Fourth Relief 2.0 Mission to Tohoku in Collaboration with Global Summit of Women

Our fourth mission to Tohoku focuses in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture and is done in support of the Women Help Women initiative launched by the Global Summit of Women and lead by a group of Korean and Japanese business women.

Actions and Objectives

1. Niitsuki Jr. High Evacuation Center.
   On the way to Kesennuma, visit the center and drop donation goods collected by team members and sent by GEWEL NPO/NGO, Kimono Wine and Bar Rainbow Project, Tokyo Hackerspace and others.
   Interview Mr. Kumagai and document the situation of those who live in temporary shelters and homes of relatives and what is needed among women/children.
    
2. Kesennuma English Toastmasters Club.
   Meet up with Ms. Sato from Kesennuma English Toastmasters Club to explore collaboration opportunities, contacts and plan of action.
    
3. K Wave Evacuation Center.
   Center with largest no. of survivors including women in Kesennuma.
    
4. Matsuiwa Kouminka or City Hall evacuation center.
    
5. Sanriku Shinposha (Newspaper) company.
   All the clients they served newspapers are gone and they only deliver papers to the temporary homes and the evacuation centers. The female executive, wife of the owner, has created a photographic book about their disaster to go on sale at 1500 yen per copy. She can be one of the candidates for the Yokohama Tomodachi Market trade fair on Sept. 2, 3, 4th to sell these copies.
    
6. Research, interviews and contacts.
   For the next Women Help Women Korean delegation visit and for the Relief 2.0 projects.
    
7. Ms. Osawa from Toastmasters Club.
   Personal account and assessment. Ms. Osawa's relatives have lost everything and are living in evacuation centers
    
8. Oikawa Denim (visit with Mis. Osawa)
   Widowed female owner restarted the business after her husband's death from the inspiration she got while visiting the States some years back.The female owner of this denim manufacturing has been a source of inspiration to the local people and definitely a candidate for Relief 2.0 Enterprise and other business recovery strategies.
    
9. Asahigaoka Gakuen orphanage (only if time allows)
    
10. Sendai Christian Day Care Center(only if time allows)
    Orphanage with 200 surviving orphans
     
11. Living Dream orphanages.
      
12. Ishinomaki Disaster Recovery Assistance Council (IDRAC)
    Meeting with Shuki Ito, Chairman. IDRAC has coordinated more than 250 organizations so far, providing 600,000 servings for food distribution. As a long-term assistance initiative, IDRAC aim to rebuild local businesses and encourage business start-ups in ishinomaki.

Team Members

• Ann Sado, Representative Director, A to Z Sado Enterprises Ltd./NPO GEWEL Advisor.Representative of GSW Initiative Japan.
• Narikou Kaneshiro, President, NPO KIFA
• Michiko Sugita, President of La Cle Global Services/NPO GEWEL director
• Carlos Miranda Levy, Social Entrepreneur, Relief 2.0 global coordinator.
• Kei Ito, President, Athlemedia K.K.

Supporters

• Safecast has provided a geiger counter for our safety during the trip.
• Global Cellular (Japan) and XCom Global Devices (USA) have provided two MiFi 3G wireless Internet connection and wireless network devices to allow us to be on-line on the road and in the field.
• NPO/NGO GEWEL coordinates the mission.
• Kimono Wine Bar sends goods for the children collected through their Rainbow project.
• Tokyo Hackerspace serves as storage and collection center of the goods as well as base of operation.
• Patrick Newell offered his Land Rover vehicle for the mission.

and many others like you who make these collaborative efforts possible.