Japan: Plan festival puts smile on children's faces

A mother and child taking part in an art activity at the festival.

Nearly 250 children, including those still living in tsunami relief centres, took part in a Children’s Day festival organised by Plan in Japan’s Tagajo city on 5 May.

The festival, held at Tagajo Junior High School in Miyagi prefecture, was attended by 450 people including parents and volunteers.

Play therapy

Children enjoyed different stage events such as a trombone quartet by Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, chorus by Tagajo High School students and performance by a clown. Play activities like making toys and painting 2-metre-long carp-shaped streamers were particularly popular.

Thirty carp streamers painted with images and messages of solidarity by children from developing countries such as Bolivia, Egypt and China - where Plan runs development programmes - drew huge crowds at the festival. Most drawings depicted children’s view of an ideal village and their experience in reality.

Targeted aid response

The event was organised as part of Plan’s ongoing targeted aid response in Japan focusing on emotional first-aid and psychosocial care for children in the tsunami affected areas in and around Tagajo.

Plan  has so far held psychosocial orientation sessions for teachers, parents and health workers, and is working with Tohoku University and Miyagi Prefectural Board of Education on supporting psychosocial care needs of children.

Plan has also distributed ‘back-to-school’ kits to 850 school children and 1000 'family kits' containing basic needs items to families in 4 evacuation centres in Tagajo.

Food delight

With supplies and choice of food still restricted in the worst-hit areas, children enjoyed servings of their favourite curry and rice meal at the event, along with cakes, chocolates and cookies.

"We have warm food only once or twice a day. Our food is mainly cold bread or rice balls, and warm dishes are usually traditional Japanese soup with vegetables and meat. When we had curry, we were so excited, it almost caused panic," said a boy who is still living a relief centre.

Playing again

Vanda Lengkong, Plan's disaster risk reduction project manager, said: "It is necessary for children to have some fun as a means to recover from the shock."

A parent said: "After the disaster, my son refused to go to the pre-school and did not spend time with his friends. Today, we came together to this event, and I am happy to see my son playing with other children again."

Another parent said: "Our family came together to this event because we had to cancel our family trip after the disaster. My mother, 80 years old, also enjoyed the event, seeing all the children smiling and laughing."