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English translation will be available shortly.

仙台市青葉区の仙台市市民活動サポートセンターで17日、気仙沼市などで震災支援活動を展開するNPO法人「底上げ」のメンバーら、震災復興に携わる４人による活動報告会が行われた。底上げの活動に関わったボランティア経験者や地元経営者ら約２０人が聴講。長い復興を共に支えていく決意を確かめ合った。

 

On 17^th March, NPO Soko-Age, which engaged in a series of disaster relief support activities in Kesennuma city, held its Activity Report Presentation Session at the Sendai City Civil Activities Support Center, presented by 4 members who were involved in disaster recovery post 3-11. 20 people, including volunteers involved in Soko-Age’s activities and local entrepreneurs participated in the session. All the participants agreed to work together to realize long-term recovery for the region.

 

「底上げ」理事の成宮崇史（なるみや・たかふみ）さんは、気仙沼市で２０１１年８月から、地元の子どもたちの学習支援や地元産業の再興支援などに取り組んできた。１２年の９月には、学習支援を受けていた高校生の有志が「底上げYouth（そこあげ・ゆーす）」を結成。多くの観光客を呼び込むために自前の観光パンフレットを作るなど、若い世代が故郷に愛着を抱きつつある。

成宮さんは「気仙沼を離れた若者が故郷に帰ってくる土台をつくることが目標。われわれの取り組みが、若者が地元に帰ってくるきっかけの一つになればうれしい」と話した。

 

Takafumi Narumiya, director of NPO Soko-Age, has been involved in the recovery support of local industries and education of local children in Kesennuma since August 2011. In September 2012, high school student volunteers who took part in the education programs came together and created a group called Soko-Age Youth. They do a series of activities including creating tourism pamphlets in order to attract tourists to their hometown.

“We hope to attract young people who left Kesennuma for the city. To achieve this, it is our job to create opportunities and motivation for them to do so,” says director Narumiya.

 

 

Narumiya reporting on his NPO’s activities with photos showing the friends he made in Kesennuma.

 

高校時代に被災した気仙沼市を訪れて以来、月数回の被災地支援を続けている明治大１年の湯澤魁（ゆざわ・かい）さんは、当時から「底上げYouth」の高校生と交流。地元に愛着を持つ同世代の姿に刺激を受け、「今まであまり意識して来なかった自分の地元を見直すきっかけになった。これまでにできた人とのつながりを大切にしながら、東北と関わり続けたい」と話した。

 

After visiting Kesennuma for the first time in his high school days, Kai Yuzawa, 1^st Year at Meiji University, has been involved in relief support activities in the disaster area several times a month, and has been in touch with the high school students of Soko-Age Youth. Inspired by the hometown love of the young people of his age, Kai said, “I began to look at my hometown in a different way. I became determined to treasure my relationships and continue working with the people in Tohoku.”

 

気仙沼市の「ホテル望洋」社長・加藤英一（かとう・えいいち）さんは、震災直後の気仙沼市の惨状を体験を交えて報告。「震災で家を失い、ホテルも営業できなくなり、心が折れかけた。でも、こうして出会った若い人たちに勇気をもらい、やってこられた」と災禍の中で出会った縁に感謝した。

 

Eiichi Kato, president of Kesennuma Hotel Kanyo reported on both his experience and the disastrous state of Kesennuma after the disaster. “I lost my home, our hotel was heavily affected, and everything was going wrong. But the young people whom we met gave us the courage to push on,” he expressed his gratitude to the people who supported him through the difficult times.

 

気仙沼市で風車を活用した発電や観光事業を提案している千葉大准教授の佐藤建吉（さとう・けんきち）さん＝都市環境工学＝は、「これまでつながってきた気仙沼市にこそ建設し、復興の力になりたい」と私案を披露した。

 

Kenkichi Sato, associate professor at Chiba University (urban environment engineering) suggests wind-powered electricity generators and tourism to boost the Kesennuma’s economy. “I hope to contribute to the recovery of Kesennuma by doing what I do best.

 

 

Sato suggests building a windmill in Kesennuma. On the left shows the windmill model (scale 1:40)

 

年齢も出身地も、歩みもさまざまな登壇者４人。震災は幾多の人命と暮らしを奪った一方で、新たな縁を育んだ。それぞれが思い描く「これからの気仙沼」を披露しあった報告会は、 新たな未来を築くための、より強いつながりを結んだ。

 

4 speakers of different age and backgrounds. The disasters took away many lives but create new bonds. The speakers all spoke about their dreams of Kesennuma and forged strong relationships in commitment to create a better future for the region.

 

 

(記事担当)

早稲田大学４年　田部愛

東北大学修士１年　尾崎希海

 

Reporters:

Ai Tanabe, 4^th Year at Waseda University

Nozomi Ozaki, 1^st Year Masters at Tohoku University.