A boy in a preschool where Caritas distributed bedding.

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Japan tsunami

Photo: Laura Sheahen/CI

Caritas continues to support Japan a year on from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. 15,000 died in the disaster and hundreds of thousands lost their homes. Caritas responded very quickly with food and support and one year on on they continue to help in a variety of ways.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand contributed $20,000 to Japan. Caritas helps in the affected areas in a number of ways by providing a sympathetic ear to survivors; strengthening communities; continuing with clean up; and helping get small businesses back on their feet.

A year after the tsunami, almost 83,000 people still cannot return home. For those living in government-built temporary shelters, Caritas volunteers are a familiar sight. The volunteers load small pickup trucks with food, nappies, towels and more, driving to the new lots and setting up stations. Caritas cooks hot food for the residents, encouraging them to mingle at the barbecues and get to know their neighbours.

‘A key issue that people are facing is isolation,’ says Sawako Inae, Programme Officer for Caritas Japan. Volunteers trained in grief care spend hours listening to survivors at the Caritas cafes. ‘It’s a place where people can cry, and express their sadness and anger,’ says Fr Daisuke. ‘I’m thankful that so many volunteers have come’, says volunteer Sakae Chida. ‘Fewer people would have someone to open their hearts to if there wasn’t Caritas.’

Caritas is also helping small businesses get back on their feet by helping with the clean up and providing materials they need to get going. This allows employers to rehire staff.

For children who lived through the events of March, Caritas holds festivals with balloons, games and toys. ‘If not for Caritas,’ says preschool director Arasawa, ‘the children might not have had those happy moments.’