Childcare Support at Disaster-Stricken Tohoku

Kirarin Kids (KK) is feeling much more responsibilities for their roles in building a community with strong bondage between children and parents in Rikuzen Takata, especially because the declining number of children in the community is becoming quite conspicuous. KK is doing their best to make their community attractive to young parents. It has been offering many programs, such as: (1) Kirarin Kids; (2) Kirarin Egg and Baby; (3) Kirarin Mama; (4) Kirarin Papa; (5) Kirarin Café; (6) Kirarin Miniature Farming; and (7) Kirarin Refresh. Besides, KK also provides highly valuable additional services, such as the Children’s Health Saloon in cooperation with the HANDS, Play Cars brought by the UNICEF and the Toy Maker Association, cooking lectures, traditional food cooking, lectures on children’s nourishment, counselling on life with a small fee charged, a puppet show, a party with Santa Clause, Christmas gardening, Nobody’s Perfect sessions, playing at the Ashinaga Rainbow House once a month, etc.

KK now started a health food program for mothers, which will also help to make emergency food and baby foods. With regard to Kirarin Papa sessions, it started attracting a large number of fathers and children. In the first session, it had only ten couples. Then the number grew to 15 in the second session and to 20 in the third session. As a whole, this program involved about 130 people. KK also had a Tanabata Festival in July, attracting about 200 attendants. Other shops cooperated to offer quite many attractions, such as bon dance, fireworks, games, etc. This evet became famous enough to attract people from neighboring cities of Ofunato and Kesennuma. KK just recently visited the newly established fire station, and will be organizing an athletic meeting.

All are working well, and people are well responding to these events. Despite such successes, KK is facing deadlocks, incapable of finding a solution to its future. The best option it would like to have is to have enough fund to purchase a piece of land and build its place in a newly rebuilt land along the coast. Since KK did not own a piece of land before the disaster, it is not capable of receiving governmental subsidies. Naturally, they hardly have savings. If the previous land owner will build a facility which KK can borrow, it will be its second best option, since KK will attract people who will gather for shopping on the coastal side. Any sign of this option seems to exist.  The third option is to organize a cooperative to borrow a facility which KK uses presently. A half of present tenants will move out, but KK is hoping to have enough number of the present tenants to remain, so that they can request the city government not to remove one building out of the present two buildings. Unfortunately, since everybody is still looking for an alternative, no action has been taken. But one thing they are certain is that this location will not be attractive at all to bring their clients. Does KK have enough time to operate without making any decision? Time bomb is ticking. However, KK also thinks that the last option is simply to borrow a space at a newly established quite attractive community center. It is rather hesitant to do so, since it loses its permanent location. At least, they have the last option they can choose unwillingly. However, efforts should be made for a better option before the time bomb explodes.

Links:

• Kirarin Kids Homepage