The Japan Disaster Appeal

Keep sending in your schools' FABULOUS Messages of Hope!

5 August 2011

Kids often find it difficult to express their feelings and emotions using words.  The option of sending Messages of Hope to the affected children of each project helps your students engage with their compassion and empathy through artwork, colours, words and poetry.

For some inspiration, check out the beautiful creativity shown below by Riverton Primary!  Awesome work kids!

Japan's long road to recovery

6 July 2011

Just three months ago Japan was plunged into chaos after a cataclysmic earthquake sent a merciless tsunami crashing through towns and cities up and down the east coast.

The unforgiving tide of water obliterated tens of thousands of buildings, devouring almost anything in its path. Thousands of people died and hundreds of bodies have never been recovered.

The heart-breaking images of families desperately searching for loved ones amid the rubble of their homes sent shockwaves around the world.

Now, three months on, these images show the Japanese people remain undaunted by the havoc nature has wreaked on their homeland as step by step they rebuild their nation.

But despite their progress, stark reminders of the work left to do means the resilience of this Asian country is still being tested.


(Courtesy of Emily Allen, Mail Online)

How has your school's fabulous fundraising made a difference to the kids in Japan? Check out the below update!

15 June 2011

Three months on from the earthquake and tsunami, and work is continuing with affected communities, children and their families.  Children have begun to return to school, and families have been provided with essential items to enable them to resume daily routines. 

Since March, SchoolAid and Save the Children have:

• assisted 30,000 children with items like back-to-school kits, transport to school, school lunches and at Child Friendly Spaces
• deployed six aid workers from Save the Children Australia's Emergency Response Team to help meet the needs of children
• established 19 child friendly spaces in tsunami-affected parts of Japan
• purchased at least 5,500 back to school kits to be distributed to school children in Miyagi prefecture
• distributed a range of essential items, such as warm clothes and blankets, to 615 people in five locations in Ishinomaki City
• continued to identify partners, relief agencies, and authorities in and around the impact zone in order to assess the services available and to efficiently meet the needs of children and families
• worked with relief agencies and authorities to ensure children's rights are protected

Returning to School in Higashimatushima, Japan

Three weeks later than the rest of Japan, elementary schools in tsunami-affected communities are slowly re-opening classrooms to students.

Spring term is a special occasion for Japanese first-graders, as it is the time of year they start school. However, the tsunami that struck on the north-eastern coast of Japan swept away schools and school equipment, and turned many more into evacuation centres. 

During a ceremony at Omagari elementary school in Higashimatushima, first-graders and other school children received 300 back-to-school kits and dozens of satchels - known locally as randoseru - from Save the Children to replace lost school items like pens, rulers, and school books.  One of the students, eight-year-old Wakana Kumagai received a red randoseru. 

Her mother, Yoshiko (28) said: "My husband had made ready for our daughter's new school days and had got a randoseru and other school things for her.  My husband passed away from the tsunami.  He is not coming back to us again. Today I feel relieved that my daughter has got a new randoseru. Now she can start school!" 

In Higashimatsushima, damage caused by the tsunami was massive. Save the Children has partnered with the city's board of education to provide randoserus and school kits to students at all elementary schools.  "I am so happy to see these new students receive their randoserus today. I have really hoped to be able to deliver them before the school entrance ceremony," said the school principle, Takao Kikegaw

The school entrance ceremony in Japan is very special to children. A new randoseru is a symbol of the beginning of a hopeful new life.

(Courtesy of Save the Children)

Our Lady of Grace and St Marys Memorial schools show support for Japan!

1 June 2011

The students from the Glenelg Parish schools of St. Marys Memorial and Our Lady of Grace, Adelaide, were deeply upset over the double disaster in Japan.

FABULOUS WORK KIDS!

YOU SHOULD BE SO PROUD OF YOUR INSPIRATIONAL EFFORTS!

The Impact on Children’s Education

17 May 2011

Many children were just finishing the school term and preparing for spring break when the earthquake and tsunami struck.  

7,101 schools and kindergartens were damaged. The Government of Japan is making every effort to ensure that children start back to school as planned at various times in April.  

In view of the lack of teachers and classrooms that were either destroyed or are being used as temporary shelters, the Education Ministry has requested that public schools establish a two-division system whereby students take either morning or afternoon classes. 

SchoolAid, together with Save the Children is committed to helping support children returning to school.  We are working with Save the Children Japan to augment government efforts by providing children thus far with 2,690 back to school kits and school supplies to replace the items that were lost in the tsunami.  

2,690 kits have been distributed in Miyagi and an additional 5,000 back to school kits are being distributed.  Save the Children Japan is discussing with the Board of Education ways to further support back to school activities.

Riverton Primary School Messages of Hope

28 April 2011

Thanks to the brilliantly creative kids of Riverton Primary School, WA, who have sent us a fabulous array of "Messages of Hope" for the kids of Japan!

GREAT WORK KIDS!

Riverton Primary School, WA rallies support!

13 April 2011

Students at Riverton Primary Campus in Perth were very concerned about the children and families affected by the recent earthquakes and tsunami hitting Japan in March 2011. 

We organised a Gold Coin Donation Day.  Students placed their coins over the characters used to write the word "Japan" in both Japanese and English.    Many students brought several coins or even notes to contribute to the appeal. Some students also made compassionate cards and origami cranes in their own time to send as Messages of Hope along with the donated funds.  We raised $612.35.    Congratulations kids and staff of Riverton, on your fabulous generosity and imaginative efforts!

