaLXzFXfwy_L5lzKLfI1dziOVjHLnlxw4nTFo8F1GfUDwyfC9QCt4gc/s1600/INJM-mud_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmAnyPR977kThsUBpZVpG6sAxEPW7F0AfIa_XVdZzgJ8ZrJs9J5KarqT-_mRcr6S4s5Tjly_dRU4ckBDo3xdtdgaLXzFXfwy_L5lzKLfI1dziOVjHLnlxw4nTFo8F1GfUDwyfC9QCt4gc/s640/INJM-mud_640.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">INJM Working on a landslide-relief project in Onagawa town.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEa6lOR2Z7OElMa_DvQ9yKBhv8YzerxkA8RCe6jNRvFe8JIIqR3FqkxUSRKf_DaSwbqn0HZ89NZseqTLwSVmCUS9bd9nrJQM2PB3i4j6HzYrL_pn6WMDSejfFLGGdqGt8Y1MyohyphenhyphenTAl0S/s1600/INJM_Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEa6lOR2Z7OElMa_DvQ9yKBhv8YzerxkA8RCe6jNRvFe8JIIqR3FqkxUSRKf_DaSwbqn0HZ89NZseqTLwSVmCUS9bd9nrJQM2PB3i4j6HzYrL_pn6WMDSejfFLGGdqGt8Y1MyohyphenhyphenTAl0S/s640/INJM_Logo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 24pt;"></span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;">This is one of the groups in Tohoku that has played
gracious host to Foreign Volunteers Japan members on several visits up to Tohoku so far. The group was originally
formed in the famous "Tent City" in Ishinomaki, that ran from
mid-March until September 30th, on the grounds of Senshu University in
Ishinomaki.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;">The founder of the group, Jamie El-Banna, is known as the
go-to-guy for information regarding local conditions in Ishinomaki. He has worked
closely on projects with the British Chamber of Commerce, Ishinomaki 2.0,
Samaritan's Purse, and several others. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDC5RbxZO6vBvuHcyzvqHWWRp92V_spPsKy8mdp0_nVur8yqY0M0o6y-abGTUL-561UdGpOIIf9dIC9nwJZSkMr8_hKEhmGc64UZFPo54ToKcHaLKOKNt1ROZRf3vJvEAFJWQEStFbzba/s1600/INJM_Blog_Jamie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDC5RbxZO6vBvuHcyzvqHWWRp92V_spPsKy8mdp0_nVur8yqY0M0o6y-abGTUL-561UdGpOIIf9dIC9nwJZSkMr8_hKEhmGc64UZFPo54ToKcHaLKOKNt1ROZRf3vJvEAFJWQEStFbzba/s400/INJM_Blog_Jamie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamie (far right) welcoming a new group of volunteers to INJM HQ.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;">While working in Osaka, Jamie travelled out to
Higashi-Matsushima on a volunteer trip in mid May. Although that was well after
the initial rescue phase of the tsunami relief efforts, the level of
devastation and unmet needs of the refugees that Jamie encountered, made him
realize that there was still tremendous amounts of work that had to be done for
the relief efforts. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;">After returning to Osaka, he didn't feel right settling
back down in the city. There was still so much to be done in the
tsunami-affected regions. After a few weeks, he made the dramatic decision to
quit his job, sublet his apartment, and moved out to Tent City in Ishinomaki. That
was where the core organizational group behind the It's Not Just Mud project
was formed. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6056/6272139779_7f13e8eca7_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6056/6272139779_7f13e8eca7_z.jpg" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-term volunteer Manish already muddy by 10:00am.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;">The name for the project of course, comes from the
initial challenge facing anyone getting involved with post-tsunami clean-up and
relief work. Not only did the devastating force of the tsunami destroy</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> much of what it came into contact with, it also covered nearly everything
else with a thick layer of toxic, bacteria-breeding, noxious and thick mud. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Much of the
clean-up efforts have been focused on removing this mud… but, as Jamie puts it
"<b>it’s not just mud</b>. It's about the people who are living through
this terrible tragedy, and helping them get back to a normal life." </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Although the
early days of the project revolved around clean-up projects coordinated through
local volunteer centers, INJM has since expanded their projects. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As of the end
of September, the It's Not Just Mud project has now moved into two neighboring
houses in the Watanoha district of Ishinomaki. Impressed by their volunteer
activities, the houses were actually offered to the group by refugees who had been
able to move to another district of the city. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6214596060_b095857b7d_z.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half-restored INJM house in late-September</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6214596060_b095857b7d_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">When the group
first moved in, the first floor of both houses were hollowed-out. The walls and
floors had been badly damaged, festering sludge under the floors, and rotting
insulation in the walls all needed to be extracted, and shattered windows
needed to be boarded up. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Over the last
two months, Jamie's group has worked on-top of their other volunteer projects
to restore the house to working shape. By the end of September they had
floorboards and walls extracted, and removed the tsunami sludge. Soon after
that they put up new walls and floorboards (generously provided by Samaritan's
Purse), as well as restoring the water and gas. By early October they replaced the
electrical sockets, and soon will have a water heater installed. Even without
the water heater, Jamie explained that volunteers are able to visit the local
temporary hot-springs facilities for a hot bath. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3K6v-_MokL4uHp21Fuoc_9kLtIpWHISHNfBy18r_YG-Bq0GrtIm9K2lWnmXE1s9Mj3l0DFGapNunMTLWvgB61k6qN8JNvTCIJh40g7gvcXluqMmI1DS7l6ILrHopUQboTORiG7b1qqXC/s1600/knock-down-wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3K6v-_MokL4uHp21Fuoc_9kLtIpWHISHNfBy18r_YG-Bq0GrtIm9K2lWnmXE1s9Mj3l0DFGapNunMTLWvgB61k6qN8JNvTCIJh40g7gvcXluqMmI1DS7l6ILrHopUQboTORiG7b1qqXC/s320/knock-down-wall.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knocking down a wall on a recent project.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;">As for the specific projects of INJM, here are their
current four main aims: </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Encouraging
volunteering – They do this by offering assistance in coming in terms of
advice and logistical support.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Salvaging homes in
the Ishinomaki area – In many cases, only the ground floor of the home was
flooded, and in some cases soaked in sea water for up to three days.
Months later, the building materials are waterlogged and rotting, and must
be removed. This means removing the walls, ceiling, insulation, and
flooring, then the 3-5cm layer of mud that is under everything.<br />
Normally, this kind of work would be undertaken by a professional builder,
but because of the enormous number of damaged homes, the waiting list to
get a professional builder is extremely long, and the process is costly. They
work with experienced volunteers (several of which are trained builders)
to perform this manual labor and gut houses, taking them one step closer
to being liveable. <br />
For some families, they have been living on the second floor of their
damaged home for months, passing through the rotting and hazardous first
floor daily. Making it safe and clean is a significant improvement for
these people.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Salvaging homes
further afield – INJM work with both local groups in central Ishinomaki
and in more remote areas of the region. They have identified the need for
this kind of service in towns across the Oshika Peninsula.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Pゴシック"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Delivering fresh fruit and vegetables to areas that don’t have access
to such things. Now that the Winter is coming, INJM has begun focusing on the
distribution of Winter coats, kerosene heaters, and running a 'kerosene pickup
and delivery service' for residents of refugee shelters and temporary housing
units without access to a car. </span></li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6113/6272160967_ab224363eb_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6113/6272160967_ab224363eb_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">INJM volunteers helping a local sake-shop owner restore her business. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A popular aspect of the group, is the members' great sense of humor, and
the openness to new volunteers. The INJM page documents various F.U.Es. Those
are the "Frequently Used Excuses" that unfortunately have been
preventing many potential volunteers from making the short trip to Ishinomaki. Here
are the official F.U.E from the INJM webpage: </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-align: left;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h1>
<span lang="EN-US">F.U.E – Frequently Used Excuses</span></h1>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">Below you can find some of the most common reasons people
use to not come. They all have a valid basis, but after reading below, I think
you’ll find that in actual fact, there’s nothing to worry about!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I’m
worried I’ll find something really scary in the rubble!!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"> The Self Defense Force has cleared most of the large
debris in Ishinomaki. Most of the work we do is clearing mud that is 2-4cm
thick from homes and properties. You might find something that is emotionally
troubling, for example people’s personal belongings or photographs, but it is
unlikely you’ll find something truly troubling with the kind of work we do.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I don’t
have any experience!!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Everyone
has to start somewhere! You will always have someone experienced working with
you who can answer your questions and tell you what to do and how to do it.
