*English follows Japanese
【東日本大震災から10年 - Remembering 3.11 -】
2011年3月11日 2時46分
決して忘れることのない時となりました。
震度7の巨大地震は離れた東京をも大きく揺らし、外出先から必死な思いで帰宅し、テレビに映る津波の映像を目にしたとき、起こっている現実を理解できなかった気持ちを鮮明に覚えています。これからどうなってしまうのだろうという恐怖と余震が続く中、それでも停電を逃れ、明るく、暖かく、家族も無事でいる状況に感謝をしつつ、一方、想像を絶する状況にいる東北の方々を思うといてもたってもいられず、とにかく何か出来ることはないのだろうか？という想いでいっぱいになりました。
完全な手探りの中、ハンズオン東京の被災地支援は震災直後に始まりました。
緊急の際を考慮し大型バスを移動手段とし、たくさんの支援物資と定員いっぱいのボランティアの皆さんとスタートした 東北支援活動は2019年までに200回を越え、参加してくださったボランティアの数は5540名となりました。活動内容は当初の瓦礫撤去や泥だしから仮設住宅での交流イベント、農作業等とその都度のニーズに合わせて多岐にわたるものでした。その時に感じたことは、被災地支援は労働の支援だけでなく、心の支援の大切さでした。いつしか支援先の皆さんは「おかえり。」と私たちボランティアを迎えてくださるようになり、帰る際には私たちのバスが見えなくなるまで手を振ってくださり、次の活動で会えるのを楽しみにしてくださるようになりました。人が人に寄り添うとき、そこには大きなパワーが生まれます。支援に出向いた私たちも被災者の皆さんからたくさんの元気や勇気をいただいていました。震災から10年。復興は進み、瓦礫で埋め尽くされていた場所には道路が作られ、高台には家々がたち、新しい町が出来上がっています。東北の皆さんのたくましさです。
一方、我々一人一人が’震災を忘れない’ 、又、時間が経つとともに薄れていく東日本大震災の記憶を次の世代に語り継いでいくことはとても大切なことです。
東日本大震災から10年の今日、未だに行方不明の方々を含む約2万人の犠牲者に心からのご冥福をお祈りいたします。
そして、被災地支援活動を支えてくださったすべてのボランティアの皆さま、活動拠点である山元町や雄勝のパートナーの皆さまに心からの感謝を申し上げます。
10年経った今だから出来ること、又、今、世界中が直面しているウィルス感染など様々な困難にぶつかったとき、これまでの経験を糧に、それぞれの立場で何が出来るかをきちんと考え取り組んでいきたいと思います。
Naho Hozumi
Program Manager
and
Hands On Tokyo Team
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【Tohoku - Remembering 3.11 -】
14:46, March 11, 2011
We could never forget this day and time.
The huge earthquake of magnitude 9,intensity 7 rocked even Tokyo far away from the epicenter, urging me to rush home. When I saw the tsunami on TV, it was hard for me to believe that it was actually happening.
Amidst the continuous aftershock and fear, trying to stay warm in the light as the sun went down, I was thankful that my family members were safe, and at the same time my thoughts went out to those in Tohoku who were in the unimaginable situation. What could I do?
Despite the lack of information about the actual magnitude of the disaster, Hands On Tokyo's support of the devastated region began right after the Great East Japan Earthquake. We chartered big buses as our means of transportation and we began our Tohoku Support Project bringing as many goods and volunteers as much as possible to the affected areas. By the end of 2019, we had made more than 200 trips and 5,540 volunteers participated in our projects. What started as cleaning the debris and mud from the houses grew to friendly exchange events at temporary housing complexes to help farmers. Our activities differed according to the needs of those affected. All of us felt the importance of not only supporting through labor, but also providing emotional support. We don’t remember when, but people began to welcome us as saying, "welcome home". When we left after work, they always waved at us until they were unable to see the bus- then, we all looked forward to our next visit.
When people become considerate of other people's feelings, "power" is generated. Through our initiatives to support the victims of the disaster, we received so much energy and courage from them. 10 years after the earthquake, revitalization is in progress. Roads run through and houses are built in the places that were once filled with debris. New towns are born on higher grounds as well. This proves the strength of the people in Tohoku.
On the other hand it is important that each of us never forget the Earthquake, and pass on what had happened from generation to generation. Today after 10years from the Earthquake, we would like to pay our deepest sympathy to those who lost their family members by this Earthquake. We are aware that there are 20,000 victims including those who are not found yet.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the volunteers who supported our Tohoku Support Project , and to all our partners at Yamamoto-cho and Ogatsu, where our activities were mainly based.
What we could do now that 10 years have passed? With our past experience, especially now that all of us in the world are facing the difficulty of global pandemic, we would like to re-examine what each of us can do.
Naho Hozumi
Program Manager
and
Hands On Tokyo Team
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