SAPPORT >> ACTIVITIES >> DISASTER RELIEF
災害支援の写真記録。
津波災害、土砂災害、豪雨災害。人の心の脆さと強さを知った話。
Photo documentation of disaster relief.
2011年の東日本大震災（宮城県石巻市）から、2018年7月豪雨（岡山県倉敷市）まで、国内の災害支援に従事してきました。
活動地域や活動内容はこちらを参照していただくこととして、ここでは災害支援を始めた理由や意義などを話したいと思います。
東日本大震災があった2011年3月11日に、私はバックパッカーとしてイギリスに滞在していました。確かtwitterが流行り出した頃で、大震災を知ったのはtwitterのタイムラインだったと思います。
日本から電話で「日本、危機、すぐ戻れ」と指令が届き、3月下旬に帰国後、4月6日に宮城県石巻市に軽トラで到着。
見たこともないような光景を目の前に「自分は何もできることがない」と絶望しました。
しかし、夏頃までに毎日数百人のボランティアを受け入れ、街は少しずつですが復旧に向かい、例年の祭りを開催できるところまで活気を取り戻していきました。津波によって流された車や泥で歩いて通ることも大変だった道も、車が対面で通れるようになり、頭の高さまで津波が届いた店舗は、なんとか再開を成し遂げていきました。
最初の災害支援で気づいたことは、絶望の中にある希望の存在です。
災害でリセットされた街でも、たくさんの人の手で諦めずに災害支援を続ければ、再生することができるということでした。
災害地に訪れる度に幾度となく襲う絶望感。それを乗り越えることの大切さ。
時に人道支援は自分が生きる意義さえも教えてくれました。
Photo documentation of disaster relief.
Tsunami disaster, landslide disaster, torrential rain disaster. Stories of the fragility and strength of the human heart.
From the Great East Japan Earthquake (Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture) to the torrential rains of July 2008 (Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture), I have been engaged in disaster relief in Japan when not on board this ship.
As you can refer to this page for the areas and activities, I would like to talk about the reasons why we started disaster relief and the significance of our activities.
On March 11, 2011, the day of the Great East Japan Earthquake, I was backpacking in the UK. I believe it was around the time when twitter was becoming popular, and it was on my twitter timeline that I learned of the disaster.
I received a phone call from Japan commanding me to "Japan, crisis, come back immediately" and arrived in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture on April 6, 2011.
In front of a sight like I had never seen before, I despaired that there was nothing I could do.However, by summer, the city had received hundreds of volunteers each day, and little by little, the city began to recover and regain its vitality to the point where it was able to hold its annual festival. Streets that had been difficult to pass through on foot due to cars and mud washed away by the tsunami were now passable for cars to pass through head on, and stores that had been hit by the tsunami at head height managed to reopen.
What we noticed during our first disaster relief efforts was the presence of hope in the midst of despair.
I realized that even a town that has been reset by a disaster can be revitalized if disaster relief efforts are continued by many hands and without giving up.
Every time I visit a disaster-stricken area, a sense of despair strikes me again and again. The importance of overcoming this feeling.
At times, humanitarian aid has even taught me the meaning of my own life.