It’s not too difficult, and after a day you’ll quickly learn what needs to be
done, and will be able to teach new volunteers yourself.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I’m not
very strong!!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">You
won’t be asked to do anything you can’t do. Some jobs do require strength, but
if you aren’t cut out for that, there are plenty of things you can do. Plenty
of women and older people work with us!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I don’t
have any equipment!!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">All
the professional building equipment will be provided. <a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/?page_id=997" title="Want to Volunteer? Just do it.">Please look here for what you should
bring!</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I can’t
book a bus, I don’t read Kanji!!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Contact
us with your dates and we can arrange someone to do that for you.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I don’t
speak Japanese/English!!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">That’s
OK! On the work site we will always make sure you understand what you’re
supposed to be doing, and there are plenty of people around who can help out if
you don’t understand. </span></div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">If you would be
interested in joining the INJM project, please feel free to contact Jamie
directly at: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">jamie[AT]itsnotjustmud[DOT]com</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Their </span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: small;"><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/">webpage</a>: </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEa6lOR2Z7OElMa_DvQ9yKBhv8YzerxkA8RCe6jNRvFe8JIIqR3FqkxUSRKf_DaSwbqn0HZ89NZseqTLwSVmCUS9bd9nrJQM2PB3i4j6HzYrL_pn6WMDSejfFLGGdqGt8Y1MyohyphenhyphenTAl0S/s400/INJM_Logo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.itsnotjustmud.com/">Http://www.itsnotjustmud.com</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">Or visit their
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ItsNotJustMud">Facebook fan group </a>to ask for more information: </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ItsNotJustMud"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: small;">http://www.facebook.com/ItsNotJustMud</span></a></div>karaoke.mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03803710302191709402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-63806803758658775902011-10-07T15:55:00.001+09:002011-10-07T15:55:25.229+09:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZOuvR3y75S-qS5OrupXeNNlKv5LZEGuqECyFGtgU0133AII5YteAFJmSezB-uT_-cy_0RWzdpC0agaG9WSsWiaO3USMGNQuzDl16V3j943lnXBpcJeHYwPBCnsXarFvo8-LO3eNnNa9S/s1600/Coats-for-Kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZOuvR3y75S-qS5OrupXeNNlKv5LZEGuqECyFGtgU0133AII5YteAFJmSezB-uT_-cy_0RWzdpC0agaG9WSsWiaO3USMGNQuzDl16V3j943lnXBpcJeHYwPBCnsXarFvo8-LO3eNnNa9S/s640/Coats-for-Kids.jpg" width="494" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Foreign Volunteers Japan has begun campaigning with Kanto-based International Schools to collect coats for children affected by the disaster in Tohoku, who will soon be facing a harsh Winter. If you work at, or are involved with a school that might be interested in getting involved, please feel free to contact us at foreignvolunteersjapan (at) gmail (dot) com. <br /><br />The initial campaign will be centered around allowing students to help students, but will soon to expanding to a larger campaign for collecting halogen and kerosene heaters, heat pads, heated blankets, and other Winter essentials, depending on local needs and requests in the Temporary Housing communities across the Tohoku coastal area.<br /><br />Please stay tuned and further details will be posted as the campaign evolves. <br /><br />Thank you sincerely for your support! </div>
<br />karaoke.mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03803710302191709402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-62374711894564438602011-10-03T18:45:00.000+09:002011-10-03T18:45:02.002+09:00Foreign Volunteers Japan - Face To Face<div class="section-main-body"> <div class="l"> <div class="r"> <div class="section-content"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXClf0ebQYhybertq3Sf4qlVuP-PsnDsfpZ8HUtZxPsM1j38eA_h4wzn2JMoZYKDu2wRWmoKJwIt6OT_xx4H_itHnLtb_0dbap4Iszpu0l6kfLcqwr15p0RoZ27LfZ_IRGbdQmrhf5SHM/s1600/FVJ_Face-to-face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXClf0ebQYhybertq3Sf4qlVuP-PsnDsfpZ8HUtZxPsM1j38eA_h4wzn2JMoZYKDu2wRWmoKJwIt6OT_xx4H_itHnLtb_0dbap4Iszpu0l6kfLcqwr15p0RoZ27LfZ_IRGbdQmrhf5SHM/s640/FVJ_Face-to-face.jpg" width="504" /></a></div><h1>Foreign Volunteers Japan - Face To Face</h1><div class="description summary"> Come and enjoy an evening of fantastic music and guest speakers, whilst raising money for Tohoku. We welcome everyone interested in learning more about volunteerism. It is also an opportunity for FVJ and other NPO/NGO volunteers to meet face to face beyond the confines of Facebook.<br />
<br />
Let's come together and discuss the successes, failures, joys, frustrations and aspirations of all those trying to help the survivors of March 11th.<br />
<br />
Admission fee is 2000 yen (includes 1 drink).<br />
Tickets available at the door.<br />
<br />
<strong>ALL MONEY RAISED BY THE EVENT WILL GO TOWARDS TO PROJECTS IN TOHOKU.</strong><br />
<br />
Musicians:<br />
*Zazushii Monkey*<br />
*The Dead Flower Children Unplugged*<br />
*TK*<br />
*Chris Grundy*<br />
<br />
Access:<br />
Biervana<br />
Prudential Tower 1F, 2-13-10 Nagatacho,<br />
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 〒100-0014<br />
<br />
Akasaka Mitsuke Station<br />
Exit 11 (Sanno-shita District Gate) 1 min<br />
<br />
Akasaka Station<br />
Exit 1 (5 min)<br />
<br />
Nagatacho Station<br />
Exit 8 (2 min)<br />
<br />
Tameike-sanno Station<br />
Exit 8 (2 min)<br />
</div><div class="description summary"></div><div class="description summary">Advanced-Tickets available via Wazoo:<br />
<br />
http://www.wazoo.jp/events/open/469<br />
<br />
For further enquiries contact <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="mailto:foreignvolunteersjapan@gmail.com">foreignvolunteersjapan@gmail.com</a></span></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-43929657056580698942011-09-26T15:53:00.004+09:002011-09-26T16:26:30.759+09:00Collating listing of NPO/NGOs focused on longterm Tohoku Recovery.<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sarajean Rossitto of <a href="http://japanvolunteers.wordpress.com/">JapanVolunteers </a>is currently compiling an updated listing of organizations focused on the longterm relief and recovery of the Tohoku region. </span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">She is compiling the list on her JapanVolunteers NGO advisory blog, under the heading "<a href="http://sarajeans-notes.blogspot.com/2011/09/your-help-needed-tohoku-relief-and.html">Your help needed - Tohoku relief and recovery org listing."</a>I have taken the liberty of reposting the tentative listing here as well. </span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you see any missing links, or any other groups that you feel should be included. Please feel free to comment directly on her blog, or to post your comments here and I will share them with her. </span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Please send the names of the organizations in English and Japanese if possible, and include any relevant links to their webpage, or a bio of their activities if available.</span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">The tentative list is as follows: </span></h3><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 12pt; margin: 0.1pt 0mm; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">ADRA Japan NPO</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">法人 アドラ・ジャパン(</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">ADRA Japan</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoHyperlink">http://www.adrajpn.org</span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"> </span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">NPO Aichi-net </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">愛知ネット</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">Association for Aid and Relief, Japan</span></u></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">難民を助ける会</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">URL: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.aarjapan.gr.jp/">http://www.aarjapan.gr.jp/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">AMDA - formerly Association of Medical Doctors of Asia</span></u></b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">特定非営利活動法人 </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">AMDA (</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">元アジア医師連絡協議会</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">URL: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.amdainternational.com/">http://www.amdainternational.com/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">Care International Japan </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">公益財団法人 ケア・インターナショナル ジャパン</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoHyperlink">http://www.careintjp.org</span> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">CRASH volunteers</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.crashjapan.com/">http://www.crashjapan.com/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoHyperlink">FOREIGN VOLUNTEERS JAPAN</span><b><u> </u></b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">Good Neighbors Japan </span></u></b><b><u>グッドネーバーズジャパン</u></b></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">URL: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.gnjp.org/campaign/emgcy_2011tohoku.html">http://www.gnjp.org/campaign/emgcy_2011tohoku.html</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">Hope International Development Agency</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">Hope World Wide</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">The Japan Asian Association and Asian Friendship Society</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">アジア協会アジア友の会</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoHyperlink">http://www.jafs.or.jp</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">Japan EQ Animal Rescue and Support JEARS </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">JEN </span></u></b><b><u>ジェン</u></b></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">URL: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.jen-npo.org/contribute/contribute.html">http://www.jen-npo.org/</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">MDMJ Medecins du Monde Japan / Doctors of the World</span></u></b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u>特定非営利活動法人メドゥサン・デュ・モンド ジャポン</u></b></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">URL: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.mdm.or.jp/">http://www.mdm.or.jp/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">MSF Japan: Medecins sans Frontieres / Doctors Without Borders Japan</span></u></b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>特定非営利活動法人国境なき医師団日本 </b></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">URL: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.msf.or.jp/">http://www.msf.or.jp/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">Nippon International Cooperation Community Development NICCO </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">社)日本国際民間協力会</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"> (NICCO)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoHyperlink">http://www.kyoto-nicco.org/</span></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">Online donation in Japanese </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://kyoto-nicco.org/give/">http://kyoto-nicco.org/give/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">Nippon Volunteer Network Active in Disaster, Inc. </span></u></b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">(</span></u></b><b><u>特</u></b><b><u><span lang="EN-US">)</span></u></b><b><u>日本災害救援ボランティアネットワーク(NVNAD)</u></b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
