一般財団法人　連帯　東北・西南　RENTAI　TOHOKU-SEINAN

Details of activity：Helping with construction of rafts for seaweed cultivation; clearing the coastline

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（Mr.K・Age:47・Male  Tokyo resident）

While having the good fortune to enjoy weather that heralded the beginning of summer, we were drenched with sweat from our efforts and determination to clean up the coastline. During preparation of ropes to be used to make rafts for seaweed cultivation, we concentrated on our work in silence while imagining the delicious seaweed that would grow on the rafts that would be assembled using these ropes.
With only 200 rafts completed out of a total 800 needed, there is still a long way to go. However, the appreciation the fishermen showed for our efforts to help was impressive.
This small fishing village, abundant with the bounties of nature has experienced damage from last year's Chile earthquake, and now this year's major earthquake disaster. 'We've really had it' the fishermen would laugh, but behind their feelings to somehow move on, I felt that there must be an immeasurable amount of suffering and grief.

(Mr. H, Age 34, from Kanagawa)

Fishermen were cheery, but while cutting ropes for seaweed farm rafts, they told me that their struggle was in fact two years in a row as last year's Tsunami caused by the earthquake in Chile also destroyed their seaweed farms. Even so, I felt their determination to stay positive and find a way to overcome difficulties.
However, when they talked about their lives at evacuation centres, I could sense their various worries and stresses. Though what we can may be limited, I believe that it is important to go on providing support to them.

(Mr. K, Age 45, from Sendai)

As it was drizzling yesterday (11 June, 2011), all the fishermen made rafts for seaweed farms at the workshop.
While working, they chatted in their local dialect, with which they seemed to be able to express their feelings more clearly. As I understand their dialect, I could sense the immensity of the damage the earthquake brought to them.

Today (12th June, 2011), I joined a clean-up at a bathing beach. I felt at a loss seeing the enormous amount of wreckage. There would be a lot of fallen trees buried in sand, and more and more rubbles will be washed up on the beach. We must bear in mind that it will take a long time to recover the affected area.

(Mr. S, Age 41, from Saitama)

① At a workshop (Task: Rope cutting for seaweed farm rafts)
According to a fisherman, they have a goal to make 800 rafts the size of a 25 m swimming pool. When I was there, it was only about 150 rafts that had been made and their efforts still had an extremely long way to go.

②Beach clean-up

I helped to put junks on the beach in a pile. I was shocked to see three large bulk containers and four boats washed ashore. Foul smell of decayed fish was so disgusting that I could not even go close to a container which was giving off the strongest smell.

Activity description:  Administrative work (telephone operation and data entry) at "Urato Umi-no-ko Recovery Project" Head Office
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(Mr. W, Age 39, Tokyo)

I received phone calls and input the data of numerous facsimiles and letters sent by project supporters to the Head Office of Urat Umi-no-ko Recovery Project. Astonished by the huge amount of applications, I have realised an incredible number of people are actually supporting this project and that is why the fund as much as 160 million yen has been raised so far.