Peace Winds sends Kumamoto Township Leaders to Niigata for Study Trip

In December 2017, the leaders of the 24 townships of Kumamoto Temporary Housing participated in a Study Tour to Niigata. Niigata has suffered several earthquakes, including recovering from a seven point earthquake in 2004. The 2004 Chuetsu earthquake killed more than 68 people and injured about 4,800 others.  In total, 13,810 buildings suffered serious damage and 4,172 were destroyed.

The Kumamoto/Mashiki leaders traveled to Niigata to meet with the leaders from Niigata, Nagoaka, Ojiya City, and Yamakoshi. The Kumamoto leaders were eager to meet with those who survived the earthquake and helped rebuild the damaged communities, and to learn about their recovery process following the Niigata-Chuetsu earthquake.

Discussions and visits focused on public housing, disaster archives/museums, social welfare programs, NGO and private sector involvement, assistance and training of volunteers, reviving the local economy and jobs, engaging the elderly, effective use of community centers, and the roles of the local, provincial and national governments.

The Kumamoto/Mashiki town leaders were grateful to Peace Winds for conducting the Study Tour.  The leaders were very pleased to learn from the Niigata communities who were willing to share experiences, knowledge, and lessons.  Upon return to Kumamoto/Mashiki, the town leaders reported to their various townships eager to apply the following lessons:

• Promoting the formation of communities in the temporary housing complexes
• Fostering cross-sector collaboration among various groups of survivors, NGOs, government, and the private sector as a means to deal with various problems
• Reflecting survivors’ and citizens’ opinions/input for construction of public housing
• Passing on the lessons of the disaster to the next generation, and
• Enhancing the recovery process and increasing anti-disaster measures

Peace Winds continues to support Kumamoto evacuees by encouraging community building and providing opportunities for engagement and training the township leaders.

READ MORE about Peace Winds’ work in Kumamoto, Japan.

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