URL </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.nvnad.or.jp/">http://www.nvnad.or.jp/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">O.G.A. for AID</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">PARCIC</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">Peace Winds Japan</span></u></b><b><u>ピース</u></b><b><u> </u></b><b><u>ウィンズ・ジャパン</u></b></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">URL: http://www.peace-winds.org/</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">Peace Boat </span></u></b><b><u>ピースボート</u></b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u>http://www.peaceboat.org/relief </u></b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">Rescue stockyard </span></u></b><b><u>レスキューストックヤード</u></b></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.rsy-nagoya.com/rsy/">http://www.rsy-nagoya.com/rsy/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Rescue Japan</span></b></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.rescuejapan.asia/">http://www.rescuejapan.asia/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US">Save the Children Japan</span></u></b><b><u>セーブ・ザ・チルドレン子ども基金</u></b></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">URL: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.savechildren.or.jp/">http://www.savechildren.or.jp/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Shanti Volunteer Association </span></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">公益社団法人シャンティ国際ボランティア会</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://sva.or.jp/global/">http://sva.or.jp/global/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Uniken, Japan Universal Design Research Institute:(Japanese only)</span></b></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.npo-uniken.org/shinsai_busshi.html">http://www.npo-uniken.org/shinsai_busshi.html</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">World Vision Japan </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">ワールド・ビジョン・ジャパン</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoHyperlink">http://www.worldvision.jp/</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i><u><span lang="EN-US">NETWORK organizations</span></u></i></b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">They have links with information on the hundreds of other groups involved:</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Japan Civil Net </span></b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;">– Network of the groups working on the Japan EQ/tsunami relief efforts</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.jpn-civil.net/about_us/groups.html">http://www.jpn-civil.net/about_us/groups.html</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Japan NPO Center</span></b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"> – a nation wide network of Japan-based local nonprofits and volunteer groups</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.jnpoc.ne.jp/?p=985">http://www.jnpoc.ne.jp/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">JANIC –Japan Association of NGOs in International Cooperation</span></b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"> – a network of Japanese NGOs that are involved in international development work</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.janic.org/">http://www.janic.org/</a></span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Japan Platform</span></b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"> – Network of Japanese NGOs engaged in emergency and relief work</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.japanplatform.org/E/work/index.html">http://www.japanplatform.org/E/work/index.html</a></span></li>
</ul>Michael Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02227347916417185845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-22708318696934707372011-09-24T03:34:00.000+09:002011-09-24T03:34:19.281+09:00Romeo for Tohoku (Aroma Rich Juliet contest – I need your vote!)<h1 class="entry-title"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author">Posted on behalf of hard-working Tohoku Volunteer</span><a href="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/?p=2799" rel="bookmark" title="3:34 am"><span class="entry-date"></span></a><span class="meta-sep"></span> Dean Newcombe, in support of his work with Intrepid Model Adventures and their long-term volunteer project in Ishinomaki: </span></h1><span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/?author=1" title="View all posts by Dean Newcombe"></a></span><div class="entry-meta"> </div><div class="entry-content"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-2800" height="200" src="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Voting-Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Voting - Copy" width="218" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://aroma-rich-romeo.jp/profile/dean.html</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">Romeo and Juliet. We all know the story, but perhaps most of us don’t get the chance to be labeled as ‘Romeo’! That’s exactly where I have found myself though.</span></div><div align="LEFT"><br />
</div><div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">Living in Japan has granted me many opportunities, and many of them very surreal. I certainly didn’t expect to be standing as 1 of 8 gentlemen hoping to become the image of Romeo here in the land of the rising sun, and further more, I didn’t realise how passionate I would become at taking the 1<sup>st</sup> prize!</span></div><div align="LEFT"><br />
</div><div align="LEFT"><a href="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Voting-Copy-2.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2802" height="274" src="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Voting-Copy-2-1024x876.jpg" title="Voting - Copy (2)" width="320" /></a><a href="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Voting.jpg"><br />
</a></div><div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">Agencies searched Tokyo for talents that stood out, who did something a little bit special. Guys who present sport on TV, guys who perform magic and dance, but I had other ideas…to further establish the ‘<a href="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/?page_id=1538" target="_blank" title="2011 Tōhoku Earthquake & Tsunami – Relief Work">Volunteer / Model’</a>!</span></div><div align="LEFT"><br />
</div><div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">What I do – <a href="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/?p=2612" target="_blank" title="A Day in the Life of ‘The Intrepid Model’ – Volunteering in Tohoku, Japan">A Day in the Life if The Intrepid Model…</a></span></div><div align="LEFT"><br />
</div><div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">So here I stand, the ‘Sweet Passionate Model’ (not self labeled I should state! <img alt=";)" class="wp-smiley" src="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif" /> ). I won’t be calling up to any balconies, or delivering romantic lines, but I will be doing something which I believe is much more important! I will be taking Romeo’s spotlight to Tohoku, and I will be showing what a modern Romeo would really stand for! I will <a href="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/?page_id=1654" target="_blank" title="Support Intrepid Model Adventures Here">donate</a> all the money I get from winning this contest to those in Tohoku!</span></div><div align="LEFT"><br />
</div><div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">If you believe in this cause…</span></div><ol><li> <div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">Visit – <a href="http://aroma-rich-romeo.jp/profile/dean.html">http://aroma-rich-romeo.jp/profile/dean.html</a> – From anywhere in the world you can register a vote. You don’t need to speak Japanese. Just hit the gold button and when the box with Twitter and Facebook links comes up, you have voted. Thank you!</span></div></li>
<li> <div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">Visit – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126479670783802">https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126479670783802</a> – This is the event on Facebook and has more information. Join the group and invite others explaining why they should care.</span></div></li>
<li> <div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">Keep voting. This is not a one off, you can vote daily! Each device you have and each browser (Firefox, Chrome, Explorer) can register a vote, and I need them all.</span></div></li>
<li> <div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">Spread the word in any other way you can, and let me know that your there supporting me so I can thank you personally!</span></div><div align="LEFT"> </div></li>
</ol><div align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: small;">Against all the odds, can the Volunteer Model pull this off? With your help…yes!</span></div><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2803" style="width: 566px;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-2803" height="408" src="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/110902-FASHIONISTA-PRESHOW-100-1024x750.jpg" title="110902-FASHIONISTA-PRESHOW-100" width="556" /><div class="wp-caption-text">Fashionista's Romeo - By Nathan Berry of ECA Photography - Tokyo 2011</div></div><br />
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2805" style="width: 241px;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-2805" height="360" src="http://www.intrepidmodeladventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_3946-659x1024.jpg" title="IMG_3946" width="231" /><div class="wp-caption-text">Modern Day Romeo By Anatole Papafilipou of Moonlight Studios, Hiroki Takeru of Studio 47 and Chanyn Kirtman of Chanyn Cheree Styling - Tokyo 2011</div></div><br />
See more from <a href="http://ecaphoto.net/news/aroma-rich-romeo/" target="_blank">ECA photography</a>.<br />
See more from <a href="http://www.moonlightstudio.me/" target="_blank">Moonlight Photography</a><br />
See more from <a href="http://chanyncheree.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chanyn Cheree Styling</a><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-72621012292463597712011-08-20T20:18:00.001+09:002011-08-20T20:20:12.769+09:00Reflections and Narratives of Relief Work for Japan<div class="sites-layout-tile sites-tile-name-header"><div dir="ltr"><i><span style="font-size: small;">* </span><span class="announcementsPostTimestamp" id="afterPageTitleHideDuringEdit">by David H. Slater </span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The measure, experience and meaning of a “disaster” is in large part a function of the relief that is, or is not, provided to those in need. </span></i></span></div><div dir="ltr"><br />
</div></div><span style="font-size: small;">Focus: This is an open call for short (less than 700 words) pieces on the topic of relief and volunteer activities around the events collectively known as 3.11. We understand “relief” to include a wide range of support: from asking for donations on the street corners of London to digging mud in Ishinomaki; from running up food supplies to Fukushima to housing displaced kids in Kyoto; from fighting the April snows to the August rains; from acting as a part-time counselor to victims to leading corporate social responsibility programs at multi-national companies. Japanese and foreigners, students and adults, professionals and amateurs, practitioners and volunteers of any sort are welcome here.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Send your entries NOW in attached MSWord files to: 311reliefnarratives@gmail.com<br />
<br />
