Nepal: Emergency Assistance to Earthquake Survivors – Preparing to distribute relief supplies to mountainous regions yet to receive aid

The first emergency response team (Noriyasu OKAYAMA and Fukuro KAKIZAWA) of AAR Japan has been operating in Nepal since April 29th, providing relief assistance to earthquake victims.

Our field assessment revealed that mountainous regions such as the Gorkha District and the Sindhupalchowk District were devastated by the earthquake. Relief assistance for these areas had been delayed due to difficult access. AAR Japan decided to distribute emergency relief supplies to these areas, and has been procuring goods and arranging logistics to do so.
The following report is the latest update from Nepal.

A parent and a child take refuge in a tent in an open space. Only part of the roof is covered with a tarpaulin and they are sitting directly on the ground (Kathmandu, May 1st, 2015)

8 Million People Affected: AAR Japans Responds to the Earthquake in Nepal

Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan), with its headquarters in Tokyo, sends its emergency response team to Nepal on April 28th from Narita.

The team, led by Noriyasu OKAYAMA, who speaks Nepali and has vast experience working in Nepal, is scheduled to arrive at Kathmandu airport on the following day.

The powerful earthquake has killed more than 3,300 people and affected 8 million people (*source: UNOCHA 2015/4/27), leaving the stricken area in shortage of everything from water, food, blanket, medication, sanitation, shelter.

The AAR team will immediately start needs assessment on arrival and will start relief operation.

Your support is highly appreciated to support the people in Nepal.

AAR Japan Emergency Response Team 

Noriyasu OKAYAMA

After working in Nepal, OKAYAMA has been running AAR Japan Vientiane program since June 2004. He engaged in emergency assistance during Typhoon Haiyan in the Philipines (2013), and flood response in Cambodia and in Myanmar.

Fukuro KAKIZAWA

KAKIZAWA has been in charge of Afghanistan and Pakistan operations at AAR Japan Tokyo Headquarters since May 2013. he was also engaged in emergency response fro Vanuatu Cyclone Pam (2015) and Haiyan in the Philippines (2013).




Donations
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Donating at the Japan Post Office
Account Number: 00100-9-600
Account Name: Nanmin wo Tasukerukai　(難民を助ける会)
Please write down “Nepal” and specify if you need a receipt.

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Nepal: AAR Japan Dispatches Emergency Relief Team to Nepal

Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan), with its headquarters in Tokyo, dispatches its emergency response team to Nepal to help earthquake victims.

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck approximately 80 km northwest of the capital Kathmandu, Nepal, at around 12:00 (local time) on April 25. According to AFPBB News, more than 2,000 people died and many buildings were destroyed. A major aftershock hit the area on 26 April. The toll is expected to rise.

Please support our earthquake relief in Nepal. We would appreciate every donation.

Donations
Please click here for online donation through Paypal
Please click here for online donation via credit card and using convenience stores. (in Japanese)

Donating at the Japan Post Office
Account Number: 00100-9-600
Account Name: Nanmin wo Tasukerukai　(難民を助ける会)
Please write down “Nepal” and specify if you need a receipt.

Latest news is available at Twitter and mail magazine.
AAR Account:(@aarjapan) http://twitter.com/aarjapan
AAR Mail Magazine: Click here for registration. (only in Japanese)

From Soma Onward; Working Together for Disaster Risk Reduction

The “Disaster Risk Reduction Event in Soma” was held on March 15th and 16th, 2015.  Held concurrently with the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) (March 14th to 18th) the event was charged with the purpose of learning from experiences of the Soma region in Fukushima Prefecture during the Great Eastern Japan earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster.  Additionally, the event served as a platform to disseminate disaster prevention and risk reduction strategies developed during the past four years of recovery. Takumi TAKAGI, in charge of Fukushima operations at the AAR Japan (Association for Aid and Relief, Japan) Tokyo Headquarters, reports.

Complete with impressions and folk music, the concert produced constant laughter

On the first day, folk musician Naoyuki HARADA and entertainer Nekohachi EDOYA teamed up to put on the “Disaster Area Relief Concert”.   Nekohachi EDOYA kicked it off with the story, “It All Beings With Health”.  Complete with impressions of animal’s cries, he reminded the audience of the importance of laughter. He began with his signature Japanese bush warbler (uguisu) impression, and kept the audience howling with laughter throughout his frog, chicken, and cat impressions. His act finished with a chance for audience participation - everyone came together in unity to form a grand choir of sheep imitations.

