Kadowaki Junir High School evacuation center

Description

In addition to the many dead and missing,
many Ishinomaki residents were made homeless
by the tsunami and wound up in evacuation
centers. A two-minute walk from the Ishinomaki
Catholic Church, where Caritas set up a base
on March 24, is the Kadonowaki Junior High
School, which became one of the largest of
more than 80 evacuation centers, having
accommodated about 2,000 people right after the
disaster. Starting at the beginning of April until
the center was closed on October 11, Caritas
set up a tent outside the shelter to provide
hot water to evacuees. Meals provided at the
shelter were usually rice balls, bread and boxed
lunches; there were no hot meals. With hot
water available, residents could have tea, coff ee,
instant noodles and soup. Tables in front of the
tent became a place where people could gather
to talk, play games, read and do craft activities.
After school, children played with Caritas
volunteers. The volunteers befriended many
evacuees through these activities and when the
time came for shelter residents to transfer to
temporary housing Caritas volunteers helped
them to move in and start their new lives.