Goal: We want to document the relief effort as it is going on. At a time when 3.11 has been largely pushed out of the news cycle, even in Japan, even though huge amounts of work still need to be done, one of our goals is to let others know about the work being done, the work you have done, and maybe the work still needing to be done. This is direct and maybe intimate, but it is not voyeurism. It is also not promotion for a single group, but please feel free to tell us the groups you are working with. <br />
<br />
There is a strategic element to this call: to spread the word, to encourage others to contribute, to keep it going. <br />
<br />
<i><b>The single biggest reason that people do not volunteer is that they do not really know what it involves. Let's tell them. </b></i><br />
<br />
Format: These pieces must be short (less than 700 words) and to the point, vivid and direct, taking a single aspect of relief that can be captured and made meaningful in this format. No footnotes or bibliographies, but you could include links. The format is somewhere between an essay and a blog entry: it is shorter and more informal than an essay, but more focused on a particular topic or aspect than a blog entry. <br />
<br />
Source: Your topic can be based on some sort of local practice, but your piece should be directed to a wider audience, beyond your academic discipline or professional context. First-person narratives are very welcome. This is a chance to digest and present some parts of your experience in ways that communicate to others. It could be sad or funny, desperate or hopeful--all important parts of the relief experience. <br />
<br />
Time-frame: If at all possible, review your older notes so we can include something from the earlier months: clearly, working in April was much different from working in August. Send both. <br />
<br />
Your entry: We ask you to do your best to present a finished copy, but we will have the resources to proof-read your work when necessary. Japanese or English are both welcome. We encourage non-native English speakers to write something in English, and we can give it a “native check.” <br />
<br />
Collective Product: In the end, we will collect, proof-read and present your entries digitally. Pending some more funding, we will translate Japanese into English and English into Japanese. We are now arranging for newspapers, journals, universities, relief sites, and others to feature your work and offer links to your work. We will have a web-designer—not me—to make your good work accessible to others. <br />
<br />
Clearly, we cannot tell the “whole story’ in 700 words: our intent is to provide enough different pieces to allow readers to understand some of the range and complexity behind disaster and relief. <br />
<br />
Note: <b><i>Multiple submissions from the same author are welcome. </i></b>Selections from larger pieces are also fine (and might be a good way to draw attention to other related projects). You can use your blog entries if they are suitable or any other source that does not violate copyright.<br />
<br />
Deadline: October 1st. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<h3 align="left" id="sites-page-title-header"><span dir="ltr" id="sites-page-title">Check Out Some Others' Sample Entries Here</span> </h3><span class="announcementsPostTimestamp" id="afterPageTitleHideDuringEdit"> posted <span dir="ltr">Oct 19, 2009 10:41 PM</span> by David H. Slater <span class="updatedTime" id="sites-announcement-updated-time"> [ updated <span dir="ltr">Aug 10, 2011 2:52 AM</span> ] </span> </span> <br />
<div class="sites-canvas-main" id="sites-canvas-main"><div id="sites-canvas-main-content"><table cellspacing="0" class="sites-layout-name-one-column sites-layout-hbox"><tbody>
<tr><td class="sites-layout-tile sites-tile-name-content-1"><div dir="ltr"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: medium;"><b>Here are some examples of others' experiences. As you can see, they are of vary different styles and focus--which is just what we want. Of course, since all of your expereinces are different, your entries will be different also. </b></span></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></div><div class="" id="COMP_page-attachments"><div class="sites-canvas-bottom-panel-wrapper" id="sites-attachment-wrapper"><h3><b>Attachments (4)</b> </h3><div class="sites-attachment-inner"><ul id="JOT_ATTACH_container"><li class="sites-attach-icon-page" id="JOT_ATTACH_container_wuid:gx:f519a26c77ca823"> <span dir="ltr">Approaching a house.rtf</span> - on Aug 8, 2011 4:04 AM by David H. Slater (version 1) <br />
<span style="word-spacing: 3px;"> <span class="sites-text-secondary"> 3k </span> <a dir="ltr" href="https://sites.google.com/site/japanreliefnarratives2/project-updates/onelastrally/Approachingahouse.rtf?attredirects=0&d=1">Download</a> </span> </li>
<li class="sites-attach-icon-page" id="JOT_ATTACH_container_wuid:gx:72ceaba3617d700"> <span dir="ltr">Fieldnotes from Iwanuma.rtf</span> - on Aug 8, 2011 4:13 AM by David H. Slater (version 1) <br />
<span style="word-spacing: 3px;"> <span class="sites-text-secondary"> 11k </span> <a dir="ltr" href="https://sites.google.com/site/japanreliefnarratives2/project-updates/onelastrally/FieldnotesfromIwanuma.rtf?attredirects=0&d=1">Download</a> </span> </li>
<li class="sites-attach-icon-doc" id="JOT_ATTACH_container_wuid:gx:e43ed3cf9b5ee5e"> <span dir="ltr">Unstable Ground.doc</span> - on Aug 8, 2011 3:30 AM by David H. Slater (version 1) <br />
<span style="word-spacing: 3px;"> <span class="sites-text-secondary"> 28k </span> <a dir="ltr" href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxqYXBhbnJlbGllZm5hcnJhdGl2ZXMyfGd4OmU0M2VkM2NmOWI1ZWU1ZQ" target="_blank">View</a> <a dir="ltr" href="https://sites.google.com/site/japanreliefnarratives2/project-updates/onelastrally/UnstableGround.doc?attredirects=0&d=1">Download</a> </span> </li>
<li class="sites-attach-icon-doc" id="JOT_ATTACH_container_wuid:gx:b4a40a9a80149e"> <span dir="ltr">What I saw in Tohoku.doc</span> - on Aug 8, 2011 3:41 AM by David H. Slater (version 1) <br />
<span style="word-spacing: 3px;"> <span class="sites-text-secondary"> 29k </span> <a dir="ltr" href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxqYXBhbnJlbGllZm5hcnJhdGl2ZXMyfGd4OmI0YTQwYTlhODAxNDll" target="_blank">View</a> <a dir="ltr" href="https://sites.google.com/site/japanreliefnarratives2/project-updates/onelastrally/WhatIsawinTohoku.doc?attredirects=0&d=1">Download</a> </span> </li>
</ul></div></div></div><br />
More information can be found directly at the project page:<br />
https://sites.google.com/site/japanreliefnarratives2/<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">David H. Slater is an associate professor of cultural anthropology at Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan. He has been active in the relief effort from the start. He has also been collecting narratives and reflections from volunteers, and now wants to put them together and bring them higher profile. <br />
<br />
You can find out more about him here: <br />
http://www.fla.sophia.ac.jp/academics/professors/slaterdavid<br />
http://www.facebook.com/#!/david.h.slater<br />
<br />
Please feel free to contact him with questions or suggestions for improvement directly at: dhslater@gmail.com</span>Michael Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02227347916417185845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-47301796022214958092011-08-18T15:32:00.000+09:002011-08-18T15:32:48.579+09:00Smiles & Dreams: Tohoku Kids Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSX2wXMbnxw8syEpZRjKAKJo-U_YW0GY_l9xXzAhHnyLBnrrDwfn9pURUuHjFh01XKCNl-E0srluwUu7taKLJ4W4u3jFbpoNprhstUanJdFbOYsPGWVFtY0uF0w-ZNexLK15sof03hIE9v/s1600/volunteerakita-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSX2wXMbnxw8syEpZRjKAKJo-U_YW0GY_l9xXzAhHnyLBnrrDwfn9pURUuHjFh01XKCNl-E0srluwUu7taKLJ4W4u3jFbpoNprhstUanJdFbOYsPGWVFtY0uF0w-ZNexLK15sof03hIE9v/s400/volunteerakita-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Hi my name is Paul Yoo, Co-founder of volunteerAKITA and The Fruit Tree Project (<a href="http://www.volunteerakita.org/" target="_blank">www.volunteerakita.org</a>). Along with our on-going activities, we are also involved in the “<strong>Smiles & Dreams:Tohoku Kids Project</strong>” led by Living Dreams/SmileKidsJapan (<a href="http://www.livingdreams.jp/" target="_blank">www.livingdreams.jp</a> and <a href="http://www.smilekidsjapan.org/" target="_blank">www.smilekidsjapan.org</a>). Right now, we are working as Home Communication Managers (HCMs) to two orphanages in the Sendai area. Our role is to act as contacts for the orphanages, and relay any needs they may have.<br />
<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>What we need right now</strong></span>: A boy, in his 3rd year of high school (his final year), at one of the orphanages we are in contact with, has become the first orphan there to ever express interest in going to college. He wants to attend Yamaguchi Hukushi Bunka Daigaku (University of Human Welfare and Culture) and study hoiku ka (child care). It is a four year program and the university will cover tuition for the first 2 years of the program, along with 50% of the 3rd and 4th years. Our goal is to raise<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>¥1,154,000</strong></span> which includes ¥970,000 in tuition costs for the 3rd and 4th years, along with an ¥184,000 mandatory insurance cost over 4 years.<br />
<br />
We are currently accepting PLEDGES to donate to this fund because he still needs to pass his college entrance exam. Once he does, we will move forward in collecting funds and transferring the money into an account that will be handled by the orphanage.<br />
<br />
We welcome any grants, scholarships, or personal donations to get this young man to college, and most importantly doing it without leaving him in debt after he finishes school, since in most cases, once an orphan has finished high school, he is on his own.<br />
<br />
It is truly inspiring that he plans to go to college and is the first from his orphanage to show interest in doing so. Successfully sending him to college would be such an amazing gift, and would inspire other orphans to follow in his footsteps, knowing that they too can receive a college education, and strive to become whatever they want to be in the future.<br />
<br />
If you have any questions regarding this proposal or can help us out, please contact me.<br />
<br />
Much Love,<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><strong>Paul Yoo</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><strong><br />
</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><strong><br />
</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><strong><br />
</strong></span><br />
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="text_exposed_show">Paul Yoo<br />
Co-Director </span></span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="text_exposed_show">volunteerAKITA / The Fruit Tree Project</span></span><strong>volunteerakita@gmail.com</strong><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br />
<a href="http://www.volunteerakita.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.volunteerakita.org</a></span></span></span></h6><br />
<h6><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></h6>karaoke.mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03803710302191709402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-41267343989939681002011-08-01T15:39:00.002+09:002011-08-01T15:47:33.127+09:00Aussie Beef<span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="meta-sep">*Written by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/?author=1" title="View all posts by Jamie">Jamie El-Banna</a></span></span><br />
