It is almost 11 months after the Noto Peninsula earthquake. AAR Japan (Association for Aid and Relief, Japan) continues to provide support to welfare facilities affected by the disaster. With AAR’s support, a welfare service center in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, has rebuilt two damaged work buildings. A presentation ceremony was held on November 13, and about 30 users and others celebrated the completion of the buildings under autumn sky.

Yu no Oka is a facility for about 30 persons with mental and emotional disabilities in their teens to seventies, and AAR has rebuilt two buildings that were the main source of income for Yu no Oka, a shiitake mushroom drying hut and an aluminum can press building. The drying of shiitake mushrooms had previously been done in a farmer’s barn, but the earthquake made it difficult to use the barn due to falling roof tiles and other problems. Aluminum can press was done in a space with plywood around a tent, but the ground cracked, creating gaps, and the 460-kilogram press fell over.

Both of the new work buildings are located on the site of Yu no Oka, with glass entrances for better lighting and better protection from the wind and rain. Mr. Honda, who received a certificate for the support from AAR President Horie, said, “AAR delivered relief supplies as early as January 3, two days after the earthquake. It was a great blow that the earthquake deprived us of a place to work, but they rebuilt our shiitake mushroom drying huts and aluminum can press building, which helped us to recover . We are truly grateful.”

Horie said, “I’m glad that we were able to deliver the kindness of our many supporters in the form of a work buildings. We hope this will bring a little cheer to the people of Yu no Oka. We wish for the earliest possible recovery of all the people in Noto .”

In the Noto region, which experienced a “double disaster” with the earthquake in January and the heavy rain in September, hard efforts to rebuild their lives and communities are continuing. We ask for your continued support for AAR’s assistance to the Noto disaster victims.