 “Disaster Area Relief Concert” performers Naoyuki HARADA and Nekohachi EDOYA (March 15th, 2015)

Vanuatu/ Cyclone Pam: Distributing Clean Clothes and Kitchen Goods

“We are wearing scavenged clothes”

AAR Japan is engaged in emergency relief activities in Vanuatu, a South Pacific island country, which was struck by Cyclone Pam from March 13th to 14th, 2015. The cyclone devastated Vanuatu, a sprawling country of 83 islands and approximately 230,000 people. The storm affected around 166,000 people who are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance.

AAR Japan dispatched Fukuro KAKIZAWA to Vanuatu on March 18th, 2015. He assessed the extent of damage on Tanna Island, which suffered severe damage, and Efate Island, where Port Vila, the capital city, is located. AAR Japan distributed clothes and kitchen goods in villages on the east side of Efate Island following coordination meetings with other humanitarian agencies from all over the world, including the United Nations. The other agencies had not yet reached these villages despite the scale of damage.

A mother and daughter living in Takara Village receive a bag full of clothes. Clean clothes were not available for two weeks in the aftermath of the cyclone. Fukuro KAKIZAWA of AAR Japan. (Right) (March 26th, 2015)

Cyclone Pam: Catastrophic Damage on Farm Products on the Self-Sufficient Vanuatu Island

AAR Japan, with their headquarters located in Tokyo, is conducting a damage assessment brought by Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. In Vanuatu, agriculture is the main source of livelihood, hence people's lives are largely self-sufficient. Since Cyclone Pam wreaked most of the agricultural land, an emergency assistance is urgently needed to resume agriculture.

Tanna Island suffered severe damage by Cyclone Pam. The picture captures a collapsed concrete building. (Tanna Island, Vanuatu, March 21st, 2015)

Vanuatu/ Cyclone Pam: Two Weeks since Cyclone Pam – Distributing Emergency Relief Goods

Provision of clean clothes to the disaster victims 

Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan, which has headquarters in Tokyo, and is led by President Yukie OSA) has dispatched Fukuro KAKIZAWA to Vanuatu, which was hit by Cyclone Pam on March 13th, 2015. He is engaging in emergency relief activities for the disaster victims. AAR Japan distributed clothes to Takara Village, on the east side of Efate Island, on March 26th, 2015. The distribution was decided upon the thorough assessment on Efate Island, where the capital is located, and on Tanna Island, which was devastated. Coordination meetings with other humanitarian agencies from all over the world, including the United Nations, also contributed to the decision.

A mother and daughter from an affected family smile as they receive a bag full of clothes. Fukuro KAKIZAWA of AAR Japan. (Right) (Efate Island, Vanuatu, March 26th, 2015)

There are approximately 300 residents in Takara Village. The village does not have any shelterbelts, so it was severely affected by strong winds. Many houses were completely destroyed. The wind also blew away clothes, forcing parents to dress their children in scavenged clothes that were washed in seawater. It was clear that the victims were living in conditions of poor hygiene. In the meantime, humanitarian responders were reaching out to the affected islands. A dire need for food and construction materials was apparent at first, but governmental and other humanitarian agencies had decided on large scale distributions. Under such circumstances, AAR Japan decided to distribute clothes such as T-shirts and skirts for both children and adults to 56 families (approximately 280 people) in Takara Village, whose houses were completely destroyed.

Vanuatu consists of 83 islands, and ferry services to remote islets have been resumed.   Accordingly, the details of the disaster’s impact have been getting clearer. AAR Japan will continue to collect information and provide relief assistance.

Fukuro KAKIZAWA, AAR Tokyo Office 
KAKIZAWA has been in charge of Afghanistan and Pakistan operations at AAR Japan Tokyo Headquarters from May 2013. He also engaged in emergency assistance for Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the Philippines in 2013. He is 34 years old.

Donations
Please click here for online donation through Paypal
Please click here for online donation via credit card and using convenience stores. (in Japanese)

Donating at the Japan Post Office
Account Number: 00100-9-600
Account Name: Nanmin wo Tasukerukai　(難民を助ける会)
Please write down “Vanuatu” and specify if you need a receipt.


Latest news is available at Twitter and mail magazine.
AAR Account:（@aarjapan) http://twitter.com/aarjapan
AAR Mail Magazine: Click here for registration (only in Japanese)

Japanese-English translation by Ms. Keiko Machida
English editing by Ms. Mariah Gomes

The article on this page has been translated by volunteers as part of the AAR Japan's Volunteer Programme. Their generous contributions allow us to spread our activities and ideas globally, through an ever-growing selection of our reports from the field.