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【JPN Relief-81】 Repairs of 'Yume House' (dream house) in Onagawa
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Habitat for Humanity Japan (HFHJ) is assisting repairs of a building in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture. The building was the only one in the area still standing after the 2011 tsunami, but sustained heavy damages.
A nonprofit organization called "Umineko Community Space" (Umineko) is planning to use this building for their community projects. Umineko was established immediately after the disaster to support the local residents and communities in the affected areas. In recent days their farm project products, such as figs and chilies, and other handmade products (traditional Zori sandals and sweets in a shape of sardines) are on sale at their local shop. Umineko hopes that the local participants can contribute to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of their communities through these activities.
Very unfortunately, however, the new city planning, aimed at coping future disasters, necessitates the relocation of the current Umineko shop. HFHJ's support will enable Umineko to reopen the shop and conduct other community activities in the repaired building.
Since September, HFHJ has been sending volunteers for the repair work. They already tore off damaged floors and walls and sterilized interior of the building. The building has now been fitted with new floors. More than 50 volunteers who have participated in this project were mainly students from HFHJ Campus Chapters all over Japan. They have been very active in this project; They are not only working on repairs of the building on site, but also on fundraising for this project at home.
Ms Junko Yagi, representative of Umineko says, ''We call the building the Yume (dream) house with the hope that it will support the local residents to find a purpose in life, a sense of worth and an opportunity to make changes for the better. We hope many people will gather here, both local residents and the volunteers who have worked hard to help us, so that they can exchange views, knowledge, dreams and smiles. It is very exciting for me to imagine how the Yume house will evolve, what it will become... and we are very happy that the HFHJ is working in cooperation with us."
HFHJ works with volunteers and the local residents to repair the Yume house. This project is one of the HFHJ's initiatives to contribute to the reconstruction efforts in Tohoku through community revitalization.
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