Volume 19 (September 2011) SWY NEWS Published by the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan CONTENTS: Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Efforts P. 2-4 Report from SWY23 P. 5 Post-Program Initiatives P. 6-9 Updates from Ex-PYs P. 10-11 SWYAA GA in Egypt P. 12 Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Efforts Activities by International Youth Exchange Organization of Japan (IYEO) IYEO has been engaged in relief efforts since the Great East Japan far, JPY11,788,954 has been raised (as of September 9, 2011). These Earthquake hit on March 11, 2011. After confirming the safety of funds have been used for immediate relief activities to purchase the IYEO members who live in the affected areas, IYEO offered relief necessary goods to be sent to the victims of the disaster, as well as to supplies to those in immediate need, and after a few months, shifted its provide financial support to the IYEO members whose houses were activities to implementing unique programs focusing on mental health severely damaged. Messages and condolences sent to the Japanese care for elderly people and children in the affected areas. Donations people through the IYEO and SWYAA network have also been have been collected from different groups and organizations, and thus uploaded on the IYEO website. http://www.iyeo.or.jp/en/index.html Activities by the IYEO Members in the Affected Areas IYEO Iwate IYEO Iwate members are uniting their strength to work on a variety of general assembly, talked about relief activities. In March, as a first step, they tried to confirm the relief action policies and future safety of IYEO members, delivered relief supplies, prepared meals action plans, and agreed that outdoors at the evacuation center, and helped with group evacuations. they would work together on a From April 11-17, 15 members supported “Reconstruction Support long-term basis. At the end of Project Onboard Fuji Maru,” sponsored by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines as June, the “IYEO Café Project” was implemented, supported by the local staff. On May 5, the members volunteered cleaning at a fish Japan Foundation ROAD project aid. It is aimed at providing a processing plant. The tsunami hit the second floor of the building relaxing space for the afflicted people in the evacuation centers: to and flooded it with water. They carried out all the damaged materials provide them a place to sit and chat together to ease their minds, even and did the roof demolition work to prepare for restoration. On May though it may take a long time for this to happen. 15, more than 30 IYEO members assembled for the IYEO Iwate IYEO Miyagi Just after the earthquake, the In July and August, IYEO Miyagi organized “Onsen (hot spring) IYEO Miyagi board members Tours” for the staff from the Ishinomaki Municipal Hospital and came together, and since then, their families. The tours were successful with the support of they have been involved in a IYEO Yamagata, and the participants enjoyed relaxing in onsen to variety of relief activities and reenergize. have donated relief supplies to the devastated areas, such as the 2. Support for Katsura Island, Urato Island chain Ishinomaki Municipal Hospital, IYEO Miyagi members have been continually visiting the island supported by IYEO headquarters where 200 people live, offering resources for reconstruction and the other prefectural IYEO branches. The activities which IYEO assistance. Electricity was finally restored 50 days after the Miyagi are engaged in are as follows: earthquake. Though oyster farming was restarted around the same 1. Support for Ishinomaki Municipal Hospital time, many people have left the island for school or work. The IYEO Miyagi continually donates relief supplies to the hospital, remaining residents of the island are elderly people, fishermen, and where a member of IYEO Miyagi works. This hospital was hit by people who can live on the 2nd floor of their houses. By mid- the tsunami and the building was severely damaged. In the May, the number of displaced residents living in the evacuation interim, the city hall is being used to treat patients with mild center rose to 40. Building regular relocation facilities in the illnesses. Food distribution to the city stopped in May, which has school playground has started earlier than planned. IYEO Miyagi caused economical and psychological challenges for the staff who will support Katsura Island continually, including activities for PR also lost their homes and family members in the disaster. Through to recharge the tourism industry. Miyagi IYEO also held the the hospital staff, appropriate relief supplies have been given to general assembly on July 23, and pledged their continued support municipal government staff, two other municipal hospitals that for communities such as the Ishinomaki Municipal Hospital and the were hit by the tsunami, and many patients and afflicted