Tsunami Survivor, Mr Kenya Watanabe sharing his story with Singaporeans Photo: The Straits Times
Singapore student Poh Shin led two busloads of young people to the disaster-stricken town of Otsuchi, in Iwate prefecture, one recent weekend to help clean up its beach.
More than a year after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami devastated a large part of this coastal community, Kirikiri Beach remains off-limits to locals. (Kirikiri means white sand in Ainu, an ethnic language spoken in Hokkaido.)
The volunteers hope to restore one of the town’s favourite summer playgrounds. Its other beach, Namiita, was completely washed away by the tsunami.
Further, officials hope the project will serve to tell people throughout Japan that volunteers are still desperately needed in Otsuchi, and not just for the beach.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered and be sure to join the upcoming volunteer trips! 😀