Giving kids something to smile about / Teachers, organizations try to bring some joy to children taking shelter in disaster zone
HIGASHI-MATSUSHIMA, Miyagi--When Wakako Goto visited an evacuation center in Higashi-Matsushima on Friday morning, she saw one of her students lying on a futon. Although 10-year-old Miku Ishigaki did not have a fever, she looked rather listless.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Goto, a teacher at Nobiru Primary School in the city asked Ishigaki, a fourth-grader.
Their school was pummeled by the devastating tsunami on March 11. Two weeks have passed since the disaster, but many children, who now have to stay in evacuation centers, are having trouble accepting the death of relatives and friends. Some are too depressed to talk about what they are going through.
Goto gave Ishigaki some pants that had arrived in a package of aid supplies, and talked with her for about 10 minutes about the bath and food at the evacuation center. As they chatted, Ishigaki's expression visibly brightened.
"I want to go play with my friends," Ishigaki said.
"The teachers are preparing some games right now, so please wait a little longer," Goto told her gently.
Goto, 26, is part of a growing effort by teachers, nongovernmental organizations and others to support these children by providing emotional and physical care.
Goto and other teachers from the school visited eight evacuation centers in Higashi-Matsushima on Friday to check on their students. At Naruse No. 1 Middle School, they played games such as tag in which everyone could take part.
Soon after the powerful earthquake struck off the Tohoku coast, a tsunami swept through the school gymnasium, a black torrent that terrorized about 300 people taking shelter there. As the water gushed in, several teachers dashed upstairs and retrieved a large red-and-white banner that had been prepared for a graduation ceremony and instructed the students to hang on to it. The teachers desperately rescued children and elderly people just as they were about to be swamped by the water.
Two hours later, when the muddy water had finally receded, a body was found near the children. They all froze with shock.
The teachers decided they would help look after the children. They visit evacuation centers every day in groups of three or four and talk to their students to keep their spirits up.
The school's principal, Michiko Kijima, said helping the children recover will be a long process.
"They might look fine, but deep inside they're suffering," Kijima said. "We should keep encouraging them and make them feel at ease by offering opportunities to play and talk freely about their feelings."
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Classes for children
About 500 people are taking shelter at Shizugawa Primary School in Minami-Sanrikucho, Miyagi Prefecture. About 30 teachers, who also are staying at evacuation centers, hold classes for primary school students at six evacuation centers in the area.
On Friday, children took part in a relay race at the school after studying arithmetic and watching a picture-story show. These regular school activities have helped some kids get back on their feet.
"I hadn't seen my friends for so long. I'm glad I can talk and study with them here," said Eriko Kumagaya, a 12-year-old sixth-grader at the primary school.
As he watched the children, Jun Yamauchi, head teacher at the school, said, "We want to continue these classes as long as possible."
The sounds of children playing also filled the air Saturday at Kazuma Primary School in hard-hit Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. About 1,100 people are taking shelter at the school, and Save the Children Japan, a Tokyo-based NGO, brought some cheer to kids there by providing games, crayons, clay and other toys.
Similar events have been held at evacuation centers in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, and other places ravaged by the disaster.
Many children lost favorite toys in the earthquake and tsunami.
"I hope we've been able to help these kids have some fun at evacuation centers, where everything is in short supply," said Ikuko Mori, a representative of Save the Children Japan.
The toys brought a smile to the face of Miharu Watanabe, a 7-year-old first-grader in the Kazuma-Minami district in Ishinomaki.
"I'm glad I can meet my friends when I come here," Watanabe said with a grin as she made a rabbit from clay.
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Gifts from U.S. marines
Twenty-two U.S. marines stationed in Shizuoka Prefecture have delivered toys, toothbrushes and other daily necessities to about 500 evacuees in Miyagi Prefecture.
The marines, who are stationed at Camp Fuji in Gotemba, visited Okuma Primary School in Wataricho, Miyagi Prefecture, on Friday to hand out these gifts.
Children staying at the school were delighted to get new toys.
"The Americans were tall and cool," Yui Kikuchi, a 12-year-old sixth-grader at Arahama Primary School, said with a smile as he held a board game and a small football. "I want to study English while playing games."
Meanwhile, a playset named "Hako no Naka no Yochien" (kindergarten in a box), which contains 37 different toys and was donated by UNICEF, was delivered Friday to Hebita Primary School in Ishinomaki, where about 570 people are taking shelter.
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