Miyagi Support Center News "Link (Yui)" No. 26, July 7, 2011

“Let’s support our fellows in Tohoku with our bonds of friendship and strengths!”

Issued by Miyagi Support Center of Japan Disability Forum (JDF) Headquarters for Support of Persons with Disabilities affected by the East Japan Great Earthquake

Miyagi Support Center
Office: c/o Hagi-no-sato Fukushi-kojo, Taihaku-Ku, Sendai City
Phone: +81-80-4373-6077
FAX: +81-22-244-6965

Miyagi Northern Area Support Center
c/o Wakabaen, Towa-machi, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone: +81-90-8349-9403
Fax: +81-220-45-2223

Website: http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/resource/tohoku_earthquake.html

Visit to Mr. Saito, Mayor of Yamamoto City

On July 5 (Tue), Mr. Kabuki, Director and Mr. Nishikawa, General Secretary visited Yamamoto City hall and met with Mayor Saito, Mr. Abe, Councilor, Mr. Suzuki, President of the Social Welfare Council, and Mr. Shimada, Section Chief of the Welfare Section. They shared information about Yamato Welfare Foundation, which started Fund Raising for Reconstructing Life and Industrial Base from the Great Earthquake and Tsunami. They also shared their conception of inclusive community reconstruction, mainstreaming persons with disabilities and elders.
Mayor Saito responded to take up their sharing positively, making Industry `& Economy Section as a Coordination body.

Survey record (as of July 6, 2011)

Total number of the persons with disabilities who had dialogue with JDF: 1,407
Total number of the supporters: 496

Visit to Okuni-no-Sato, temporary welfare houses

Delivering the support goods to Okuni-no-Sato, the new wooden corridors were found where there had been gravel passage until a few days before. The residents voiced that it got easy to bring wheelchairs to the front entrance. JDF would like to watch the betterment process of the temporary welfare housing scheme.

Photo 1: Okuni-no-Sato, temporary welfare houses

Smiling faces revived by various specialist-supporters

JDF workshop reconstruction support activities are shouldered by various specialist supporters. This week the workshop had an art specialist volunteer. Mr. K, a user of the workshop is very fond of drawing pictures. Mr. K showed a big smile, watching his work of art. His smile brought back healing to the heart of supporters. We hope he would enjoy going to the workshop and show his big smiles.

Photo 2: Mr. K holding his drawing

Call for dispatch supporters to the affected areas

waiting for your call

Contents:

At site: Visiting the affected for needs identification/action-taking, etc.

At office: Phone consultation, general affairs, public relations, accounting, etc.

Places:

Miyagi Support Center (Sendai City)

Miyagi Northern Area Support Center (Tome City)

Sharing by Mr. Kazumaro Goto, Witness of the Great Disaster

On July 3 (Sun) Mr. Kazumaro Goto, Witness of the Great disaster was invited and shared his vivid experience. Before the Great disaster Mr. Goto was appointed by Minami-Sanriku Town as Cultural Asset Protection Committee member and Community Building Planning member. He also engaged in sight-seeing volunteer guide.
“When the Great earthquake and tsunami occurred, I was in Tokura along the coastal area in Minami-Sanriku Town and severely affected. I took shelter in a facility named “House of Nature”, but I was isolated without getting any information. 3 days afterward I decided to leave there. I tried to clear the way and walked along the Shizugawa Bay and then towards Bayside Arena at height. Bayside Arena, which became the provisional town hall of Minami-Sanriku Town later, was at that moment chaotic, having so many evacuees and Town hall officers mixed up. The next day a helicopter of Self Defense Force came and carried the injured people to the hospitals. The next day (two days afterward) the relief ships came from the sea. The evacuees were moved to the inland shelters.
I convince that earthquake or tsunami is just a part of the nature, and that human being is a part of the nature. The old shrines and ruins are located at the disaster-free places. An old stone monument recorded a lesson, ‘Do not construct houses below from here.’ Until Edo Era the lesson had been observed well. But the industrial needs such as fish culture, economic efficiency and convenience made the people move down to the coastal area. The sea was overused by lucrative fish culture and contaminated by piles of sludge. The great tsunami washed away even the sludge and refreshed the sea.

I should say the damage caused by the disaster is man-made. After the Tsunami caused by Chili Earthquake in 1960, the newly constructed bank was 50cm higher than before. But facing the Tsunami this time, it was no use like a toy. There was overestimation to the higher bank among people’s minds, which made the damage severer except the people living in the areas which were affected by Chili Earthquake before. All we can do to protect ourselves from tsunami is, first of all, to run away. Prevention of tsunami is not to construct a big bank, but to make clear the places to take shelter and the guide to flee for safety. Relief goods should be provided at the shelters rather than asking the residents to provide them by themselves.”
Moreover he referred to community bond. “Enacting the Personal Information Protection Law or disconnected local community made the damage severe. Among the elders who have difficulty in refuge, those who had connection with neighbors in their daily lives got less damage because mutual help mechanism worked. On the contrary some elders lost their lives since they had little connection in the local communities. Persons with disabilities are called the weak in disaster. We should not regard them as special existence, but as co-existence living in the same place and era. When disaster occurs, anyone thinks his/her life is the most important thing. Having connections with like-minded people as many as possible is very important to protect your life. All the affected people are in a sense persons with disabilities. Disability of no money; living in shelter, I realized how I could be happy with no money.”
Any time, any place great disaster may occur. I hope that people would help mutually in disaster. I would like anyone to come and have the first hand experience from this Great disaster, which would be very effective disaster preparedness. I am willing to share my experience as a storyteller of this Great disaster.

We thanked him for his valuable sharing and would like to make the most of our learning in our support activities.

Photo 3: Mr. Goto with staff of Miyagi Northern Area Support Center

Announcement

The next Lecture meeting:

Time: July 10(Sun) 9:00~12:00
Place: Wakaba-en (23-16 Nishi-Tsunaki, Towa Machi, Tome City)
Lecturer: Mr. Hatakeyama, Director of Nozomi Welfare Workshop
After the meeting, a visit tour to Nozomi Welfare Workshop will be made.
Host: Miyagi Northern Area Support Center

Translated by Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities
Volunteer translator: Ms. Mayumi Yamazaki