AAR Japan (Association for Aid and Relief, Japan) is continuing to support foreign residents affected by the Kumamoto earthquake. Because of language barriers and limited means of transportation, foreign survivors have difficulty accessing support and information about it, and they are prone to becoming isolated in the harsh conditions following the disaster. Through door-to-door visits and other outreach, AAR checks on each person’s circumstances and connects them with the support they need.

Distributing Supplies to Technical Intern Trainees

Based on information provided by the Kumamoto Prefecture Support Center for Foreign Residents, AAR continues to distribute supplies to foreign residents affected by the disaster in Uki City, Hikawa Town, Yatsushiro City, and other areas. The main recipients are trainees from Vietnam, Indonesia, and Myanmar. Some distributions serve only a handful of people, while others reach around 90 trainees.

Many of them were already in difficult financial circumstances, and the burden of the disaster has been added on top. Most do not own cars and, in many cases, have only bicycles to get around. Large local supermarkets they used before the earthquake have closed or shortened their hours, and some say they cannot go grocery shopping because their workplaces are busy with the farming season.

In addition, many are not staying in evacuation shelters and find it hard to communicate in Japanese, which makes it difficult to identify what kind of support they need. For this reason, AAR uses supply distributions as an opportunity to check on each person’s living situation and connect them to other forms of assistance as needed.

Supporting a Multinational Housing Complex

A housing complex in Uki City is home to 38 people from Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The earthquake damaged the water supply and sewage systems, leaving residents without drinking water, drainage, toilets, or baths. About 20 residents found it difficult to eat non-halal relief supplies or hot meals for religious reasons, and providing multilingual information was also an issue. Some residents need particular consideration, including pregnant women and mothers with newborns. Some residents have also lost their jobs, making securing income a major concern.

AAR took charge of operating and managing a water-recycling temporary shower unit that Uki City installed in the housing complex on September 14. About 15 people come to bathe every day, and the time spent waiting their turn has become a valuable opportunity to hear about residents’ concerns.

A 31-year-old woman from Bangladesh, who received water, food, and a thermometer from AAR, gave birth to her first child just one month ago. With the drainage at her home still not restored, she told us that “I’m borrowing a friend’s home for showers and laundry, and it’s not easy to keep the baby bottles clean. I also don’t produce enough breast milk, so the support of liquid formula and other items was a great help.”

Paying Attention to Each Person’s Life

In the areas affected by the Kumamoto earthquake, many foreign residents face multiple challenges, such as language and transportation, on top of damage to their housing and utilities. Even when they appear to be managing on their own without problems, many are in fact living in difficult conditions. AAR does not simply deliver supplies but also place importance on understanding each person’s situation through conversations during distributions and through visits, and on connecting them to further support as needed.

We will continue to work with the Support Center for Foreign Residents, local support organizations, and other groups to provide support that stays close to foreign residents. We kindly ask for your cooperation with AAR’s emergency relief for the Kumamoto earthquake.