Relief Assistance for Tohoku Earthquake Affected

On the 11th March 2016, it is the fifth anniversary of the Great East Japan earthquake.
Even though many people in Tohoku experienced great fear at that day in 2011, now you can see various restoration endeavours are taking place in the region. JEN is putting its efforts into the recovery by providing a wide range of assistance to four partner organisations involved in unique activities that address people who tend to be left behind by the recovery.

In Iwate Prefecture, JEN has been in partnership with “INCLU IWATE”, an NPO dedicated to supporting single-parent households that we support their initiative “Children’s Cafeteria” since its launch in January, 2016 in Morioka city.

Over 80 percent of Japan’s single parents with job and more than half of them are living in low income; these parents are apt to be isolated from the society. In Morioka city, you can see such households who moved from the coastal regions after the earthquake and began to settle down in the city.

INKLU IWATE and its “Children’s Cafeteria” initiative are expected to change the present situation where single parents and their children easily become socially isolated. The day of opening the Children’s Cafeteria, which runs occasionally, provides single parent households with not only nutritiously well-balanced meals, but also comprehensive support, for example: providing useful information; giving consultation service; learning support for children, and supporting the single parents who quickly access family and child benefits.
Also, INKLU IWATE is going to open the second “Children’s Cafeteria” in the earthquake affected coastal areas.

The first picture shows – the volunteer cooked well-balanced meals. Many of the ingredients are contributions by local farmers or NPO’s.

The second picture shows – the day care centre offers the “Children’s Cafeteria”. The lady on the right is a dietitian, and the lady on the left is a counsellor, they prepare a meal with volunteers.