Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Volunteers of The 30th Alliance Anniversary Campaign help in Yamada-town in Japan which was destroyed in the last year tsunami disaster



On Monday July 2nd group of international volunteers came to Soto Ryushoji temple to play with children of the kindergartens, support the local people at the temporary community center in the area and do some reconstruction work.

Yamada-town was hit by the earthquake and tsunami on 11/03/2011, and is still suffering from tremendous damages that the disaster left. Tsunami assailed the town after destroying the breakwater which was 1m thick and 8m high. Fire broke out after Tsunami, and it burnt down the whole town. As of July 2011, about 600 deaths, 300 missing and approximately 2,600 refugees live in a shelter. (The population before Tsunami was 18,000.)
Local host plans this program to show children of the town how people all over the world are concerned for us. It will brighten up the children, enhancing their will to live, and making them look forward to their far future again.
Soto Ryushoji temple has 2 kindergartens and the office of Yamada International Association (dormant at the moment, due to the earthquake). The chief priest, Rev. Shimizu is the head director of the association. Therefore, Ryushoji temple is rightly the base of intercultural activities in the area. They often accept and support people from other countries and send local people abroad. Ever since the earthquake the temple has been serving as a “shelter” for all people who suffer, and they welcome any volunteers for the reconstruction of the town from all over the world.   

See on the map where the volunteers are at the moment.

  
This project is organized by:
www.cieej.or.jp

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