KnK sent our research team into Rikuzen Takada city and Ofunato city in Iwate prefecture from March 19 through March 30 for hearing investigation and distribution of supplies.

KnK delivered diapers and pocket warmers donated by KnK’s neighbors (Shimoochiai, Shinjuku-ku), diapers donated by Pal system and lap blankets donated by ANA to each community center in Osabe district and Hirota–cho disaster countermeasures office.

Hirota-cho elementary school where the disaster countermeasures office locates. Relief supplies are carried inside the school building in line operation.	Schools and community centers are used as shelters. The diapers from Pal system and the lap blankets from ANA are handed over to fugitives in Sugoroku community center in Osabe district.
Local high school and junior high school students are engaged in sorting relief supplies as volunteers.	Messages that we received through the internet were delivered to Hirota elementary school.

After our hearing investigation, we found out that Rikuzen-Takada municipal office was devastated and nearly half of residents were lost. Therefore, the situation was very difficult, even for providing consultation for city residents. Especially, at some organizations such as education board and child welfare authorities that KnK expected to cooperate with, people were very busy without sleeping or resting. These people from public administration and social welfare services are also victims, but they keep working selflessly.

KnK carried out its own hearing investigation at disaster countermeasures offices, community centers, elementary schools and junior high schools in order to lighten the burden imposed on the public administration. By meeting the persons in charge of shelters, school directors, woman’s association and children, we have leaned that, unlike for overseas aid, more flexible community-based support will be needed.

	Without information from every aspect, it will be difficult to provide effective assistance.

KnK team plans to get into the region again on April 5. We consider it as a top priority that children will be able to go back to school as soon as possible.  After further discussions with each educational institution, we are going to lay the groundwork for providing medium- to longer-term assistance for children and for deepening relationship of trust with the local community.

Fire fighters are removing debris in front of Otomo elementary school in Rikuzen-Takada city. Even this five-year old boy was helping his father, a firefighter.

A girl is playing with soap bubbles donated to the shelter set up in a school.