Caring for Young Refugees’ (CYR)
Relief Work for the Eastern Japan Earthquake
March 25, 2011
After announcing our emergency relief fundraising campaign the other day, we immediately received inquiries and money transfers from many people, for which we are very thankful. As of today, March 25, we have raised a total of 1,588,466円/ US$19,460. At this time, we are continuing to collect and compare information together with other NGOs, children’s related organizations, and Buddhist temples with kindergartens.
CYR is pursuing two forms of relief work:
1) For the disaster areas, “Sky Blue Day Care” centers
2) Small scale scholarship funds for infants who are becoming children
Purpose: To create an open a comfortable place to spend enjoyable and secure time for children who have been suffering from the stress of life in the shelters. Compensated volunteers will be found to perform day care in the disaster areas. We seek to connect them to disaster victims doing their own self-reliant relief work.
Summary of Activities (one step plan for numerous years):
1) Sky Blue Day Care centers (general principle: day care activities which do not involve the need for buildings)
Direct aid to the disaster areas:
- Determining a number of base activity centers and then running “Sky Blue Day Care” centers centrally focused on very young children
- Offering a place for children to spend some hours of the day playing and reading books together with teachers as well as enjoying snacks or a light meal.
- For the disaster areas, assembling day care professionals, retired day care professionals, health professionals, counselors, mothers, etc. as well as requesting the participation of compensated volunteers to engage in day care activities.
- In activity areas, to ensure vinyl tents for use and the use of space in shelters.
- Activities for developing cooperation among organizations in the disaster areas, other NGOs, and other relief organizations.
Back line relief in the Tokyo area
- In other parts of the country, we are organizing “Activity Promotion Teams” according to experts rich in experience in working for children in the field of emergency relief, psychology, education, day care, and care for children with disabilities. The teams are taking charge for devising plans, coordination, and evaluation.
- The above mentioned teams are selecting necessary picture books, teaching materials, playground equipment, and furniture for day care use.
- The selected playground equipment and furniture are being purchased and we are appealing to volunteers for such home made items. CYR will continue to offer home made playground equipment in Thailand and Cambodia which includes dolls, balls, etc. We are using our activity bases to donate sets of playground equipment and furniture to each shelter or temporary housing unit.
2) Small scale scholarship funds for infants who are becoming children
- Providing small scale scholarships for necessary school supplies and uniforms for infants becoming children to continue on to primary, junior high and high school.
- Targeting children who have become displaced by the disaster to continue on principally at new schools within Tokyo.
<Budget (proposed)> Total 10-15 million yen/ US$122,000-183,500
- Compensated Volunteers: travel costs, lodging, daily expenses, etc.
- Expert Teams: travel costs, lodging, daily expenses, etc.
- Sky Blue Day Care centers: Cost for building use, furniture, consumable items, snacks
- Payment for playground equipment, teaching materials, and picture books as well as production of materials, printing, and delivery.
- Gasoline for vehicles to conduct survey of disaster areas and follow-up, transportation costs, lodging, etc.
- Base fund for short term scholarships
- Staff Head of Project’s remuneration and expenses
We have not finalized the relief centers and time period. We are making a judgment on a continuing process of introductions from people with which we have connections in order to expand the disaster area. Please inform us if you know anyone who has information concerning facilities for children who need relief. According to the present situation, there will probably not be a change in activities, but we will be updating our homepage continually as the work progresses. We appreciate you warm hearted cooperation.
About CYR
Caring for Young Refugees (CYR) is a recognized Non-Profit Organization (NPO) by the government of Japan and has the aim of a peaceful society which does not create refugees. We provide support for women’s self-reliance in Cambodia and create an environment where children can have a secure livelihood.
Children, Our Future:
The happiness of children today is connected the a peaceful world of tomorrow.
In 1980, the civil war in Cambodia created many child refugees who were cursed to live in refugee camps along the Thai border. As they had the smallest wish to be able to live lives with a necessary consideration to a human environment, CYR began its activities. After the refugee camps closed, we took the aim of helping revive Cambodian village life and began grappling with activities that would aid women’s self-reliance and create an environment where children can have a secure livelihood.
As our name does not include “refugee children” but rather “young refugees”, we take as our basis the respect of the character of independence of children. Therefore, beginning with safeguarding the growth of children, we consider how to tie together the problem of self-reliance for people who have fled their home country. Further, CYR roots itself in the basic stance of considering that the refugee problem has numerous facets, an awareness of closely monitoring and being prepared for sudden a downturn in conditions, and an awareness of helping repeatedly to stop the violation of self-reliance.
As we move forward, due to various conditions, we still place importance on the gradual building up one by one of these guardians who aim to support self-reliance as well as a humane living environment, and to support the complete health and growth of children who are placed in severe conditions. In this way, we believe in the power to create a wider peace for tomorrow in which refugees do not arise.
Ikeda Building 3F
Otowa 1-10-4
Bunkyo-ku
Tokyo 112-0013
TEL.03-3943-6971 FAX.03-3943-6973
jneb.net 