<div class="entry-meta"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The day started quite differently to others, as I had the morning off. I had stuff to do in the afternoon, but was free in the morning. I opted to spend my free time catching up on emails, listening to some beats and enjoying the breeze from the sanctuary of the shade. And taking a dip in the river. I honestly can’t get enough of it. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I knew that all my friends back in Osaka would be hitting the beach today. Even though it’s an incredibly dirty beach, it made me feel a bit lonely. But swimming in the river and looking up at the blue sky made me feel a little bit better. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="more-851"></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I would be assisting at a 炊き出し (if you forgot, this is giving out food) and festival type event in Watanoha, which is in East Ishinomaki. I went with Chiyomi, Michi, “A-chan” and CKD. We got there a bit early so we looked around.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2600.jpg" rel="lightbox[851]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-837" height="224" src="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2600-300x224.jpg" title="Yuki-kun pounds Mochi" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This group was making <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochi" target="_blank" title="What's mochi?">mochi</a>, which is pretty fun.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> First the rice gets crushed by two people walking around in circles pressing it with the big mallets. After a while, one guy starts hitting it, while the other one puts it back into place. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So it’s <b>WHACK</b> reset <b>WHACK </b>reset. When pros do it, the guy resets it after each hit, and they have a good rhythm going on. When amateurs do it, they don’t reset it each time, because it’s just too dangerous. The mallet Yuki-kun used is still enough to break a finger or two, although maybe not with his strength. The one I used would do some serious damage.<br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As well as this, there was some live music, several food stalls, some stalls giving out clothes, shaved ice, and drinks.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I tried some mochi and shaved ice, but didn’t have anything else, as it was too hot for food! When I was pounding mochi I noticed one person looking at me very intently, and it turned out to be someone I had met about 3 weeks ago. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> She was surprised to hear I had been in the area the whole time (she had returned to Chiba, but came back for this event). The group started packing up at around 1/1:30, which is when the other groups arrived. They would be doing their 炊き出しand festival from 5.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I first heard about the activity going on here from <a href="http://foreignvolunteersjapan.org/" target="_blank" title="Foreign Volunteers in Japan... obviously">Foreign Volunteers Japan</a>. Their blog is updated with stuff they are involved in, but much more active is their<a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_189243007780487"> Facebook group.</a> They have created a great network of people who are eager to help Tohoku.Through this group I have got into contact with lots of very active people, and it’s been invaluable in the spreading of information. Anyway, <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/karaoke_mike" target="_blank" title="Mike Connolly on twitter">Mike Connolly</a> contacted me about helping out with a BBQ. He had, with the help of some contacts, been able to procure a large amount of <a href="http://www.aussiebeef.jp/b2c/" target="_blank" title="YUM">Aussie Beef</a>, in the shape of 200+ steaks. *drool*</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There were people from two groups here (not including FVJ), <a href="http://www.facebook.com/GraceCityRelief?ref=ts&sk=wall" target="_blank" title="Grace City Relief">Grace City Relief</a>, a church based group from Chiba and another group that GCR have some sort of connection to, <a href="http://helptohoku.org/">Help Tohoku</a> (in Japanese). There were a lot of high school kids from an International High School with them. It’s been AGES since I’ve talked to foreign teenagers, I forgot how funny they are. In some ways they seem more mature than their Japanese counterparts, in others ways less so, but they are just as amusing.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As we would just be frying steak, there was very little in the way of preparation to be done. Once the tent was up and BBQ in place, we had nothing to do, so helped out where we could.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2613.jpg" rel="lightbox[851]" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2609.jpg" rel="lightbox[851]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-839" height="224" src="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2609-300x224.jpg" title="Yo-yo" width="300" /></a></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">These are pretty typical Japanese Yo-yo’s, often found at festivals.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They are small water filled balloons with some elastic attached to the end. You make a loop in the elastic and put your finger through, and bounce it like a balloon.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2610.jpg" rel="lightbox[851]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-840" height="224" src="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2610-300x224.jpg" title="Balloons!" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You put the water into the balloon using the pump, then fill it with air. There you attack a small pink clasp and some elastic to it and then you’re done.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course, this is assuming you don’t get distracted by the huge temptation of spraying someone with water.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2611.jpg" rel="lightbox[851]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-852" height="224" src="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2611-300x224.jpg" title="Mischief has a face" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There was also a small raised area, upon which two drums were placed. Two girls would be playing the drums, as well as a very cool old man, who could dance while playing the drums.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2606.jpg" rel="lightbox[851]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-853" height="300" src="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2606-224x300.jpg" title="Taiko" width="224" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had a go as well, and failed miserably. But it was still fun!</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At around 3:30 Chiyomi and Michi had to go, so we dropped them back at the University, bought some cold drinks and returned.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There were a few people around, and there was a slight smell of steak in the air.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We had talked earlier about how best to serve the steak. We had agreed that it should be cut up, and we were going to skewer it and give it out that way, but we hadn’t decided how to cut the steak up.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So John had done a trial run. It was apparently not that easy to cut up the raw steak, but it was very easy to cut the cooked one, so that’s what we decided to do.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The system would be:</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<ul style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">John fries the steak</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">He gives it to me and I cut it up.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">I give it to CKD, who would put skewer them.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">A-chan would dip them in the sauce and pack them</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Micah (17-year-old American from Chiba) would help A-chan with the packaging, as well as constantly fanning the area to keep flies away.</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That last job sounds kind of dumb, but there was an immense amount of flies. I don’t think any other stand had the fly problem we did. Which just goes to show how tasty our steak was!</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All the while, Mike would be taking photos and just doing other stuff, I can’t be sure, because I was busy, but I’m sure he did something!</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Before things got heated, we took a group photo.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On an unrelated note, I really like the Aussie Beef logo. If you haven’t noticed, it’s a big A, but the centre of the A is a map of Australia. Very nice.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our steak was very popular. So much so that we had to stop serving it after 30 minutes, so that those who were going to come a bit later would also be able to have some.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I took this opportunity to wander around a bit. There was another group who came to play some music, although I have no idea where they were from .</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2615.jpg" rel="lightbox[851]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-843" height="224" src="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2615-300x224.jpg" title="Music" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I also went to see how the Yo-yo’s were coming along, and they seemed to be very popular indeed. I played with the kids a little bit, which was very fun. I ended up having a small water fight with one of them, but he was some sort of ninja genius, as he would sneak up on me and get me whenever my back was turned.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I’m so used to playing with young kids now, it’s so fun. I’m going to try and spend a bit more time doing that, if I can.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2620.jpg" rel="lightbox[851]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-844" height="300" src="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2620-224x300.jpg" title="Warning: Some kids are naughtier than they appear" width="224" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Others were less naughty.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2621.jpg" rel="lightbox[851]"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-845" height="300" src="http://itsnotjustmud.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2621-224x300.jpg" title="CUTEEEEEEE" width="224" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mike and I made a quick trip into town, to pick up two other people.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They had been volunteering with Peace Boat. I had got in contact with one of them through Twitter, and they also wanted to see what we were doing. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When we got back, the steak frying had restarted. And there was a very long queue (LINE) for it!</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Most of the other food stalls had run out, but because of our break in the middle, we were the last ones left serving food.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> The drumming was really good, and we couldn’t help but dance a bit while we worked. Much the amusement of the people in line, some of whom joined in a little. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">While I cut up meat, I chatted with the people in line, who were very friendly!</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I’ve mentioned it before, but I live in Osaka. The people there are known for being friendly, and speak in a dialect which is easily identifiable (many famous comedians are from Osaka). Not only that, the way they speak is very casual and maybe a bit rough sometimes. I learnt Japanese from speaking to people, and since I live in Osaka, my Japanese is heavily tinged with Osaka-ben (dialect).