Child rights organisation Plan International will deliver a special cheer up message to school children in Japan’s tsunami-affected areas thanks to Thomson Reuters and their partnership of Formula One™ team, Williams F1 Team.
“Go Japan!” posters signed by Williams F1 Team drivers, Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna, have been specially created for children as a joint effort between Plan International and Thomson Reuters.
Plan Japan is among the very few international agencies working closely with the Japanese government to carry out tsunami relief work. The organisation’s emergency response has remained focused on supporting emotional care needs of children and their care givers such as parents and teachers.
“In the last year tsunami survivors, especially children have gone through a very challenging time. Supporting children return to normality has been a key priority of Plan’s aid response. The ‘Go Japan!’ posters will certainly put a smile on children’s faces and give a boost to our efforts,” said Gabriel Kazuo Tsurumi, Executive Managing and National Director of Plan Japan.
A total of twenty schools in Miyagi prefecture, where Plan has carried out psychosocial support activities, will receive the signed posters.
“A significant population has been affected by tsunami and emotional well-being of survivors is vital for wider recovery. Even a token gesture like ‘Go Japan!’ posters can support our efforts to advocate for overwhelming emotional care needs of survivors,” said Mie Kashiwade who is leading Plan’s emergency response unit in Miyagi.
In the last year, Plan has worked with psychologists, teachers and parents and reached 25,000 tsunami survivors, mostly children. The organisation has also directly engaged with school children through activities such as child media project and drumming sessions tailored to involve their participation and support their emotional care needs.
source: trust.org