微力量Mini efforts

mini

Report long overdue

• In the past few years we have received support and encouragement from many friends to carry out various ‘efforts’ in distant areas hardest hit by disasters. I wish to express my heartiest appreciation to all of you. I have written reports now and then to keep my dear friends informed and it has been a long time since my last submission. I hope you can excuse me for the unwilling negligence.

Incidents and developments

• Incidents are not incidental because we react to incidents in our preferred ways. In December 26, 2005 we were shocked by the Asian Tsunami. We respond to the disaster and started our long journey to provide services to people struck by disastrous tragedies. A charitable NGO, Social Workers Across Borders, is developed for the follow up work. At the beginning its future was very doubted even by its hardcore supporters. Now it has a small office and enjoys significant support from the HK community. （ for more information please refer to www.swab.org.hk)

My involvement

• In the following I just wish to update you with certain projects that I am involved and hopefully will allow my friend to understand more about what is happening out there.

BeiChuan LeiGu 北川擂鼓

• In February 2011, the town was still covered with snow. Residents began to move out of temporary housing to the new town houses.

Employment missing

• People made joke about themselves as beggars living in villas, cause there is no job. Reconstruction has completed but redevelopment probably has not even started.

Mini-donations

• With the support from my friends I offer a small lai-see to 25 households, each around 250RMB with a total of 6000 yuan this Chinese new year.

殘障及特殊情況津貼

1 。楊 X航， 9，胜利一区 , 孤儿，与爷爷和哥哥同住，哥哥念初中孤兒 , 社工：張瀚 ,5/6/2010

2. 周 X宇 70+, 雙流村 4組 , 與妻子及表嬸同住身體有風濕及高血壓 , 經濟來源主要靠低保 ,社工

： 耿韵竹 , 18/7/2010

3. 黃 X珍 ,60+, 雙流村 3組 , 與丈夫及兒子同住神經壓迫 ,右手幾乎完全痲痺 ,社工：張

勇 ,18/7/2010

4. 彭 X,12, 北川鄧家 , 與父母同住左肩殘疾 ,社工：張勇 ,27/6/2010

5. 梁 X瑞 , 7, 麻柳灣 , 與父母、姐姐及祖父母同住右膝下截肢 ,社工：張勇 , 27/6/2010

6. 張 X, 16, 銀定 2組 , 與父母同住腦癱 , 生活不能治理 , 喪失語言和行動能力 ,社工：張勇 ,

24/7/2010

7. 魏 X城 , 7, 柳林 , 與父母同住左腳前掌截肢 , 社工：張勇 , 24/7/2010

8. 劉 X富 , 13, 建新二区 , 擂鼓板房区 , 孤儿，由大伯一家照顾 ,社工：張瀚 , 14/6/2010

9. 林 X, 13, 柳林友好家園後 , 與父母同住智障兒童 ,社工：張勇 , 20/7/2010

10. 張 X富 , 擂鼓小區 , 眼殘 , 孤老 ,社工：劉永光 , 29/8/2010

11. 黃 X明 , 柳林 , 雙腿截肢 ,社工：劉永光 , 29/8/2010

12. 魏 X琴 , 11, 任家坪廉租房 , 與伯伯 ,伯母同住 , 孤兒 ,社工： 耿韵竹 , 24/7/2010

The show must go on.

Yingshao 汶川影秀

Dongguan was eager to leave their mark in the small memorial park built.

While the old school building was left standing there to witness that more than 200 lives, teachers and children, were eternally lost.

A new school was enacted with the snowy hills in the background.

Its modern outlook is indeed impressive, even for Dongguan visitors.

The resettlement houses though less ‘outstanding’, is cozy and quiet.

A strong leadership somehow has demonstrated its worth.

This time is Japan.

We departed from Ueno, Tokyo, passed through Sendai, and went up to Iwate..

We transferred to local train at Shin Hanamaki station.

• And we are not alone!

Because the tsunami has destroyed the coastal rails the Yamada line was not in operation.

We can see that the coastal areas have been

cleaned up as all houses were devastated. (Otsuchi)

This town Taro was hit by tsunami 3 times in the last century. This time the waves go up to 25 meters high.

The government has recently invested and build a

abalone factory, all crushed by the waves.

Temporary housings have been built.

But many of the survivors are still living in the shelters because they can rely on government supplies (.

Though compared to other less developed countries the resettlement conditions are quite

acceptable,

The people while encouraging each others are worried about the future…

In early July 2011

• We visited in Iwate the towns of Tono 远野 , Otsuchi 大 , Taro 田老 , Ofunato 大船渡 and Rikyusentakata 陆前高田 . The last town has lost more than 2500 lives with another 2000 more missing. The government figures show death tolls around 10 to 15%. Local people estimated it 25% high.

To help or not to help

• In this trip we found that unlike the situations in Thailand or Indonesia hit by the tsunami in 2005, there were very few international charitable organizations.

• Staff on one such organization the Care Foundation, the only international NGO we met, told us at the beginning they do not want to send aiding teams because they think Japan is a developed country…

National support

• Unfortunately, the absence of international NGOs is matched with the same absence of local NGOs,

• Social workers of Tokyo told us that they very much want to help however without the support of government all they can do is sending ac hoc group to the more affected areas.

Government’s response

• Without government financial support and mobilization, NGOs and social workers cannot provide long term recovery and redevelopment services… but the government is too busy to handle the nuclear crisis and the elections etc…

• Definitely reconstruction is a huge project, without which the survivors cannot plan their lifes.

Light at the other end of the tunnel?

• On July 21, the Japanese government promised a 23 trillion yen of reconstruction money; but on August 27, Naoto Kan, PM of Japan resigned. Will the plans be carried out? Commenter says Japanese people have learned not to seek help from politicians.

Psycho-social services aredesperately in need

Funds are difficult to raise in HK!

• Due to historical reasons funds for Japan it is difficult to raise funds in Hong Kong; though our people have helped other people in many disasters;

• We appeal to organizations and individuals in Taiwan, Canada and America for your kind support.

SWAB

Social Workers Across Borders have sent the 2nd delegation to Rikyusentakada. We wish to establish a longer term service at the temporary housing site there by sending social workers volunteers to the same place for one year. As cost is high we are raising funds to subsidize part of their costs. We maintain that all volunteers must pay for the majority share of their own trip. www.swab.org.hk

Let’s keep it up

• Let’s mini efforts continue to strive and hopefully will bring happiness to those who receive ‘help’ and even more so to those who offer it. johnstonwong@yahoo.com