</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So to the old women queuing up, it was very amusing to see this foreigner dancing around cutting up steak, while making jokes and flirting with the 70-year-old grandmothers. A typical Osakan!</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eventually we ran out of food, but we made it so that everyone in the line was able to have some. Actually, most of the people at the end of the line were volunteers, one of whom was from <a href="http://maketheheaven.com/megumijapan/" target="_blank" title="Megumi">Megumi</a>, someone who I had met on my second day in Ishinomaki.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The BBQ had been a big hit. It was actually kind of a test run, to see how it would go down. I think there’ll be more Aussie Beef BBQ’s in the future, and I’m looking forward to helping out again.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I took a lot of nice videos at the festival, but as I have no access to a proper internet connection at the moment, uploading them isn’t currently viable. But when I can, I will!</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After everything was tidied, we left and attempted to go and take a bath at the Sento, but they were about to close, and wouldn’t let us go in (even for a quick shower! *stingy*).</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was around 9pm by now, and we were hot, sweaty, sunburnt, hungry (the steak was superrrrrr popular. No left overs!), and had nowhere to bathe.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So we did the only sensible thing to do in that situation, and went to McDonalds.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">While we were waiting for our order, someone called my name.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was George-san, who I had done Photo Cleaning with. We chatted for a bit and caught up on recent happenings. He was now working on a different project, but told me that the photo cleaning was still going on, although they often lack people.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A-chan showed an interest in the photo cleaning, so I told her that I would take her and CKD (they come as a set) there the next day.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As we left maccas (McDonalds), I thought about some of the people I’ve met here.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In one day, I had seen three people who I hadn’t seen for quite a while. I’ve been here long enough that I can now greet people with 久しぶり!- Hisashiburi (long time no see!) and mean it.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Which is kind of nice.<br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Poster Bio: Jamie El-Banna <br />
Jamie first took a trip up to Miyagi </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">prefecture for volunteering towards the end of May 2011. The trip left a deep impression on him. Shortly after returning to work in Osaka, he made the dramatic decision to resign from his job to become a full-time volunteer from June. Since then, he's been building up a small-scale volunteer network based out of the tent camp on the Senshu University campus in Ishinomaki. He's been an active member of Foreign Volunteers Japan, and has contributed immensely to the group's discussions on </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_189243007780487" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Facebook.</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> If you are interested in DIY volunteering, than please visit </span><a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/?page_id=997" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">his blog and consider joining his crew. </a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-38468938435450827442011-07-13T21:54:00.000+09:002011-07-13T21:54:34.874+09:00Time to plant those seeds.<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">* Entry written by Dru Taylor</span></span></h6><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdxNN83OTpg4bvmdCWbm6SB0Rknw5clNHBI-VJco6X9qP7ga-fIXLFVIbEt3gPCJ5hmvVDzgGB7Rql9J8npjI0fYnxIRFBdlEh235-GvhHZVxoo18LhD4K-jvcmLMsC3uzZwakY3FA1s/s1600/Kivi-Tohoku-photos%253DMike-LR3-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdxNN83OTpg4bvmdCWbm6SB0Rknw5clNHBI-VJco6X9qP7ga-fIXLFVIbEt3gPCJ5hmvVDzgGB7Rql9J8npjI0fYnxIRFBdlEh235-GvhHZVxoo18LhD4K-jvcmLMsC3uzZwakY3FA1s/s640/Kivi-Tohoku-photos%253DMike-LR3-.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave Enright, who held a fundraiser and bought this tractor, posing with his son after a job well done. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"> I dont normally write stuff like this but this story is lovely. A couple of weeks ago we put an advert up in the BCCJ <a href="http://wecarejapan.org/">"We Care Japan"</a> website for a tractor to help the people start growing their own fruit and vegetables in Minamisanriku AND within a few days a total stranger Dave Enright and his lovely family Mariko Sage and Airi from Hak<span class="text_exposed_show">uba answered to say they had organised a fundraising reggae event.</span></span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="text_exposed_show"> Using the money they raised from the event, they went right out and bought a tractor which they delivered last week to OGA who are doing amazing things. After 2 days of talking and organizing with a lovely guy from the Joyful Honda home centre ( he worked all day thursday helping us even though it was his day off ) my wife Kyoko got a unbelievable price. </span></span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="text_exposed_show">On Saturday (actually 2 o`clock sunday morning as it became another epic journey/day) we managed to deliver 1400 seedlings to <a href="http://oga-international.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=145&Itemid=271&lang=en">OGA for AID</a>, 500 tomatoes, 500 peppers, 300 okra and 100 aubergine seedlings, along with the tools and poles for the tomatoes. </span></span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="text_exposed_show">We started planting on Sunday morning before having to leave to get the rental truck back to Chiba and now Peter of OGA, and the local people have been planting the rest. </span></span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="text_exposed_show">This story is the start of something fantastic in the rebuilding of Minamisanriku to get the people working making money but mostly seeing a future. Many people have worked hard to make this happen so I bow my head and thankyou all. </span></span></span></h6>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-37379339260937119522011-07-09T02:37:00.006+09:002012-01-13T16:26:16.460+09:00Announcing the FVJ Community Forums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fvj.maxhodges.com/index.php"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLadqe1dC_WDhfnOHiYfUCvl8qs4dgrehnipWpy7LBito29mPQmo6gT0Y0W6lzklY6DqcSNMBtyRg5vsQNQyVFvn-nFIq3V97HQ4Jmef2H4kpwl3X0DzySOEbPpWt5P3hzF2wu_-9UGel/s400/FVJ-Logo-Forums.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="font-size: small;"> I'd like to take this opportunity to announce the Foreign Volunteers Community Forums. Although created by Max Hodges a little while ago, I have to admit that I've been a little slow on the ball to promote and encourage discussion on the Forums. </span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="font-size: small;">Although most of the FVJ discussions have been taking place via Facebook, there is a lot of information that gets regularly buried under newer threads. That is why the FVJ Discussion Forums have been designed from the ground up to <span class="text_exposed_show">provide a much easier system to interact, plan and organize activities. <br />
<br />
These forums are designed to be a friendly and valuable place for like-minded people interested in playing a role in Japan's disaster recovery efforts to share ideas and opportunities and get connected to and inspired by others.<br />
<br />
FVJ Community Forums run on a brand new platform with some snazzy features. We think the design and functionality is very contemporary and fresh and, most important, it feels more social than other systems. A few of the many cutting-edge features include:<br />
<br />
-Social Engagement - An intuitive "like" system makes users feel appreciated for their contributions, while integration with Facebook and twitter allows easy registration and sharing.<br />
<br />
-Recent Activity Stream - Allow you to easily see all the recent happenings on the forum, beyond just the messages posted. You can follow other members to get your own personalized news feed showing the content you want to see.<br />
<br />
-Alerts - Make it easy for you to stay up-to-date with relevant updates. You'll receive alerts when someone quotes your post or responds to a status update, when you receive a new trophy, and more.<br />
<br />
-Private Conversations - are like private threads. Nobody can see your private conversation, not even the administrator. Now here is the cool part; you can invite as many people to your conversation as you like, sort of like three way calling. Go here to start a conversation or click on a persons avatar to invite them to converse. Or access conversations from your inbox above. You can also invite in more people from the conversation thread (you will see the Invite More link over on the right hand side of the conversation).<br />
<br />
We look forward to your participation in making the FVJ Community Forums the most valuable destination possible for Tohoku relief volunteers.<br />
<br />
You can register with your Facebook account:<br />
<a href="http://fvj.maxhodges.com/index.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://whiterabbitpress.com/fvj/index.php</a></span></span></h6>karaoke.mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03803710302191709402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-11678196373290867872011-06-29T00:18:00.001+09:002011-06-29T00:28:51.330+09:00Saving up for a Tractor for Minamisanriku.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-IqYLVfNSUKT1-6Yo8gIUsI5dypSQBs4qvowysnuKhXl-DWIA6NE-NBYvneGwY_ET4oePcVwXwJS7yIKWDk8gZouoQw2_TKQd5xJpY3SduphwA0Fdy4zV8ZhS9TSnQWoQZ5SIhCPh0U/s1600/Tractor_for_Minamisanriku.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-IqYLVfNSUKT1-6Yo8gIUsI5dypSQBs4qvowysnuKhXl-DWIA6NE-NBYvneGwY_ET4oePcVwXwJS7yIKWDk8gZouoQw2_TKQd5xJpY3SduphwA0Fdy4zV8ZhS9TSnQWoQZ5SIhCPh0U/s400/Tractor_for_Minamisanriku.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Foreign Volunteers Japan member, and regular contributor to the disaster relief efforts in Minamisanriku, Dru Taylor has spotted a great find. He says that<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"> he's "trying to buy this tractor or something similar so we can get people growing their own fruit and veg in and around Minamisanriku with OGA for AID. We can really make a huge difference with a tractor like this. Any offers ? especially for funding ." He said he's "willing to drive it at a sponsered rate per KM to raise funds to take it to its final destination after purchase." </span><br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br />
</span><br />
<span data-jsid="text">He said that the tractor will go to be used on "land suitable for farming but not being used at the moment (in Minami-Sanriku) that has been offered for use." OGA for AID is a phenomenal project set up in Minami-Sanriku and organized by the Ortiz family who have expanded a wide disaster relief and charity network centered around the Ortiz International School. </span><br />
<br />
<span data-jsid="text">As the tractor is up for auction, there is a chance that it could sell quickly, so we'll need to act quickly to raise funds. </span><span data-jsid="text">The tractor is up for auction in Japan for 998,000 yen</span><span data-jsid="text"> (Approx $8000 USD or 5000 pounds.) </span><span data-jsid="text">, which should be manageable if enough people are interested in this project. </span><span data-jsid="text">If you are interested in helping acquire a tractor for the people of Minamisanriku, please contact us at foreignvolunteersjapan (at) gmail.com, and we will get you in touch with Dru and the team at OGA for AID soon after.</span><br />
