Staff volunteer activities in the disaster zone
Staff volunteer activities in the disaster zone
This is one of the Tohoku reconstruction aid initiatives from Rakuten CSR under the banner of “unwavering support for Tohoku.”
Rakuten lends its support to voluntary action for two purposes. The first is to bring as many of our staff as possible to see the disaster-affected areas with their own eyes, to feel the situation there for themselves and to pass on information. The second purpose is so that this volunteering experience serves as an opportunity for Rakuten Group to continuously think about what kind of contribution it can make through its main business.
The volunteer network is expanding as members from different departments share and discuss their activities with each other. The scope of activities is also expanding as participating members take the lead, carrying out autonomous initiatives with local branch employees.
Record of initiatives
May 18-20, 2012 / Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Pref. / 13 staff / Association Team Ohkan / Labor to aid home-based evacuees, moving assistance, mental health support
| Record of initiatives | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Location | No.of participants | Cooperating group | Activity summary |
| December 3-4, 2011 | Minamisanriku-cho, Motoyoshi-gun and Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture | 8 staff | Revive Japan with IT! | Clean-up of housing sites after removal of rubble, special EC seminars |
| February 25-26, 2012 | Togura District, Minamisanriku-cho, Motoyoshi-gun, Miyagi Pref. | 10 staff | IRevive Japan with IT!, Togura Rebuilding Support Group | Assembly of drawers for garage storage of goods, coverage of major stalls and visitors at the Fukkoichi market event, Minamisanriku-cho |
| May 18-20, 2012 | Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Pref. | 13 staff | Association Team Ohkan | Labor to aid home-based evacuees, moving assistance, mental health support |
Current activity report : Going to the zone myself opened my eyes to the reality of the disaster (Vol. 3, Ishinomaki City, in May, 2012)
- For our third instalment, we helped home-based evacuees, taking part in Association Team Ohkan’s project.
- ※ “Home-based evacuees” are households affected by the disaster who continue to live in their own – damaged – houses, without shifting into temporary housing or other accommodation for disaster victims. By chance, their houses escaped the wrath of the tsunami, but they are located in communities whose urban functions have been destroyed by the waves.
In terms of numbers in Ishinomaki City, they account for some 12,000 households – around 40,000 people – compared to 7,500 households in temporary housing. They suffer from far worse access to government, health and company aid than people living in temporary housing.
- We took part in more than 12 different kinds of activities, from individual interviews with home-based evacuees to livelihood support, industrial reconstruction aid, mental health care, community support and management of aid organizations.
Participating members took part in activities with the local people with lively interaction. We talked with them while sorting and packing wakame seaweed, and rigged up a filter for water from a spring that had dried up due to the earthquakes and typhoons.
- We also heard from Mr. Kimura, president of the Aijo Tarako no Minato (April 13, 2012; http://rakuten-gsr-new-future.tumblr.com/) store which is on Rakuten Ichiba, about his experiences during the disaster, disaster preparedness and other matters. Particularly memorable were his words, “Earthquakes are natural disasters, but a tsunami disaster is manmade because with adequate preparation it can be prevented.” We felt keenly, almost painfully, that spur-of-the-moment decisions made in the wake of an earthquake and preparations can mean the difference between life and death. Following this, all staff present talked together about what we could do to prevent such destruction from ever happening again.
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The volunteers had this to say:
“Going to the zone myself opened my eyes to the reality of the disaster, listening to the harrowing stories of the local people I got to know.”
“My understanding and attitude have been renewed by this experience. Now, I have made up my mind to recruit friends and acquaintances who have not tried direct volunteering yet.”
“I want to continue helping even after this is over.”
“I feel that more aid and support could be provided if data is collected on those we are helping, priorities set and the work carried out more efficiently.”
“I was impressed by the passion and physical strength of Association Team Ohkan’s members continuing their aid activities in the local community. I feel that they need more operational and organizational support if they are to sustain their action in the future.”
- ◆Related links
- ※Revive Japan with IT!
A private organization consisted of members from various IT companies all over Japan and local companies within the Sendai area. They provide timely support to the disaster areas by conducting continuing research and answering to needs that are sought in the disaster areas. They also take part in creating opportunities where local governments and victims could meet and discuss problems together. Mainly focusing on problems in temporary houses within Miyagi prefecture, local government buildings, and providing internet access support, they aim to support the revival of Tohoku through accurate research and providing solutions to problems using the internet. - ※Association Team Ohkan
Team Ohkan immediately started their actions, by providing soup-runs in the southern part of Sendai city, they are now mainly in support of “home based evacuees” in Ishinomaki city. Collecting and researching data precisely and accurately they help the people in providing “Immediate Support” (such as delivering goods, providing volunteers and transportation) and “Continuing Support” (such as health support, mental care and child school care) .
