One year after the Japan earthquake, Plan operates a child-friendly space in Tagajyo, allowing dozens of children to engage in play and receive emotional support through trained teachers. They also provided essential school supplies to help reopen schools and organized music therapy sessions with South African drummers to uplift spirits. Over 500 visitors have utilized the facility, with local staff and volunteers trained to support families and children.

1. Japan Earthquake
One year later
Left: Plan operates a child-friendly
space for children six times a week
at a temporary housing complex in
Tagajyo baseball park. Dozens of
children come to play at the facility
every week

2. Plan provided psychosocial training to teachers from Tagajyo elementary school in
Tagajo city, Miyagi prefecture. Teachers used their skills to provide support for
students emotionally affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

3. Above: Sachie Takahashi (right) volunteered to run the child-friendly space after
she saw how much destruction the earthquake and tsunami caused in the city. “I
want to build a relationship of trust with children,” said Takahashi.

4. Above: Plan provided school supplies, uniforms and equipment to the preschool
in Tagajo city which was badly damaged by the tsunami. The supplies helped
support the re-opening of the schools after disaster struck.

5. Above: Plan travelled to communities with South African drummers who taught
people to play traditional djembe drums as a way to lift the spirits of those affected
by the disaster. The music therapy had everyone dancing!

6. Above: This Plan-operated, child-friendly space at a temporary housing area has
seen over 500 visitors since opening. Local staff and volunteers were trained by
Plan to help support families and children visiting the space.

7. Above: Children participate in a music lesson at a Junior High School in Tagajo
city, in the Miyagi region.

8. plancanada.ca