Together We Stand

[ 77 ] the evacuees in and outside of Fukushima. Through this distri- bution system, AAR achieved at least 5,463 deliveries of daily necessities worth of 184 million Japanese Yen solely to Minami- Soma evacuees living in and outside Fukushima. Assistance for persons with disabilities The second exaple of partnership is about the support for persons with disabilites in megadistaster. The news crew for the Japan Broadcasting Corporation’s Fukushi (Welfare) Network programme stated that the mortality rate due to the Great East Japan Earthquake for persons with disabilities (2.06 per cent) was twice that for the overall population (1.03 per cent). This shows how severe the environment surrounding persons with disabilities was before the disaster, and implies the continuous hardship they faced after surviving it. In Miyagi, AAR focused on assistance to persons with disabili- ties and collaborated with the Disabilities andWelfare Section of the Miyagi Prefectural Government. Three days after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the section manager provided us with a list of facilities for persons with disabilities in the prefecture, saying: “We tried to check with the facilities in each area to see if people are alright but we cannot get through by phone. Please check on people’s safety when you deliver the emergency items.” Using the list of facilities, AAR distributed relief items to almost 180,000 people affected by the disaster, mainly consisting of persons with disabilities and the elderly. During the same period, the Miyagi Disabilities and Welfare Section informed AAR that because of the power outage, 3,000 litres of diesel and kerosene for power generators had to be procured within three days, in order to keep artificial respira- tors working. AAR quickly made the necessary arrangements and delivered the fuel to four facilities for children with severe disa- bilities in Miyagi. Some facilities received the relief items from AAR for the first time, two months after the earthquake hit. AAR delivered relief items to persons with disabilities and the elderly who did not have access to necessary support. During the emergency phase, AAR strived from a humani- tarian aspect to play a supportive role in ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities that the Government was expected to be responsible for. This role entailed making use of AAR Japan’s experience in providing relief activities overseas and the distinc- tive characteristics of the partnership with civil organizations, such as the welfare sections of each prefecture, Japan Disability Forum (JDF), Takurorenraku-kai (a liaison group of voluntary welfare facilities for the elderly) and social welfare councils. By staying in contact with those organizations, AAR could deliver relief items in a quick and flexible manner. Three months after the earthquake, after careful coordination with various local governments and civil organizations such as JDF, AAR started to work on reconstruction. These efforts included repairing about 80 facilities for persons with disabilities and the elderly, and installing equipment such as bread-makers at temporary workshops for persons with disabilities. AAR also provided more than 50 vehicles for welfare facilities. One year after the earthquake, AAR provided support for creating jobs at and expanding the sales channels for welfare workshops, in order to promote the participation of persons with disabilities in social and economic activities. This was an issue even before the earthquake and the Government had developed a plan to double and improve wages starting Image: AAR Light oil and kerosene were delivered to persons with disabilities in facilities in Miyagi prefecture T ogether W e S tand