NEWS

On the 10th July, Fukushima Support Network for Disaster Victims (FSN) held the first symposium in Big Palette Fukushima in Koriyama city.

In June, NPO/NGOs operating for disaster victims and municipal organizations gathered together, and established FSN. This symposium was held as the first activity of the network, in order to reflect the past activities, and think of the next ones. There were 140 participants, including evacuees staying in Big Palette Fukushima.

Mr. Takuro Kimura of GENSAI (GLOCAL EMPOWERMENT, Support and AID INSTITUTE) delivered keynote speech. He talked about valuable experiences such as evacuation of all the residents from Miyakejima Island due to the eruption of Mt. Oyama.

Following the keynote speech, panel discussion was held. Panelists were from NPOs, students' organizations, administrative offices, and journalists. On behalf of ShaplaNeer, I participated in the panel. After presented of the activities, we exchanged our ideas for solving problems we face.

After the symposium, a woman came to me and said, "I am evacuee here. I would like to do something for those moved the temporary housing units. I got some ideas".

Since the end of May, I, Yasunari Isaka, have been working in Iwaki Disaster Relief Volunteer Center. ShaplaNeer has been supporting local Volunteer Centers in Nakoso and Onahama. This VC covers the whole Iwaki area, and support volunteer activities. In addition to the personnel of Iwaki Social Welfare Council, stuff members of other SWCs, various organizations, and volunteers are working in the VC. I am the only one staff from the NPO sector, and in charge of intermediating between volunteers and local needs.



On weekdays, 200 volunteers come to Iwaki VC from all over Japan. At weekends, the number often exceeds 500. They work hard to remove debris from damaged houses and offices, and sand from side ditches. As a result of the volunteer activities, most debris and sand are disposed in greater part of Iwaki.



Still, a lot more volunteer activities are required in some places. Located in the northern Iwaki, Hisanohama is one of these places. A part of Hisanohama is within Emergency Preparation Evacuation Zone, which is 20-30 km from Fukushima No.1 Plant. Tsunami and fire caused serious damages to Hisanohama. Residents had to evacuate from their own houses for a long time due to the nuclear crisis. Many destroyed houses have been left out until now, and  landscape remains the same as 311. Iwaki VC will promote volunteer activities there in collaboration with action group of residents. I am trying hard to grasp the local needs in Hisanohama, and intermediate between the VC and residents.

In Iwaki, more and more people move into temporary housing units. There are many elderly people among them, living alone in new places. Mr. Masayuki Suzuki, 82, is one of them. I met him when I delivered kitchen utensil of the Life Support Project.

Suzuki has been suffering from cerebral infarction. He had just come back home when the Tohoku Earthquake occurred. His house was destroyed by the tsunami, and somehow he ran to an evacuation center. From the next morning, Suzuki became unable to stand up.  His nephew helped him, and he has been recovering gradually. Still, two month long-life in an evacuation center was very difficult for him. Suzuki told me in a sorrowful expression, "I felt hopeless when I saw other people moving into temporary housing unit".

Suzuki has moved into a comfortable private house. Though it was filled with a refrigerator, a microwave and other appliances, he did not have any utensil for cooking. When he received the kitchen utensils, he was glad and said, "I appreciate your coming with this"

In Suzuki's case, relatives continue to support his life in this new place. Still He faces a few problems. One of the problems is where to get medicines for cerebral infarction. Now the hospital he used to frequent is far away．He has to find out another hospital near his residence.

Care for elderly people living alone in a new circumstance is very important issue in temporary housing units. In an evacuation center I heard a manager's saying, "There are some elderly people who suddenly begin to demand this or that. Let me say that they were not demanding at all in the evacuation center. But they look very anxious when they move into temporary housing units"

I am from Kobe that experienced another great earthquake in 1995. In Kobe, numerous elderly people became isolated and weak after they moved into temporary housing units. Implementing various measures to help elderly people, who now live in unfamiliar circumstances, is essential.

2011 May 20

Hironomachi is located in the north of Iwaki City. The whole city of  Hironomachi is designated as an Emergency Evacuation Preparation Zone (EEPZ). Residents can live within the EEPZ,  but they have to prepare for evacuation in case the nuclear crisis suddenly worsens. In fact, most residents have already evacuated from Hironomachi. Meanwhile, several hundred people live in the town, and factories are running. Life is very difficult here, since the water system and waste water disposal facility have not been restored yet. Volunteers are trying hard to procure and deliver water to the residents. ShaplaNeer had been informed that a huge amount of mineral water, donated by a Canadian company, had arrived at the Port of Yokohama. We acted as go-between, and the first water arrived today.

On the coastal side of Hironomachi, the road is open. However, the clearing of destroyed buildings remains an unaddressed problem as most residents have left Hironomachi.

2011 May 20

Up to the 19th of May, we have received 240 applications for kitchen utensils. So far, we have delivered it to the 120 households. Whenever we meet applicants, we try to talk to them and collect information about life conditions and anxieties. Some people talk about the earthquake and tsunami.

"We have lost everything but the foundation of the house. I lost my salary (cash) which was paid just the day before the quake. All l could do was to take my old mother, and ran away from the tsunami. My neighbors helped us"

 "Primary School to which my son was attending was damaged. Now the students are studying in another school, but it takes more than half an hour by bus. He is anxious that he would oversleep in the bus. Why does not Iwaki city arrange any schools bus?"

Many people have lost their family members. It is often so painful to listen to the tragedies they have experienced. However, we will face the problems and think what ShaplaNeer can do.