Disaster Response Japan Project #8431

Help Tohoku residents access medical care by air

by Civic Force

Project Report | Mar 10, 2014
Double your donations today to support Masayuki's health care delivery in Tohoku!

By Jangwoo Lee | Program Unit

Masayuki, helping local health care from air

Today, we'd like to share a story out of many lives you have changed - through supporting our project.

Masayuki's Story

Masayuki Takahashi is a helicopter pilot. After Civic Force was established in 2009, it entered into pre-agreements and partnerships with potential collaborators in preparation for the next large scale disaster. Masayuki was one of the chosen partners Civic Force contacted, hoping to ensure transportation means for emergency relief delivery in case a large scale natural disaster strikes. After 11^thMarch 2011, he engaged in volunteer work by utilizing his helicopter to provide relief supplies for the victims of the disaster with Civic Force. Afterwards he established an organization called All Round Helicopter aiming to support the local health-care system in the area. Local people have been worried about the lack of medical facilities since 2011, so Masayuki and his team decided to put all their efforts behind All Round Helicopter’s activities. Masayuki has received many messages of support and encouragement since establishing the organization.

Masayuki hopes that the survivors can also receive equal health-care service. He and his organization are thankful for any financial support that would contribute to the sustainability of his project.

Masayuki - "I am thankful for being given the chance to support the local health-care system in the affected areas"

In honor of the 3rd anniversary of East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, GlobalGiving is hosting a matching campaign for projects that work for recovery in Tohoku area. Starting today, your donations will be matched 100% by GlobalGiving until matchign funds last. To donate, click on "give now" button below.

Thank you for your support for this project, and thank you for supporting what Masayuki does where the help is needed!

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Dec 13, 2013
Monthly Report vol.32

By Jangwoo Lee | Program unit

A Message from Disaster

Two years and eight months have passed since Civic Force started activities to support reconstruction in the disaster-hit areas of northeastern Japan. This section showcases the people who live in theaffected areas and continue positive efforts towards recovery. For this issue, we interviewed Mr.Masayuki Sakai, president of Kesennuma Fukko Inc., whose company takes care of the administrativework of temporary housings in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture.

In September, 2011, after the disaster, I established Kesennuma Fukko Inc. and have been operating variety of businesses such as, reception and distribution of reliefgoods, maintenance of temporary housings, providing services for temporary housing residents, and sales of temporary housings.

Before the disaster, I was a board member of the Chamber of Commerce andIndustry while running a dry cleaners shop in Kesennuma City. For a few months after the disaster, I was engaged in the management of an evacuation center in Kesennuma City where I received and distributed relief goods from members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and acquaintances all over the country. I worked to meet the needs of those taking shelter at places with lesser help byreceiving information gathered through local relationships. Later, I set up Kesennuma Fukko Inc. by request from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, etc. to change the situation of Kesennuma City where reconstruction was not progressing as expected.

One of the roles of our company is to connect the supports that are offered to the disaster-affected areas. Since the disaster, I have continued activities only capable by a local person who knows Kesennuma City from old times, as I saw cases in which appropriate aids were not offered due to lacking knowledge of the area. Now my focus is on“Rental-bin” , a service in which users can rent trucks with a driver on a pay-by-the-hour system. While the needs for maintenance work on temporary housings are decreasing, the needs for moving out from temporary housings will increase going forward. I hope to expand our business irrespective of scope of services and create employment.

If you need further information, please find attachment.

Attachments:

Monthly_Report_vol.32.eng.pdf (PDF)

1 Attachment

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Dec 13, 2013
Monthly Report vol.31

By Jangwoo Lee | Program unit

A Message from Disaster

Two years and seven months have passed since Civic Force started activities to support reconstruction indisaster-hit areas of northeastern Japan. This section showcases the people who live in the affected areas andcontinue positive efforts towards recovery. As the 8th person, we interviewed Mr. Hisao Murakami, the owner of“Rakusho” , a Japanese-style pub called “izakaya” , in Sendai city.

Rikuzen-haranomachi Station is the third stop from Sendai Station on theSenseki railway line and after walking 30 seconds, you’ ll reach “Rakusho” , theizakaya I run. My hometown is Kesennuma city, so I offer local food of the Kesennuma region. Some of my customers are from Kesennuma city. When the disaster occurred, the inside of my shop became a mess because of the strongearthquake. But my main concern was my friends in my hometown who were affected by the tsunami. So for two months after the disaster, I kept my izakaya closed todeliver goods and prepare meals while traveling back and forth between Sendai and Kesennuma.

Thanks to the network of my former teammates from the Morioka Chuo HighSchool baseball team, many people including professional baseball players of Rakuten Rakuten Eagles visited to cheer us up. I was also engaged in activities such as holding baseball lessons by professional baseball players and inviting residents of temporary housings to baseball games. Because of the disaster, I gained new acquaintances who came to support us from all over the country including Shizuoka prefecture. While I wished to respond to their warm feelings, there were moments when I also felt people are becoming disconnected from each other due to the disaster.

The recommendations at my izakaya are fresh seafood, Kesennuma-style barbecued pork offal, and local foodsuch as “azara” . I want this shop to be a place where people gather to have a cheerful time and feel positive. Iam hoping to open an izakaya in Kesennuma city as well.

If you need further information, please find attachment and our hompage(www.civic-force.org)

Attachments:

Monthly_Report_vol.31.eng.pdf (PDF)

1 Attachment

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