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What are the international schools doing to help Tohoku?

By on May 15, 2011

Nishimachi International School

In April, Grade 9 students held their annual Community Service Car Wash at the Nishimachi playgrounds to contribute to the relief fund for the March 11 tsunami victims in the Northeast of Japan. Nishimachi has also made a donation of ¥153,037 to the Japan Red Cross from everyone who donated their coins. The elementary graders will start writing messages to Japanese children in the Tohoku area as a part of its letter writing project called “Kids for Compassion”. On May 25, a hotdog sale (¥500) will also take place in each classroom. The proceeds will go to the Earthquake disaster relief fund.

 

Aoba International School

Through its fund-raising events for the Northeastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami victims through the Japan Red Cross, Aoba International school has as of May 2 received a total donation of ¥2,415,915 from its community of supporters.

 

The American School in Japan

The ASIJ community and its friends, including international schools and organizations from all over the world have already contributed over $65,000 directly into the ASIJ Japan Relief Fund. These funds are supporting its own direct relief efforts in northern Japan. 400 desks and school supplies for four elementary and junior high schools in Ishinomaki City that lost everything in the earthquake and tsunami have been purchased from the fund. Two faculty and staff relief trips to Tagajo and Kesenuma to take up specific supplies and cook dinner for over 360 people were also funded. For many survivors it was their first hot meal in a couple of weeks. Another group of 28 ASIJ employees will travel to Tagajo to volunteer and clean-up the homes of residents so they can move back to their neighborhoods. Going forward, ASIJ hopes to identify and assist rebuilding efforts of schools in the Fukushima and/or Miyagi areas. Each of the school divisions has also started various collections: the Middle School and ELC are collecting ¥500 coins. The “ASIJ MS Cares” collection has already passed ¥189,000.

 

Employees and students in the Elementary and High Schools have contributed and collected everything from toothbrushes to diapers and ready-to-eat food to yo-yos. A total of seven vans full of goods have been forwarded to the Tama Church, longtime partner Second Harvest Japan, Tagajo City and most recently the Peace Boat—a Japan-based NGO that quickly organized deliveries up to hard-hit Ishinomaki City. ASIJ students drop their items into the collection box each morning and dutifully take part in the cause. Students in grades 5 to 12 are also enjoying sorting and boxing the contributions and taking the packages to the RT lobby for dispatch. Everyone is clearly embracing the goal of helping folks up north as much and as quickly as possible. ASIJ PTAs, faculty, student councils and various student clubs are already raising money or are planning dozens of activities to help the ASIJ Japan Relief Fund, including a Futsal tournament, Variety Show, which invites evacuees being housed at Ajinomoto Stadium.

 

On April 24, there was an alumni soccer tourney in support of the fund and many more activities including the fund-raising Spring Gala on May 1.

 

Committed to its mission of “developing compassionate, inquisitive learners prepared for global responsibilities”, never has there been a better time for ASIJ to reinforce that. If you have any questions on any of these relief activities, or have ideas of your own, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@asij.ac.jp. If you’d like to donate, https://community.asij.ac.jp/sslpage.aspx?pid=413

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