The Sunshine Coast Japan Disaster Relief Fund committee is pleased to update the community on how donations are being used in areas devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan.
In total, more than $70,000 was raised on the Sunshine Coast - an astonishing amount given the small population. The committee selected the Rose Charities and Red Cross Japan through the Canadian Red Cross to receive donations because they act independently of national governments and move quickly to direct funds to areas of greatest need. In this regard, the Canadian Red Cross signed a memorandum of understanding with Red Cross Japan that ensures donations from Canada are used exclusively for recovery and rebuilding efforts.
In late November, Red Cross Japan provided a summary of projects undertaken with support from international Red Cross agencies, including: emergency relief supplies and services such as tents, rice cookers, medical assistance and post trauma support; vaccination programs to protect elderly survivors from pneumonia; assistance to nuclear power plant disaster victims; in Miyagi prefecture, a temporary night-time emergency medical centre and pre-fabricated hospitals for secondary care to replace five of 13 hospitals that were completely destroyed on March 11; rebuilding the Red Cross nursing school which provided trained nurses to 92 Red Cross Japan hospitals throughout the country; improvement of living conditions in evacuation centres and temporary housing; electronic appliance packages (washing machines, refrigerators, TVs, fans, etc.) to 144 large-scale evacuation centres and to 119,000 households; drinking water, portable showers and water stations; cold weather supplies (condensation prevention sheets for windows, heating pads for under futons and mattresses, stationary heaters for large evacuation centres); and Red Cross bus service for children to attend classes in schools often located far from their emergency shelters and for the elderly to access health care and shopping.
To date, more than $4 billion has been distributed to fund relief projects in 15 prefectures (provinces) affected by the tsunami and the subsequent nuclear crisis. Red Cross Japan mobilized 845 medical teams and over 80,000 trained volunteers and has established a fund to cover future assistance for those who lost their homes, jobs and family members in the tragic events of spring 2011.
Thank you to all who encouraged these fund raising efforts and reached out to help those in such great need in Japan. This project is an eloquent testament to the compassionate community in which we are so blessed to live.
For more information, contact the Sunshine Coast Japan Disaster Relief Fund committee at 604-883-2407, 604-885-7083 or 604-741-9789.
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