10 ways to help Tohoku- by Jacinta Hin

This is something I came across in Senrinomichi-

I think its written nicely...so I'd like to share :)

 

作成: Embrace Transition 日時: 2011年12月5日 14:30

When was the last time you did something for Tohoku?

It’s tempting to think that help is no longer needed. That you've done your part and that somehow everything is under control. Or to believe that it's someone else's responsibility, and that you have enough worries of your own to take care of.

It’s indeed easy to stick our head in the sand and forget that the area and its people are far from being back on their feet, while our continuous help is needed and will be for a long time. We cannot rely on some illusive Big Brother to sweep Tohoku back to its old glory with his magic wand. We all have a part to play, and all are able to do something.

Besides traveling up North to volunteer or donating substantive amounts, there are many ways to help, all of them equally valid. One way is not less or more than any other.

Here are some ideas to get you (re)started:

1. Keep the people of Tohoku in your thoughts and prayers, or look for other ways to stay aware. Follow media, or dedicated blogs and Facebook pages to stay informed and inspired. A friend suggested looking for Tohoku connections in your own community. She discovered many and made new friends along the way.
2. Keep dropping spare coins in the numerous collection boxes in town. Every convenience store has one and so do many other shops.
3. Buy Tohoku produced goods, such as craftworks or (radiation-free) food products, to support local economy. Or opt for one or more of the many charity products on the market that give a percentage of proceeds to Tohoku causes. Or, if you have a product or service to sell, consider donating a percentage of your revenues.
4. Combine pleasure with contributing, and attend a charity event.
5. Donate to a cause that’s close to your heart. We all donated in the first weeks after 3/11, but have you donated anything since? If a big NGO is not your cup of tea, these days there are many smaller projects and initiatives in need of support where your money will make an immediate impact.
6. Get involved in a group. There’s plenty you can do without actually going to Tohoku. Many groups have their headquarters in Tokyo and are depending on volunteers for organizational and administrative tasks.
7. Make your unique expertise available. From translating to entertaining children, facilitating ikebana or knitting classes, restoring houses, cooking meals, talking with survivors in community centres, and so on. We all have something to offer.
8. Collect and/or raise funds for goods. With the winter coming up, some groups have started collecting things like coats and heaters. Get together with friends to raise funds and buy goods, or raise funds for NPOs on the ground buying goods locally or in bulk.
9. Spend a few days (or longer) in Tohoku for vacation. Most parts are safe and welcoming tourists. You’ll support the local economies and make new connections. And you’ll see the area (the destruction, the spirit of the people, the need for help) with your own eyes, rather than through media and other people’s stories.
10. Volunteer in Tohoku, perhaps the most direct way to get engaged. From going up North for weeks to do hard-core cleaning up work, to an organized weekend or even a day trip, where all you need to do is hop in the bus and follow instructions, there’s a way to volunteer for anyone.

It does not matter what you do or where you start. Most importantly, look for ways that are within reach and that inspire you.

A busy work schedule makes it hard for me to get actively involved with organizations or travel up North weekdays to volunteer. At the same time I like to do contribute in ways that have an immediate impact or give me a sense of connection with the area. In other words, I try to do what is within reach and what resonates with me.

I travel to China every other week for work. In the first weeks after the earthquake I made it my habit to return to Japan each time with a suitcase full of underwear, paid for with money I had collected from friends overseas, a much needed item at the time in the Tohoku shelters. Most recently I donated the money for three sewing machines for an orphanage in Iwate. I’ve bought various affordable charity products and opted for a set of beautiful Iwate hand-made lacquer ware as a recent wedding gift. I've donated money to several smaller organizations and groups and always drop a handful of coins in the counter collection boxes in the stores I frequent. As for actual volunteering, I found a group I like that organizes one-day weekend volunteer trips, which fits my schedule. Although so far I've only been up North once with them, I hope to go again when the opportunity arises.

For a long time I felt I was not doing enough, but I look at it differently now. I do what I can and everything I do counts. For me, helping Tohoku is not a one-time event, but an ongoing commitment. By giving it a place in my life and valuing the smallest gesture, I do my part without guilt or feeling useless.

Jacinta Hin is the founder of Embrace Transition. She has been living in Japan for the past 21 years. She works as a human resources manager and life coach, and writes regularly about topics related to change and transition in her blog. (www.jacintahin.com)

Reading this made me think about one of my favorite mottos...

継続は力なり

If each one of us, keeps up our support for Tohoku and its people - no matter how great or minute of a contribution it may be...and if we do it continuously,  we can build on and on and eventually, I believe it will lead to something very special and valuable.