Emergency Response to Western Japan Floods

At this point and moving forward, flooding relief will shift from the initial emergency response phase to the locally-led recovery and reconstrction phase where Japan Platform will fully back up efforts among those affected by the floods to rebuild their own communities.

1.SUPPORTING LOCAL INERMEDIARY SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS:Strengthening the Core among Local Organizations

For locally-led medium- to long-term reconstruction to be successful, it is imprerative to have an organization that serves as the core NGO among all other local NGOs.

However some of the local nonprofit sector that ought to step up into this core role are not functioning fully due to lack of human resources and/or damages sustained by the disaster.

2.SUPPORTING ISOLATED EVECUEES: Japan Platform and Japan Platform Member NGOs Assisting Vulnerable Populations in Coordination with Local NGOs and Governments

One of the major challenages in the coming weeks in supporting evacuees who are prone to be isolated.Both who have left the evacuation shelters and returned to their own homes damaged by the flooding and who are still in evacuation shelters may be at a loss where to rebuild theri lives.

Currently, local governments and relief agecies do note have an accurate grasp of these vulnerable flooding survivors, and there is great need for a coordinated effort with the local NGOs and other rekief providers to offer them flexible and hands-on support.

Links:

• Japan Platform Project Page

Building / Strengthening of the Three Prefectural Disaster Relief Network

In the recent disaster, there was a particularly large number of evacuees and victims who had difficulties receiving aid, including people who had to stay in their own homes unwillingly. As social resources were lacking in the stricken areas as well, it became imperative to establish a collaborative network to provide a wide range of specific aids by consolidating information, knowledge, and activities of all types of organizations, transcending sectors, such as local administrative institutions, the social welfare council, and local/external NPO/NGO/private organizations. If private organizations such as NPOs could come together, there would be an increase in public interest and credibility that would promote collaboration with public institutions. Such a collaboration between public and private organizations will build a complementary relationship in which public support systems are utilized and support is provided by private organizations to help victims put their lives back in order and satisfy their needs in much greater detail. With this purpose, we have been supporting the local NPO support centers (intermediary organizations) in Okayama, Hiroshima, and Ehime from shortly after the strike of disaster. The goal of this project is to have the local communities take the initiative in operating a multi-sector network centered around such local NPO support centers.

Specifically, we will provide the know-how on multi-sector coordination, human resources, seminars on reconstruction support activities, and more. In addition, since we can conduct activities across the three prefectures, we will help find solutions for issues that cannot be solved regionally.

> Project Overview

• Project Site: Hiroshima Prefecture, Okayama Prefecture, Ehime Prefecture
• Duration: January 7, 2019, to September 30, 2019
• Budget : 36,307,516 JPY
• Expected Results: (1) Support will be provided to all victims effectively through a network centered around the local communities. (2) Local people will become better at foreseeing problems that arise as victims move from evacuation centers to temporary housings to public housings, and providing suitable support for each phase. (3) A network prepared for future disasters will be established by making a smooth transition from the temporary support phase to a recovery and reconstruction phase initiated by the local communities.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your support.