CWAJ Eastern Japan Earthquake Relief Initiatives

CWAJ Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Initiatives

Immediately after the catastrophic earthquake, CWAJ collected cash donations and sent this fund to AMDA (Association of Medical Doctors of Asia) to be used for their medical relief activities for the Great East Japan Earthquake, while rigorously researching the ways to directly help victims in Tohoku region.
By mid-April 2011 the CWAJ Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Fund had been established and　soon CWAJ Great East Japan Earthquake Mental Health Care Project was launched under the guidance of Dr. Nobumasa Kato and Dr. Nagafumi Doi. Various other relief efforts followed:

1. Cash donation to AMDA
Cash donations were collected immediately and sent to AMDA (Association of Medical Doctors of Asia) to be used for their medical relief activities for the Great East Japan Earthquake.

2. CWAJ Great East Japan Earthquake Mental Health Care Project － CWAJ Medical Van Donated to Newly Opened Mental Health Care Center in Soma City, Fukushima
CWAJ has been providing encouragement and material support to the volunteer psychiatrists who offer on-site mental health care to the victims in Fukushima.

Under the strong leadership of Dr. Shin’ichi Niwa of Fukushima Medical University, the much awaited Kokoro no Care Center and Mental Clinic Nagomi opened on January 10th 2012 in Soma, a coastal city located 40 kilometers north of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Soma Kokoro no Care center will serve as the base office for outreach mental health care for which a medical van with a wheelchair lift is absolutely imperative. CWAJ is proud to be its provider.

18 CWAJ members were invited to the opening ceremony on January 9th. President Misa Yasukawa presented Dr. Niwa a big golden key emblazoned with the CWAJ logo, symbol of the donation by CWAJ of the medical van.

Print Show Director Reiko Oshima presented a framed print by the late Hideo Hagiwara donated for the Kokoro no Care Center by his son to the 2011 Print Show.

To view more photos, please click here .

For details of “CWAJ Great East Japan Earthquake Mental Health Care Project”, please click here.

3. CWAJ Fukushima Relief Scholarship
－ Educational Support for student victims of Great East Japan Earthquake —
Young students’ hopes, dreams, and desire to study should not be abandoned because of this multi-faceted disaster. CWAJ believes that financial aid to help the dreams of young students come true is required for true recovery of the region. To this end, CWAJ created a special scholarship program to support students from the disaster-stricken area.

Three students studying at Fukushima Medical University School of Nursing were selected as recipients of CWAJ Fukushima Relief Scholarship. They will be awarded 0.5 million yen scholarship for one academic year for maximum of two years to pursue their studies.

4. CWAJ Print Show
The 56th CWAJ Print Show, held October 14 - 16, 2011 at Tokyo American Club, was dedicated to the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Proceeds from the Print Show went to the CWAJ Education and Scholarship Fund and to the CWAJ Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Fund.

5. VVI (Volunteers for the Visually Impaired) Charity Concert
vvi concert group

CWAJ Charity Concert featuring Visually Impaired Artists was held on Sunday, December 11 at Pasona Hall. 523,000 yen was raised and donated to the National Committee of Welfare for the Blind in Japan (NCWBJ). CWAJ’s donation will be used to purchase much needed daily use aids and appliances for the visually impaired, lost by victims in the March 11 disasters.

More than 200 people enjoyed the beautiful and heartwarming performances of twin pianists Rie and Risa Kimura, guitarist/vocalist Ryota Kuriyama, and Tsukuba School for the Visually Impaired Alumnae Handbell Choir “Akane”.
We would like to thank all the performers and Pasona Group for donating their services and also, Mr. Minamisawa (1999 CWAJ SVI Scholar) for donating all the sales of his handmade pendants and cellphone straps.

The Charity Concert was organized by CWAJ’s Volunteers for the Visually Impaired (VVI) Committee.

6. CWAJ Friendly Quilt Project
(Quilt Photo)
As early as in April some of the craft-loving CWAJ members started to discuss possibilities to raise fund for Tohoku relief. Since then more than a dozen dedicated volunteers stitched and stitched with the guidance of CWAJ quilting gurus.

The gorgeous, one-of-a-kind Friendly Quilt, hand sewn from antique kimono fabric pieces donated by the quilters themselves was awarded to the lucky winner of the drawing held at the December Luncheon. Purchase of raffle tickets raised ¥130,000 for the CWAJ Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. The generous donation of more than 30 additional raffle prizes, many also handmade,
brought additional excitement and cheer to the occasion.

7. CWAJ Cultural Program 2012
— Curt and Bruce Duo Koto and Shakuhachi Charity Concert —

Date: March 17, 2012, Saturday
Time: 1:30, Doors Open 1:00
Place: Franciscan Chapel Center, Roppongi
Tickets: ¥2000, (Age 12 and below - ¥1000)
Curt and Bruce Duo concert

Proceeds from the concert will go to the Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Fund.
For more details please look here or contact:　culturalprogram@cwaj.org

CWAJ sincerely thanks you for your support. Your donations to CWAJ will help the victims find new hope for the future.

To make donations to the Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, please click here.

Activity report of current state