Donation of a pick-up vehicle
Three months after the torrential rains in Kyushu in early July 2020, the areas affected by the disaster are still struggling to restore their daily life. Right after the disaster, AAR JAPAN started to support the welfare facilities for PWDs in the affected area, and in late September, we donated a pick-up vehicle to one of the local NPOs named “Workshop Hinatabokko”.
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| The pick-up vehicle donated to the workshop “Hinatabokko” and its users (Amakusa City in Kumamoto, October 15th, 2020) |
Hinatabokko is a facility that offers a workplace to persons with physical, intellectual, and mental disabilities. 17 users used to sell hand-made udon noodles, but due to the torrential rains in July, the river nearby flooded and it gave severe damage to the facility.
In August, AAR JAPAN donated a refrigerator and an ice maker necessary for resuming the udon parlor, and a pick-up vehicle for users. A pick-up vehicle is indispensable for the PWDs who find it difficult to commute to the facility on their own or by using public transport. The vehicle is used both for the delivery service of udon to customers and for the pick-up of all the users.
Mr.Kentaro YAMANAKA, the director of the facility, says,
“At first, with the limited number of PWD facilities in this area, the users’ family members were concerned about whether the facility would be reopened and whether the users get back their daily-life again. Therefore, we are very grateful to AAR for minimizing the impacts by starting the restoration work right after the disaster.”
In late September, we also donated a pick-up vehicle to another PWD facility named “Shiroi Kyanbasu Fukushikai” in Hitoyoshi City, Kumamoto. This facility used to have three such vehicles, but they cannot be used anymore due to the flooding that hit the area. The vehicle has been used for the pick-up of users in remote areas since the day after it was delivered.
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The vehicle donated to “Shroi Kyanbasu Fukushikai” and its users. (Hitoyoshi City in Kumamoto, October 15th, 2020) |
Supporting the re-opening of a bakery
“Waiwai Niji no Mura” in Yatsushiro City in Kumamoto, a facility for promoting the employment of PWDs, was completely destroyed by the flooding of the Kuma River nearby. They used to sell the bread they baked in their bakery at a shop in the city, but all the equipment can no longer be used because of the flooding. “Waiwai Niji no Mura” has applied for public financial support, but this support can only be granted for restoring a building, not for buying equipment such as the ones for baking bread. Such being the case, the users are now working on an outsourcing agreement, but there is no guarantee that they will be properly paid.
Since many users are anxious for the bakery to reopen, the facility is doing its best to reopen around next summer. AAR continues to support the facility so that the users can start baking bread again soon.
* This activity is made possible through your donations and the subsidy by Japan Platform (JPF).
Mitsuru NAMATAME from Tokyo Office
In college, NAMATAME was a member of the group which organized a work camp in an isolated village in China, where former leprosy patients lived. He visited the village as many as 10 times in four years, promoting understanding and eliminating discrimination among the villagers. After working for a logistics company, he joined AAR Japan in April 2016. NAMATAME is from Ibaraki Prefecture, and his hobby is soccer. (profile as of the date of the article)
