Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images. All Rights Reserved.
AmeriCares continues
to roll out long-term programs to make a difference in the lives of the people
in the Tohoku region of Japan, by launching new initiatives to overcome
reconstruction challenges, and adding needed programs that focus on psychosocial
support, resettlement, and health care capacity building.
Help us help Japan recover and rebuild »
The challenges:
- Terrain:
70 percent of Japan is mountainous, posing numerous obstacles to reconstruction
goals further inland that would reduce the impact in the event of future
disasters.
- Emotional
issues of resettlement: Survivors are adamant about
resettling as communities along with families and neighbors, particularly the
elderly, for whom the village remains Japan’s primary social unit. This
component of resettling is especially crucial to social and emotional
well-being in the aftermath of traumatic disaster. As a result, individual
temporary houses are empty as survivors remain in crowded communal shelters.
- Construction
delays: Construction of temporary health care clinics
remains stalled with 4-6 month lag times due shortages of in-country building supplies
as well as logistical issues.
Photo by Chiba Mikio. All Rights Reserved.
AmeriCares Sendai-based coordinator, Noriko Sugino, and volunteer Christopher Craig
look across an area where the tsunami leveled homes in Miyagi prefecture
Our response:
Leveraging
our strong relationships with the Japanese government and local NGOs,
AmeriCares has developed two program approaches to address these problems:
- Bring health care facilities to
Tohoku: AmeriCares is pursuing the purchase of high-quality,
temporary clinics for Japanese medical and dental providers that have lost
their facilities to the tsunami. We are
working closely with the local government health system planning units to
determine the ideal location for each possible clinic.
- Provide needed mental health care
support: AmeriCares is partnering with Tokyo English Life
Line (TELL), a leading Tokyo-based NGO, to expand its mental health outreach in
Japan. TELL is using an AmeriCares grant for Psychological First Aid (PFA) training
to enhance skills among local teachers, parents, and first responders in the
relief efforts; this training is based on an international best practice in
local mental health services. In addition, TELL has created a nurturing
environment to help children, the elderly, and survivors recover more quickly
by discussing their experiences and fears among trusted family and friends. This
approach is especially crucial to success in light of the shortage of local health
care providers as well as the Japanese tendency to refrain from discussing
personal issues with outsiders.
AmeriCares is offering additional funding for other mental health based
organizations that are providing psychosocial support.
Our
commitment to the people of Japan remains steadfast – we’ve recently expanded
our team to include two full-time in-country relief experts to enhance our ability
to assist survivors. Looking ahead, AmeriCares will have a sustained presence
in the Tohoku region, with continued focus on behavioral health, resettlement,
the well-being of the elderly, and maternal
and newborn health.
|