Inspiration from Allambie Heights Public School

30 March 2011

On Monday 28th March our school had a 'Kids Helping Kids Harmony Day'. The students and staff wore orange and raised $800 for the kids in Japan affected by the earthquake/tsunami disaster by spraying our hair orange, selling orange jelly cups and paying a donation for wearing orange 'mufti'.

The staff have been discussing the recent disaster in Japan with the students and raising awareness about supporting others in need; the needs of children all over the world and life in Japan.

Congratulations on your fantastic efforts Allambie Heights!!

Case study: Michiko Takahashi, 22 mother of Mion Takahashi, 1 year old

24 March 2011

On the day of the earthquake I'd been at the dermatologist with my daughter. I'd just returned home and was changing her nappy when the earthquake struck.  The house was really shaking hard, and I thought it would be safer outside. Normally I'd have stayed inside, because that's what we're taught to do, but the ground was shaking so hard that I thought I'd be safer outside. 

I ran out with the baby- I didn't even have time to put on a new nappy. I was about to go back into the house to get some things, when I heard the Tsunami siren ringing. My mother shouted at me not to go into the house, and we started running to higher ground. I now know that my house was completely destroyed and we've lost everything. I only have the clothes I was wearing, but Mion was given some baby clothes yesterday. 

Life in evacuation centre is very hard. We've been here for ten days and I'm very concerned about my babies health. For the first nine days, we had no hygiene supplies given to us at all. Yesterday we got three baby wipes- not packets but individual sheets and a couple of cans of milk. 

Case study: Hirohiko Oka and his son Suzunosuke, age 6

18 March 2011

Suzunoskue Oka, 6, was at home in Onagawa when the earthquake struck at 2.46pm local time.  "I was very afraid I didn't know what was happening.  I was scared and ran to my father." 

His father, Hirohiko, a local musician knew immediately what to do.  "I picked up my son and pregnant wife and said we have to go now to higher ground." 

They fled up the hill to the Japanese temple when, 20 minutes later, the family watched horrified as a ten-metre high wall of water swept up the valley.  Suzunoskue describes what happened.  "Then came a huge mountain of water.  It came right over our house.  Everything was gone.  But then another wave came and it was even higher." 

The second wave that followed the first combined to make a monster 20-metre high wall of water that upended 100 tonne buildings and smashed nearly every house in the valley.  "I was so scared by what I saw," says Suzunoskue.  "After the water had all gone we went down to see our house but there was nothing left.  I lost all my toys including my favourite playing cards, and favourite dragon." 

Like so many other children in Onagawa, Suzunoskue shelters in the hospital on the hill.  "I want to go home.  I want to have a bath and to be with my friends."

(Courtesy of Save the Children)

Image courtesy of Jensen Walker/Getty Images for Save the Children

What do we tell the kids?

16 March 2011

During the flood in Brisbane, KidsHelpLine had a 50 per cent increase in calls from all across the country. Children confided that they felt overwhelmed, scared, angry and sad.  It's called vicarious trauma and parents need to start helping their children make sense of the events now.

Wendy Protheroe, general manager of Kids Helpline said children are easily traumatised by the saturation media coverage of disasters in the media.  It is important not to watch too much television coverage with the children around because they are easily overwhelmed and frightened.  

Ms Protheroe said children will be asking what has happened and why it has happened. They will want to know if they are safe and often they want to know where it is happening.

The events in Japan will be particularly traumatic for children who have been through the recent floods and fires in Australia. Ms Protheroe said parents of these children will need to be particularly watchful of their children and make a decision whether they need to talk.

"Children who have already experienced trauma may go inside themselves," she said.  "If they become internalised or angry it's because they are feeling they have lost control over their lives. Differences in behaviour are what parents can expect."

Ms Protheroe said parents need to be prepared to answer questions and they need to be available or make sure that there is another safe adult their children can talk to.

(Courtesy of Alison Godfrey, news.com.au)

SchoolAid and Save the Children Partnership for the Japan Disaster Appeal

15 March 2011

Save the Children and SchoolAid are proud to be working in partnership to support children directly impacted by Japan's largest ever recorded earthquake and resultant Tsunami.  As kids in Australia struggle to comprehend the devastation wrought by these natural disaster on our Asian neighbours, SchoolAid provides not only a mechanism to support these kids, schools and communities in need in the affected areas, it also empowers Australian school children to make a difference in the lives of those suffering.  

Japan death toll expected to soar past 10,000; nuclear threat looms amid massive blackouts

14 March 2011

The death toll from Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami on Friday is expected to exceed 10,000, Japanese news services announced Sunday.

There are already 1,300 confirmed dead and 10,000 people are missing in just one town.

The nuclear threat also loomed over the parts of the ravaged country.

About 190 people were within a six-mile radius of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant when its roof blew off Saturday, raising radiation levels rose. Officials have confirmed 22 people have been contaminated.

The devastating, 8.9-magnitutude quake and tsunami appeared to have shifted the coastline by about 8 feet in some areas and shifted the earth on its axis by nearly 4 inches, according to reports from geophysicists.   With 300,000 people already displaced, the lack of electricity and fuel was hitting survivors and resident around the country hard.    At least 2 million people in Japan's freezing cold northern region were completely without power.