<span data-jsid="text"></span><br />
<br />
<span data-jsid="text">Great idea Dru! Hope we can help you pick up the tractor! </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-24811118347151975532011-06-21T13:11:00.005+09:002011-06-21T13:16:05.378+09:00Back to Rikuzentakata<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/foreignvolunteersjapan/5855133533/" title="Rikuzentakata in mid-May"><i><b>* Written by </b></i></a><i><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=666282517">Rob Keyworth</a></b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=666282517"> </a></b></i><img alt="Rikuzentakata in mid-May by Foreign Volunteers Japan" height="236" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/5855133533_f0c653523b.jpg" width="400" /><br />
<span style="margin: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/foreignvolunteersjapan/5855133533/">Rikuzentakata in mid-May</a> a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/foreignvolunteersjapan/">Foreign Volunteers Japan</a> on Flickr.</span><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=666282517"></a></b></i><br />
<i><b></b> </i><br />
<br />
Well, it's been nearly two months since our last trip north and today Andy and I took advantage of the last day of the JR special pass and headed north to Tohoku. It was a long but ultimately rewarding day - up at 4, home at midnight and in the middle we'd managed to drop off 1.5 tons of food to where it was needed. But as ever that doesn't begin to explain the journey we had.<br />
<br />
We've been planning this trip for a few weeks but had a number of difficulties in arranging the fresh food that we wanted. Our previous suppliers were unable to provide the size of order that we needed and they introduced us to a wholesalers who were happy to provide what we needed but we were unable to provide the documentation in time. And in the end we spoke to the Amazing Paul Yoo of 'The Fruit Tree Project' (<a href="http://volunteerakita.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://volunteerakita.org/</a>) and he introduced us to a supplier in Kesennuma who was only too happy to provide us with 250,000 yen's worth of fresh produce. So Andy and I set off this morning to Ichinoseki on the brilliant JR pass (10,000 yen day trip, ends today - why?) where we picked up the truck and headed to Kesennuma.<br />
<br />
Our supplier was simply superb and had our entire order ready to be picked up when we turned up at around 11am and had most of his staff ready to load up the truck for us. A short time later we had 250,000 yen's worth of carrots, potatoes, onions, daikon, leeks, oranges and apples loaded on the truck and we were nearly ready to go. There was a slight delay as the owner then raced around the store to get some supplies for the drivers. After looking at us he decided we had way too much healthy food in the truck so he came back with a bag full of chocolate, crisps and a couple of bottles of water and we were on our way - what a star!<br />
<br />
On the drive in to Kesennuma I again realized what I've missed over the past 15 years. The area was, and in many places, stunning. Beautiful mountains, beautiful country scenes. Idyllic.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0e0_IdJHNf4VV1wp3ZklZ93CVY79FeF-cXkKhnI6dCV2fjShQOoWNCZslg9_iiNFgryH1ylpQi2XRFcXMfiEvxdR1Hd1FzEKEryS4y85TUsPxhi0pnChUpJPWP1ICaoi4KqRuRVEiCeE/s1600/rob-riktak.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0e0_IdJHNf4VV1wp3ZklZ93CVY79FeF-cXkKhnI6dCV2fjShQOoWNCZslg9_iiNFgryH1ylpQi2XRFcXMfiEvxdR1Hd1FzEKEryS4y85TUsPxhi0pnChUpJPWP1ICaoi4KqRuRVEiCeE/s400/rob-riktak.JPG" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">250,000 yen worth of fruit and vegetables bound for Rikuzentakata.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We drove the few extra kilometres into Kesennuma and Andy wondered if there was a race track nearby as there was a smell that was very strong smell in the area. It took us a while to realise that that was actually the smell of the town. The smell of rotting houses, rotting fish, rotting everything.<br />
<br />
The last time I was in Kesennuma we skirted around the most devastated areas and this time we had to drive right through it. What was surprising was that although the majority of the ships that had been stranded ashore had been moved, the homes and businesses looked very similar to what we had first season at the end of March. It was as though they'd been forgotten.<br />
<br />
The major difference between now and then was the temperature. My first visit to Kesennuma and it was trying to snow. Today it was 30 degrees. Which creates a whole new set of problems.<br />
<br />
Our initial plan was to drive from Kesennuma to Rikuzentakata and drop off aid at the temporary housing. However, for whatever reason we were unable to find the temporary houses and ended up in Rikuzentakata.<br />
<br />
A bit lost, a bit confused, but also genuinely stunned. On my last visit there was 7-8 km of devastation and I genuinely thought that it would take years to clean up. If you haven't been there, it's difficult to explain the current situation but there has been massive progress; There are mountains of wood, steel, rubber. A field with hundreds (thousands?) of cars that have been destroyed but all put together. It's almost unrecognizable from the fields of devastation from two short months ago. It's still bad. It's still very, very bad. But on the surface at least, it is improving. We went looking for shelters/temporary housing where we could deliver our supplies. We dropped off at a couple before heading to the main distribution center who gladly took what we had left. It was unfortunate that we were unable to deliver directly to the temporary housing but due to time constraints this was simply impossible. We did manage to deliver 1.5 tons of food for which the people were very grateful.<br />
<br />
As ever, there are many people to thank for making this happen.<br />
<br />
IFG for donating some of the money raised from the Futsal tournament. And everyone who attended.<br />
<br />
The Black Lion and all of it's customers who supported the Big Iwate Drive and the Books sales.<br />
Paul Yoo for the introduction and his supplier for making it happen.<br />
<br />
Thank you for your support. And please keep helping us and everybody else that is trying to help.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096643166535306475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-50980369930304641602011-06-11T14:35:00.001+09:002011-06-11T14:43:42.214+09:00NPO: ON THE ROAD with FRIENDS- Looking for volunteers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eR1bgMKO35tfJatUCeiDsNvHVN8pJN4w25_5Mc4B7VGOilDNIgux9VgzXWBi-6SperdeyT_XE38NrMM7esiCdeEilS66Q4BsF1IWyMJldwuRNk64PYYHNGuPl47PPwrSERC-dizXwMnh/s1600/On+the+Road+-+Eng+-+intro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eR1bgMKO35tfJatUCeiDsNvHVN8pJN4w25_5Mc4B7VGOilDNIgux9VgzXWBi-6SperdeyT_XE38NrMM7esiCdeEilS66Q4BsF1IWyMJldwuRNk64PYYHNGuPl47PPwrSERC-dizXwMnh/s640/On+the+Road+-+Eng+-+intro.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_x7hHtlr462VPh7FVEoCsWdY09VGYt_2pDtCr3nCk78a3nXZxC-ROWbIbFuy8oNEd7kebJ5AaUyiBr07LuN3t_IW8465vI84_SSCMJCagqTTxRozqxnGClWXyBdAxxdwZXEyCe3QDFsvI/s1600/main_photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_x7hHtlr462VPh7FVEoCsWdY09VGYt_2pDtCr3nCk78a3nXZxC-ROWbIbFuy8oNEd7kebJ5AaUyiBr07LuN3t_IW8465vI84_SSCMJCagqTTxRozqxnGClWXyBdAxxdwZXEyCe3QDFsvI/s640/main_photo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;">The volunteer rate up in Tohoku has fallen quite dramatically following Golden Week. That was expected of course, but the sharp decline has left some serious manpower shortages for various projects. During Golden Week (May 2nd-8th) there were </span>54,100 volunteers up in Tohoku, yet only 24,100 volunteers for the week ending June 5 -- a drop of nearly 45%. As a result, I will begin profiling various NGOs looking for volunteers over the next couple weeks. Feel free to post about others in the comments section. <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This week's entry is about an interesting volunteer organization based up in Ishinomaki.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The group is called ON THE ROAD with FRIENDS. They are a Japanese NPO that seems to fall somewhere between Peace Boat and ALL HANDS in regards to their operational structure, and how they manage their volunteer teams. Before taking up the Tohoku cause, ON THE ROAD had set up school building, charity and food distribution projects in India and Jamaica, and their experience shows in how they've managed to set-up and scale-up their operations in Ishinomaki.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Their general project focus includes “cleaning fallen furniture due to the earthquake, as well as mud and debris that flowed into houses from the tsunami, preparing meals at the evacuation centers, and organizing and delivering relief goods…. Although participation for a long time would be preferable, even participation on the weekend or for a week would be okay.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">ON THE ROAD’s chief director, Ayumu Takahashi says that “Aid activities do not require a showy performance and demonstrations. All we have to do is to continue doing what we are requested to do silently and consistently on the spot. We are waiting for the volunteers who can work with us together with such a strong will.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Volunteers with them are to camp out in the `volunteer village` that they have set-up on a camp ground near Tajiri station, in Osaki city, Miyagi prefecture. </span></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKCqirpq7ywRcQRVdyUoFdR3STJFvAEc3nkH8EPvyTzhch_ebnVHyb-eyRDIC91uHwJaIet_CsgRye8t9Z6A9xtmbXjwMilkLxQ3ix3olKmrK0KPu-3N6g16q_Pwokllzr_Gm165exe4A/s1600/title_hito.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKCqirpq7ywRcQRVdyUoFdR3STJFvAEc3nkH8EPvyTzhch_ebnVHyb-eyRDIC91uHwJaIet_CsgRye8t9Z6A9xtmbXjwMilkLxQ3ix3olKmrK0KPu-3N6g16q_Pwokllzr_Gm165exe4A/s640/title_hito.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Here is a YouTube video detailing some of the work that ON THE ROAD has been doing: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/xIgyHfNXjLo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><a name='more'></a><br />
Their webpage is up at: http://saigaishien.jp/ (for a regularly updated Japanese version) and http://saigaishien.jp/en/ (for the less-updated English version.)<br />
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<h3><img alt="Process of Participation" height="22" src="http://saigaishien.jp/en/images/ttl_flow.gif" width="640" /></h3><ol class="flow-p"><li>Please apply via e-mail after reading the volunteer application guide below and agreeing to it. As we have to have some dialog by e-mail, apply with a margin of several days before your departure. </li>
<li>After arrangements by the administrative office, we will report the duration when you can participate, guide for the volunteer activities, how to access the site, and other information via an e-mail within 24 hours. Please take a good look at it. </li>
<li>Please make arrangements for transportation by yourself, and let us know the arrival date and time via e-mail. </li>
<li class="last">When you arrive at the site, you will start the volunteer activities after receiving an orientation and signing a letter of intent.</li>
</ol><h3><img alt="Place of activities" height="22" src="http://saigaishien.jp/en/images/ttl_place.gif" width="640" /></h3><div class="txt"><img alt="Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, and its surrounding areas" height="21" src="http://saigaishien.jp/en/images/txt_place.gif" width="617" /></div><h3><img alt="Period of recruitment" height="22" src="http://saigaishien.jp/en/images/ttl_span.gif" width="640" /></h3><div class="txt"><img alt="Between April 15 and June 30" height="34" src="http://saigaishien.jp/en/images/txt_span.gif" width="492" /><br />
