Volunteer Activities in Yamamoto Town, Miyagi Prefecture

2012年8月25日更新

As part of the activities of the “Living Together in a Global Society” Study Group, volunteers offered footbaths and hand massages to people living in temporary housing in Yamamoto Town, Miyagi Prefecture, from July 14 through 16 and on August 25. I had had the opportunity to learn hand massage at an activity held by Gancha, a volunteer group so named by combining “Ganbare, East Japan!” and “Ganbare, Ochanomizu University!” This summer’s activities were held jointly by Gancha and the Study Group.

Giving hand massages

This was my first visit to the devastated region since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and I learned many things by visiting and seeing the area firsthand. The earthquake victims with whom we shared time during the footbaths and the hand massages welcomed us very warmly. I listened to their stories related to the disaster and their lives today. I discovered that many problems still remain, including the way that the meeting house for the temporary housing facilities is operated and the fact that only a limited number of people gather at the meeting house. I was very impressed by their cheerful and forward-looking attitude despite the great hardship they have experienced. In July and August, a total of about 30 people received footbaths and hand massages.

During a break in the volunteer work, I had the opportunity to go to the coastal area that had been severely impacted by the tsunami. I was very shocked to see that there were dilapidated buildings that remained virtually untouched even though more than a year has passed since the disaster.

School damaged by the earthquake

Through this volunteer work, I realized that it will still take a long time before the area is reconstructed. I also keenly felt that we must not forget that the people living in the devastated area are striving every day to move forward boldly with their lives. It seems that the number of volunteers traveling to the region is declining, but what is important is that the volunteer activities continue. I plan to sell handicrafts made by the people of Yamamoto Town at the Kiin Festival (Ochanomizu’s annual student festival) in November. In this way, I want to find things I can do in my everyday life to support the area and to communicate to those around me what I learned through the volunteer work.

I would like to thank the people at ADRA Japan and the Yamamoto Reconstruction Liaison Centre for receiving us.

(Saki Suemori, fourth-year student, English Language and Culture Course)