Japan: Delivering 2,149 Boxes of Chocolate and the Senders’ Thoughts From Around the Country to Disaster Areas

Reaching out to Temporary Houses, Social Welfare Facilities, and Nursery Schools in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures

January 26^th, 2012- “Thank you so much for the chocolate and your messages!” say the children at Soma Nursery School. (Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture)

AAR JAPAN is currently presenting its “Magokoro Campaign (literally meaning true heart campaign),” in which chocolate boxes (500 yen per box) with handwritten messages of encouragement are sent to those affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. As of February 21^st, 2012, we have received 2,149 orders of chocolate from all over the country, and we have been delivering them along with the messages to temporary houses, social welfare facilities, nursery schools, and kindergartens, among other places, in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures. This is a report made by staff members at AAR JAPAN’s Sendai office.

Turkey: Distributing Warm Clothes to Protect Children from Winter Cold

AAR JAPAN has been continuing emergency relief activities in the earthquake disaster areas of eastern Turkey. From February 6^th to 13^th, the team distributed boots, jackets, and satchels to around 1,000 children in kindergartens and primary schools of the affected areas.

For the Children to be Dressed Warmly on Their Way to School

February 6^th, 2012 – Schoolyard covered in snow (Döşeme Village)

Turkey after the Earthquake: Tandoor Oven Huts for Baking Bread

“Now we can bake our bread again every day”

February 2^nd, 2012 - Women of Koçköy Village gather around the new oven which has just been delivered. (Center: AAR JAPAN staff Miyuki KONNAI)

AAR JAPAN continues emergency relief activities in the earthquake affected areas of eastern Turkey. Staff member Miyuki KONNAI, who was part of the onsite relief team, got injured during the aftershock that occurred in November of last year. She has now fully recovered, and has joined the onsite relief team once again.

Japan: Eleven Months after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Activity Report

Continuing to Bridge the Disaster Survivors and their Supporters

AAR JAPAN has been carrying out relief efforts for the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake since the immediate aftermath of the disaster. In addition to delivering emergency supplies to those who have limited access to aid, such as persons with disabilities (PWDs) and the elderly, AAR JAPAN is also repairing welfare facilities and providing vehicles for facilities for persons with disabilities.

January 13^th, 2012 – AAR JAPAN delivers stuffed animals to children at Minato Preschool who have few opportunities to play outside because of the impact of the accident at the nuclear power plant. (Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture)

Zambia: We Have Donated Bicycles and Emergency Carts to a Home-Visit Nursing Group

The Role of Midwives who Visit Local Expectant and Nursing Mothers

In Zambia, 13.5% of adults (1 in every 7 people) are HIV-positive. Since 2004, AAR JAPAN has been implementing comprehensive measures to combat HIV/AIDS in Zambia. In the Shimaballa district of Chipapa area near the capital of Lusaka, we are carrying out a wide range of activities, which include dissemination of proper knowledge of HIV/AIDS to prevent infection, expansion of a home-visit nursing program, and construction as well as maintenance of facilities where examination and counseling services are provided.

Locally active midwives* also take part in the home-visit nursing group. In addition to assisting expectant mothers during childbirth, the midwives are responsible for explaining to them the dangers of HIV infection from the mother to the child during pregnancy and childbirth. They also give recommendations to the mothers to get tested for HIV and to give birth at medical institutions. Even if the mother is infected with HIV, taking appropriate medicine at the time of giving birth or undergoing Caesarean section can decrease the risk of transmitting the disease to the child. Therefore, in Zambia where it is estimated that 8.9% of women between the ages of 15 and 24 are infected with HIV (2011 State of World Population, UNFPA), such activities by the midwives, who frequently visit the homes of pregnant women, are extremely vital as measures to combat HIV.

Japan: Delivering Heaters to Evacuees Living in Government-Subsidized Housing

What is “government-subsidized housing”?

Numerous houses were damaged by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11^th. The total numbers of houses that have been categorized as “fully destroyed” and “partially destroyed” are 120,000 and 200,000 respectively in the three most severely affected prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima. For those who had lost their places to live, 50,000 units of temporary public housing were constructed in these prefectures. On the other hand, approximately 50,000 households, the same number as those living in temporary public housing, are living in what is called “government-subsidized housing.” This temporary housing arrangement means that the evacuees individually rent houses or apartments on their own with partial subsidy from the government.