Kagumi Ogasawara of Iwate Prefectural University

There are still very few places for the kids to play

Around the end of her first year in college, she attended a project held by Empowerment through Participation and Challenge called Manabi no Heya, where she helped children in disaster affected areas with their studies.

After that, she participated in GINGA-NET, which brings in university students who are interested in supporting the reconstruction from all over the country to Iwate, where they then help out by playing with the children in disaster affected areas and assisting in schoolwork.

Ms. Ogasawara understands the complicated feelings that the people living here must be having, as land elevation work continues and the town around them drastically changes. Nevertheless, she feels like there are still very few places along the coast for the children to play.

Make a trip over to the coast

“Immediately after the earthquake, I felt that as an inland resident I had no right to talk about the earthquake, and I hesitated to visit the coast. But I ended up having the chance to go when a friend invited me one day, and after listening to the locals talk, I found myself understanding their feelings little by little,” Ms. Ogasawara said.

“As residents of the same Iwate Prefecture, I want people who live inland to make a trip to the coast and feel what the people living in that area are feeling. I also hope we’ll be able to spread news about Iwate’s current situation to many places outside of the prefecture,” she said on continuing support for the coast in the future.

Profile

Kagumi Ogasawara: 3rd year student at Iwate Prefectural University

Originally from Yahaba Town.

Currently a third year student studying community welfare at Iwate Prefectural University in the Faculty of Social Welfare’s Social Administration Department.

As a student, she participated in a project known as Manabi no Heya, which is held by an association called Empowerment through Participation and Challenge. They assist children in disaster affected areas with their studies.

She also takes part in planning playtime projects for children.