Do you care about children?
Do you want to give 74 girls and boys an experience they'll treasure for
the rest of their lives?
These children have lost everything. Their school was smashed to pieces by
the 2011 Tohoku tsunami. But with your help we can turn everything around.
Please make a contribution to the Sports Festival we are organizing. Just
click "CONTRIBUTE NOW" on the right hand side, or choose which one of the
3 presents you want.
We need to raise 200,000 yen to help the parents organize and provide
lunch for the 74 students and 176 parents, grandparents, teachers and
coaches of the Togura district. So they can have their sports festival
this year. We want to provide lunch boxes, juice/tea, BBQ grills, hot dogs
and to pay for transportation.
Let's cheer them up and let them know they are not forgotten and
that they can indeed survive this and will one day be able to rebuild a
school with their town's name on the entrance.
We'll bring the smiles from you that will say to them: "Don't give up.
Keep your head up."
Even in the hardest times there's family, traditions and a future worth
fighting for. Yes, even a simple BBQ can convey a message that strong.
Even more, by empowering the parents and giving them opportunities to make their children laugh and play together, we are supporting the
re-connection and rebuilding of strong communities. Remember, these are
the children who will be rebuilding Tohoku.
Frequently Asked Questions
(1) Why is a Sports Festival so Important?
In Japan the Sports Fesitval (Undokai) is one of the most important
milestones in childhood. It will be tragic if these children are robbed of
such an important event this year.
(2) Who Are The Children I'm Helping?
The 74 students at Togura Elementary School are girls and boys aged 6-12
years old. But your contribution also gives energy, hope and happiness to
176 parents, grandparents, teachers and coaches of the Togura district.
(3) Does All of My Contribution Help the Children?
Yes! Every penny you give goes directly to the Sports Festival. Two
anonymous donors have kindly offered to pay for the "perks" and the fees
that Indiegogo charge us. So everything you give will go to the children.
(4) I Can't Give Much, Does My Contribution Still Make a Difference?
YES! Even a small contribution helps greatly. For eample, just 10 dollars
will pay for lunch for 3 children. And there's another way your
contribution helps. It inspires other people to give too. So please give
whatever you can afford, you'll be amazed at how far your gift can go.
(5) Who is Running this Campaign?
We are OGA, a non-profit, non-religious group working in northern Japan to
help the victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. [Note: OGA is legally
registered as an NPO in Japan]
We've been supporting communities here and helping rebuild jobs &
livelihoods for parents. We've coordinated with the local residents on things like:
- Christmas presents
- English classes
- Computer classes
- Exchange programs
- Summer camps
- Concerts
- Festivals
And we've done our best to funnel support to a town that is still on the edge the very of survival.
For this project we're working closely with Mr. Sakamoto, vice principle of Togura Elementary School.
(6) What happened to Togura Elementary School in the Earthquake?
When the 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, teachers
at Togura Elementary School in Minamisanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture,
grabbed their students and ran for the hills.
The school, just 100 meters from the ocean, was engulfed by a massive
tsunami. The tidal wave soon reached the students where they had
evacuated. The teachers frantically got them to even higher ground
where they finally found safety. The school was reduced to an
unrecognizable heap of metal and seaweed.
6 months later the Togura students returned to class, studying on the
first floor of their neighboring town's Elementary School ever since.
As only 5 houses survived the powerful waves, the majority of parents from
Togura are forced to work and live in temporary housing in Sanuma (a city about one hour away by car from the school). Many parents hold jobs as far away as Sendai (92.3 km).
Life continues to be a struggle, and as the years pass, families remain in
a state of limbo- with no home, no school, no town! This year suddenly the
funding for the Sports Festival fell through and they are on the very verge having to cancel!
(7) If you reach the goal, what will the extra money be used for?
Any extra money will go to the OGA Kids' Fund. The fund will pay for projects such as:
- Children's flower bouquets on graduation
- A summer camp in English(no school means lots of time at home but these kids don't have a home)
- Special treats at Christmas.
- A new swing set for the kindergarten
- Field trips to museums
- Supporting local family-based festivals
- Baby sitting for mothers who need a few hours to themselves(There's still no supermarket here so parents must drive one hour to buy groceries)
- Summer scholarship opportunities to the high school children- with local fishermen and farming business
These are all things most of us can take for granted. But when a violent disaster strikes it destroys everything. And the people of Tohoku just need a bit of our help to get a real hope for the future again.
Please contribute now and spread this campaign on our behalf and on behalf
of the 250 families of Togura. Thank you!
Angela Ortiz, Representative Director of OGA For Aid