*Depending on the situation in the disaster area, the period may be extended. <br />
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Though there is no limitation to the number of days of participation, the persons who can participate for longer periods are prioritized in principle. <br />
First, apply with the information on the dates you want to participate. <br />
After adjustment, we will inform you about the dates you can participate via e-mail.</div><h3><img alt="Details of activities" height="22" src="http://saigaishien.jp/en/images/ttl_active.gif" width="640" /></h3><div class="txt2"><img alt="Helping to clear debris and mud from the houses, nursing homes, factories, and structures destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami. Preparing meals at evacuation centers. Organizing the warehouse and distributing relief goods sent from all over the country" height="69" src="http://saigaishien.jp/en/images/txt_active.gif" width="640" /><br />
*In addition, clerical work, jobs related to the operation of the volunteer village, and other tasks. </div><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_728206942"><br />
</a><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://saigaishien.jp/en/">For further details on how to apply, including the contact email address, please visit their English page directly, at http://saigaishien.jp/en/</a></span></b>karaoke.mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03803710302191709402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-83791738775211283102011-06-10T01:45:00.000+09:002011-06-10T01:45:34.314+09:0055% of donations not reaching victims in Japan<div id="content"><div id="contentleft"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br />
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<img align="left" alt="I paid my taxes, tried to raise my kids right.. now in my time of need I wait and wait..." height="226" src="http://kozmoz.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/worried.png" width="200" /><br />
Less than half of the more than 80 billion yen in disaster-relief donations already sent to prefectures affected by the March 11 quake and tsunami has reached the hands of people waiting for urgently needed cash to rebuild their shattered lives, it has been learned.<br />
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Although a committee tasked with distributing cash donations to survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake has decided how to hand out the second batch of payments, only 45 percent of the money already sent to 15 affected prefectural governments has reached people's pockets. The slow progress in the distribution of donations is largely seen as due to the loss of family registries and residents' certificates in the tsunami, as well as a lack of staff in the affected areas.<br />
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Earthquake survivors are counting on these funds to buy the cars, refrigerators and other goods needed to put their lives back on track. They also need money to secure jobs and places to live.<br />
According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry <span id="more-410"></span>about 82.3 billion yen has been sent to 15 prefectural governments by the four organizations involved in the committee in charge of donation distribution. Only about 37 billion yen, or 45 percent, has reached the disaster survivors.<br />
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The donation panel comprises the Japan Red Cross Society, Central Community Chest of Japan, NHK and the NHK Public Welfare Organization, in addition to the 15 prefectures.<br />
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According to the Miyagi prefectural government, 33.1 billion yen in donations sent by the committee was disbursed to 34 city, town and village offices as of Monday. The municipalities, however, have paid out only about 9.3 billion yen, or 28 percent, as of Friday.<br />
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"We lost our car in the tsunami and we can't buy a new one to get on with our lives without money. I hope the donation money arrives as soon as possible," said a 64-year-old unemployed man who is living at a shelter in Higashi-Matsushima.<br />
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The prefecture's social welfare section said many municipalities lost their family and resident registries in the tsunami. Without these documents, it is difficult to decide who is entitled to a share of the donations. "The quake left us with a ton of clerical work, and we're short of staff who can handle making donation payments," one official said.<br />
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To be paid, a person needs a disaster victim certificate. To get a certificate, one must undergo an inspection. The problem is that there is not enough staff to handle the issuing of the certificates, which has severely slowed up distribution of the donation money.<br />
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The Tagajo city government said staff shortages mean it takes at least one week to issue a certificate. But even after a person gets a disaster victim certificate, the city said it takes even more time for them to get paid.<br />
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Tagajo resident Ayako Hirayama, 57, visited the city office Saturday to apply for a certificate. She lives in an apartment with her husband and her son's family because their house was flooded by the tsunami. They have no refrigerator, so they have to go shopping nearly every day. She said having a place to store food would be a big help, but a city official told her the donations would not be distributed for about a month.<br />
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"Without money I'm just wilting with worry. We're really having to tap our savings, so I'd like to get the donations as soon as possible," she said.<br />
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In Fukushima Prefecture, the distribution rate is 61 percent, much higher than Miyagi. The prefecture has received about 35 billion yen and quake-hit residents have been paid about 21.5 billion yen.<br />
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"We sent a staff member to each of three municipalities for a week in late April to make progress on handing out disaster donations," a prefectural official in charge said.<br />
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The distribution rate in Iwate Prefecture is about 47 percent. Out of about 10.2 billion yen, about 4.9 billion yen has made its way to disaster survivors. The prefecture said it has sent 44 officials, including workers from other prefectures, to five cities and towns that had especially serious damage in the tsunami to pave the way for smooth distribution of funds.<br />
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"Gradually, we've been able to create an environment where we can make payments easily," a prefectural official in charge said.<br />
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Meanwhile, some disaster victims have complained about a large gap in the first round of payments. People were eligible for 350,000 yen if their residence was totally destroyed by tsunami or fire, while only 180,000 yen was available for residences that were half destroyed or half-burnt.<br />
Masakatsu Yamazaki, a 70-year-old fisherman from Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, said the distinction biased. "A lot of houses that were 'half-destroyed' can't be lived in. Treating totally destroyed houses and half-wrecked homes differently isn't fair," he said.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>above reprinted from the June 8 Daily Yomuiri Japanese Newspaper</b></span></div></div>Michael Connollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02227347916417185845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7317415787854835975.post-76999951354012088482011-05-24T00:55:00.004+09:002011-05-24T07:22:50.861+09:00Volunteering -- Safety Precautions<a href="http://djd3.sakura.ne.jp/wp01/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/v_manual.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 430px;" src="http://djd3.sakura.ne.jp/wp01/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/v_manual.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Got a call from Damian Penston this morning, who is concerned that many groups doing clean-up work in the affected areas may not be conscious of health risks associated with asbestos and other contaminants they are likely to be exposed to if working near destroyed buildings, etc. <div><br /></div><div>This is a reminder that if you are volunteering in a disaster zone, it is <span class="Apple-style-span"><b>imperative</b> </span>that you <b><span class="Apple-style-span">take responsibility for conducting your own thorough research on the health risks associated with the work you will be doing, assessing the dangers, and taking appropriate precautions.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>That said, here are a few recommendations gathered from different sources.</div><div><br /></div><div>1. If you are near broken buildings and there is any risk of asbestos dust, please wear a dusk mask with at least an N95 rating. HEPA filter masks are best. Here is<a href="http://no1.fccj.ne.jp/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=316%3Acaution-to-journalists-in-tohoku&catid=53%3Aonline&Itemid=83"> an article</a> that touches on the risks.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Depending on the conditions where you are working, there may be broken glass, exposed rusty nails, and other hazardous debris. Please consider obtaining boots with steel toes. It is also possible to purchase metal insoles to insert in the bottom of your boots to prevent puncture. If your boots are rubber rather than leather, remember that a nail can still puncture the side of the boot and watch where you step. </div><div><br /></div><div>3. A tentanus shot booster is recommended. Even a small cut or wound can lead to tetanus.</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Even if you are just clearing mud in fields and not working around a lot of debris, I recommend rubber or leather gloves over cotton ones. The dust goes right through cotton gloves and will desiccate and irritate your hands over time. </div><div><br /></div><div>5. Other recommended items include helmets, goggles (especially if you wear contacts), long sleeve rain gear, towels (worn around the neck), whistles (for summoning help in an emergency), etc. This link (Japanese) illustrates guidelines for outfitting yourself. Once again, you must decided how much of this gear is appropriate to the conditions in the area where you are working. </div><div><br /></div><div>http://www.rsy-nagoya.com/rsy/common/pdf/suigai-manual.pdf </div><div><br /></div><div>6. When you finish working, it is always recommended that you wash up thoroughly and gargle.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is a link to one source of affordable safety gear (thanks, Sandi!):</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&q=http://www.workman.co.jp/catalog/_SWF_Window.html%3Fmode%3D1062" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204); ">http://www.workman.co.jp/catalog/_SWF_Window.html?mode=1062</a> </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br />5/23 - This just in from Damien:<br />http://www.maacenter.org/asbestos/abatement/diy-abatement.php<br />"It is also important to note that individuals with facial hair should not participate in asbestos removal, as protective gear may not fit properly and potentially expose them to loose particles."Tsubakihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07167599885468914475noreply@blogger.com1