Last summer saw Aid For Japan take a team of volunteers to Japan as part of our annual residential course. The charity’s Japanese representative Sumika Hayakawa was on hand to help and provided her own personal take when they visited Fukushima…
“After the residential course with orphans, the English volunteers came and stayed in my parent’s second house in Fukushima. While they stayed in Fukushima, Tom and Emile did a mini charity concert in the garden and the neighbourhood attended (and that the local newspaper covered)”.
“The manager of this second house gathered people. If I am alone I cannot do anything, but many people helped this concert. Thank you to my parents and grandfather. My mother cooked a lovely meal for the people. My father gathered musical equipment and electric goods. I appreciate that grandfather changed his schedule because of this. Thank you for joining this concert, neighbourhood. Some of you lost people important to you due to the Tsunami”.
“Thank you for coming from England to doing fundraising activity in Japan. Tom is 18 years old, and Emile is 17 years old. I am amazed that they do this activity for Japanese children who lost parents. I really appreciate their action”.
“I enjoyed talking about anime with children very much, such as Death Note and Attack on Titan. I had a culture shock to know that titles such as Naruto and Bleach are too old fashioned. This is a generation shock. I always ask about voice actors of anime too. I am glad to know that I am otaku. Even if we use a different language, we can talk about anime”.
“The music was beautiful. Tom’s guitar and his lovely voice, Emile’s good electronic organ”.
“I learned this in summer: If we all gather and help each other, we can do something”.
