On February 23rd, ten employees from J.P. Morgan, a global financial services firm, volunteered to make repairs at the Elizabeth Saunders Home, an orphanage in Oiso. Since last year, Habitat Japan has been working with the orphanage to develop a plan and raise funds to upgrade its 40-year-old dormitory. The project entails constructing 4.8 square meters sized "yagura" modular rooms to provide private space for the children. With the financial support of J.P. Morgan and many supporters, the project was launched in January. In preparation for the build, Habitat began replacing the flooring, walls, and fixtures and moving the lighting wiring.
J.P. Morgan employees participated in the first day of construction. The target was to construct two rooms, each with its own team of volunteers. The rooms are volunteer-friendly structures that are easily assembled and maintained. However, for volunteers who are not familiar with carpentry or who have not used an electric screwdriver, building a yagura room from lumbers seemed to be a huge challenge. Nevertheless, the teams were enthusiastic and learned quickly. The assembly began with volunteers connecting the lumber to make panels that would become the floor and exterior walls. The walls were heavy, so some volunteers supported them while others screwed them in place, communicating with each other throughout the process. Once that step was completed, the teams began to work on the interior. Perforated boards were applied to the walls, carpeting was laid, and entrance doors were installed. It took three hours to complete the project. Although each space is small, it provides privacy, and the sliding door allows sunlight to enter, making the room pleasant.
One of the volunteers who participated in the project said, "I worked on the rooms while imagining how excited the children would be when they saw them." With the help of volunteers, Habitat will build six more yagura rooms this spring. Thank you for joining us, J.P. Morgan team!