Attachments
Period covered by this report: 1 January 2014 – 31 March 2014
Highlights:
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The budget of the JRCS relief and recovery programme stands at JPY 60 billion of which 78.1 per cent (JPY 46.9 billion) has been spent by the end of March 2014.
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Communication and Public Information - For the 3rd anniversary of the GEJET (Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami) communication efforts were scaled up during the reporting period. An advertising campaign has been carrying out to express gratitude to the donors and to raise public awareness on the JRCS relief and recovery efforts.
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JRCS Nuclear Disaster Resource Centre – The JRCS Nuclear Disaster Resource Centre has been actively operating during the reporting period: 1) formulating the JRCS Operational Guidelines for Nuclear Disaster; 2) increasing contents of a digital archive both in Japanese and English; 3) organising the second Red Cross Nuclear Disaster Seminar in a collaboration with high school students; 4) attending to IFRC Reference Group meeting for Nuclear & Radiological Emergency Preparedness; 5) sharing information on health impact of nuclear power plant accident at the International Experts’ Meeting on Severe Accident Management in the Light of the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, organised by The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
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Psychosocial Support - The JRCS chapters in the three most affected prefectures have been implementing various events for psychosocial support. Since April 2013, JRCS Iwate Chapter has been providing psychosocial care services by combining with Nordic style walking so as to facilitate participation of intended beneficiaries who may otherwise feel unease to participate in the stand-alone psychosocial support activities. In this reporting period, a total of 19 events were held, either combined or stand-alone, with 207 participants. JRCS Miyagi Chapter also organized psychosocial care events jointly with popular health workshops conducted by volunteer nurses. The event was held five times benefitting some 100 residents of prefabricated housing in this reporting period. It served the disaster survivors an opportunity to talk about their thoughts, memories and anxieties in a casual and relaxed setting. Participation of men and young generation are minimal, leaving the need to encourage them to join the events. On-going psychosocial support for disaster survivors is still in great need and JRCS chapters are committed to continuing these activities.
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Constructions - Construction of a community centre in Ishinomaki city in Miyagi, was completed in March 2014. The centre aims to benefit about 330 people, mainly the elderly and children, in Yoriiso area. The construction of an after-class centre in Yamada Kita completed in March 2014. It aims to provide the indoor play-space and the study environment to those students who would otherwise stay alone at home after the school hours while both parents being at work. The direct beneficiaries are 22 students from the neighbouring two primary schools.