This month, we’d like to report on our Fukushima trip and disaster relief activities in Marumori City, Miyagi Prefecture.

Four staff members embarked to Fukushima from the 18th to 19th of February, while two of these staff members headed to Marumori City from the 20th to the 22nd.

Just like last time, we spent our 4th trip to Marumori helping the non-profit organization Open Japan with their disaster relief activities.

<Sleeping in tents set up in gymnasium>

During our previous trips, we stayed at a hotel nearby Marumori City. This time, however, we slept in the gymnasium currently being rented out by Open Japan.

Just like other emergency shelters, there were no stoves or heaters, which meant the building was very cold!

<Dinner table>　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　<Bangladeshi curry made by our staff>

We used the kitchen in the local community center to cook our food. Dinner was always a friendly and relaxed place where we could exchange thoughts and ideas.

<CheFuKo staff operating heavy machinery>

Once we explained that we had recently gotten our Heavy Equipment Licenses, we were given the opportunity to operate outside of a house damaged by the landslides.

We were able to learn some useful operating techniques for working in disaster areas.

Later, we visited a community center in a mountainous ward to help with some basic construction work. We met some foreigners there, reminding us that Japanese people weren’t the only ones willing to support Marumori.

The ward mayor came by to pour us some tea and thank us for our work. We were moved to hear him express his heartfelt thanks with tears in his eyes.

Many people we spoke with expressed their concerns about the COVID-19 virus sweeping the world.

We hope that the virus won’t affect the much-needed restoration work, and that things will soon return to normal.

February 18th-19th, 2020

Thermotherapy participants

Day 1 (4 participants): 4 at Ōmika Lifelong Learning Center
Day 2 (30 participants): 10 at Hanamiyama wo Mamoru Kai, 3 at Iinomachi Commuity Center, 14 at Minna no Ie, 3 at Rainbow House