people. Katsura Island community. Fune-to-Tsubasa-no-Kai Fukushima (IYEO Fukushima) Since after the earthquake, Fune-to-Tsubasa-no-Kai Fukushima has 2. Offering school supplies been involved in a variety of relief activities, mainly offering relief A variety of school supplies, collected through the IYEO network, supplies through the NPO “The People” in Iwaki city. To meet their were delivered to the children of Soma city. The children who needs, a variety of supplies has been sent, such as daily necessities, received these school supplies were those who were transferred to clothes, food, medicine, and sanitary goods. an elementary school near the evacuation center in Fukushima city. 3. Hand sewn duster project for reconstruction Other activities by Fune-to-Tsubasa-no-Kai Fukushiminclude: “Riyo Himawari-no-kai,” the barber’s association in Yamaguchi 1. Preparing meals outdoors in the evacuation center prefecture and other organizations donated many towels. Fune-to- Fune-to-Tsubasa-no-Kai Fukushima has been providing supplies to Tsubasa-no-Kai Fukushima members came up with an idea to make evacuation centers in various towns and places such as high schools them into hand sewn dusters and sell them. The earnings will be in Fukushima city, afflicted people in Namie town, and an afflicted used to support the victims of the earthquake and tsunami. children’s school in Soma city, etc. The members are cooking and 4. International Understanding Educational Support Project providing 700 meals once a week for the people living in the With the support of IYEO headquarters and the NPO NICE (Never- evacuation center in Azuma Park in Fukushima city. A variety of ending International work Camps Exchange), Fune-to-Tsubasa-no- food is offered to meet the people’s needs, such as fresh salad, Kai Fukushima will organize an International Understanding strawberries, pickles, potato salad, vegetable soup, miso soup, and Educational Support Project for the afflicted children in Fukushima sukiyaki. city in October. 0 2 Relief Activities by SWYAA around the World SWY Australia gratitude and solidarity towards Japan. People sold food, did origami figures, there were concerts the entire day, sold Japanese souvenirs, etc. Some of ex-PYs who have nowadays high positions in the Government helped to organize this event. Also, members of the SWYAA from different batches offered themselves as volunteers in their stand to do diverse things and raise money for Japan. SWYAA raised US$2,000, and the entire event raised US$100,000. SWYAA Ecuador The SWYAA Ecuador joined efforts with the Consulate General of Japan in Guayaquil in order to raise funds. The Consul offered to 1. The Darwin Youth for Japanese Disaster Relief, Australia match our donations up to US$300. They started spreading the word The Darwin Youth for Japanese Disaster Relief, founded and and donations from Ecuadorian ex-PYs came from USA, Chile, coordinated by Anania Tagaro (SWY23), is a temporary youth-led, European countries and from inside Ecuador as well. Ecuador is a youth working group dedicated to assisting the victims of the small country but they have a great admiration for the people of Japan earthquakes and tsunamis that have devastated the country of Japan. and they are grateful for the SWY program. They delivered a The main aims of this group are to: donation for US$1,050 at the Embassy of Japan in Quito. The • Raise community awareness of the dire consequences currently Ambassador himself sent his deep gratitude for such efforts. This is facing the Japanese people due to this crisis. the beginning, as help needs to continue to rebuild Japan. • Coordinate and run events and activities to fundraise money to be sent to the International Youth Exchange Organization of Japan (IYEO) – all of which will go straight to the victims of the EASWY (Egypt) disasters. EASWY members went to the Japanese Embassy and met the Head of • Strengthen the skills and capacity of youth within Darwin to take the Information and Culture Center leadership roles within the community. Mr. Takagaki and Ms. Hiroshima, • Show support for, increase cooperation with, and build hope for and presented their condolences for the people of Japan. all the victims of the earthquake that They have had several major fund-raising events such as the Onigiri did hit our beloved Japan. These (Rice-Ball) Making, Community Cultural Dinner & Performance are Egyptian people’s messages to Night, an Ultimate Raffle, as well as several smaller fundraising Japan at the Japanese Embassy. activities at various events around the Darwin area. Since they began in mid-March 2011, they have raised approximately AU$9,000 for the victims of the Japanese disaster, all of which will be forward to the SWYAA Greece IYEO after their last fundraising event in July. On March 25, two Japanese graduates of SWY22, Kazuto Matsuda and Megumi Sekiguchi attended a gathering event of the 2nd Scout 2.