Overview

Helping Japan is Something Close to His Heart
Sondra Foo, Corporate Communications

"I was inside a building when the earthquake struck on March 11th. The building started shaking violently unlike anything I had experienced in my almost twenty years in Japan. My first thought was to get out of the building as quickly as possible and, once in the street, I sat on the pavement: the whole earth felt like a "moving sea" for at least three interminable minutes," recounted Mr Giulio Lilli, 40, a European entrepreneur who has been living and working in Japan since 1994.

Though Japanese were accustomed to occasional tremors, the earthquake and tsunami that hit North-East Japan in the Tohoku region on March 11th, 2011 was exceptionally powerful, with a confirmed magnitude of 9.0. "Fortunately, no building collapsed in Tokyo. Though people were shocked, there was no widespread panic and everyone remained calm" added Mr Lilli.

The explosions and the eventual radiation leaks from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear plant reactors exacerbated the situation, and as a precautionary measure many people decided to go to Western Japan, mainly Osaka, or to leave the country for a few days, to see if the situation would get clearer or would linger.

Mr Lilli is founder and president of a consulting and representation firm based in Tokyo that boosts foreign companies entering into the Japanese, the Korean and the other Asian markets.

While he was in Singapore to open a local liaison office of his company with a local partner and develop a South East Asian base for his business, Mr Lilli came to the Red Cross of Singapore (Red Cross House) to volunteer everyday on the weeks of March 21st and a few times on the week of March 28th March in order to support the Red Cross Singapore’s efforts for Japan.

Having stayed in Japan for almost two decades, he can speak fluent Japanese and he wished to do his part to contribute to the relief efforts in Japan for the survivors of the Tohoku region (Miyagi-Sendai and Fukushima).

"Japan has given so much to me in the past two decades that I wanted to thank my host country: Although I am not Japanese, my heart now feels partly Japanese, and it has been heart-wrenching to see so much suffering and destruction in this great country and society since March," disclosed Mr Lilli.

"I feel very happy to help, although my contribution is a small thing compared to what the people are going through in the Tohoku region. But I feel that any action is better than no action, as every contribution counts. Being in Singapore is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the local Red Cross efforts for Japan and to help my host country," explained Mr Lilli. "I am surprised to see so many wonderful people, both Japanese living in Singapore and local Singaporeans, volunteering to support Japan. I am also struck by how many donations have been given by Singaporeans and by the high level of many such donations," he added.

Back in Japan, Mr Lilli has also offered to be a local interface or support if SRC, IFRC, or JRCS needs any help in coordinating efforts. He plans to spend several days in the devastated Tohoku region to try and bring some support directly to the people in the impacted areas.

Mr Lilli believes that Japan will eventually emerge stronger as a society and as an economy through this ordeal.

Mr Lilli likes to remind that Japan is a country with a highly sophisticated culture: it has deep roots, a deep and ancient history, and a strong national identity with strong traditions. Japan is also a very advanced economy: currently the world’s third largest in GDP terms.

"Though the Japanese economy has been relatively challenged in the past 20 years, and although Japan has gone through many tough times throughout its history, this latest disaster can be an opportunity for the country to bounce back and regain economic strength by uniting the Japanese people, who are very strong inside and who are at their best in the face of extreme challenges. I have no doubt that this disaster will make Japan stronger, not weaker in the long run," affirmed Mr Lilli.

Like Mr Lilli, several volunteers from Japan, Brazil, Singapore were also volunteering their time at Red Cross.

The Passion Spurred Her On

She had gone through operations with 32 stitches in her legs and metal bars are lodged within both her legs, but that did not deter Helen Soh, 77, from taking public transport to volunteer at Singapore Red Cross. It is the passion that keeps her going.

The former marathon runner has been a volunteer with Singapore Red Cross since 2003 after retiring from her job at Robinsons. Years back, she had sold tickets at airport selling coupons at the fun fair. She even shook hands with President’s wife, Mrs Nathan at an event. Mrs Nathan was pleasantly surprised that Helen serves as a volunteer despite her age. She helped to count money during our Flag Day in previous years. She also sold ear plugs and ponchos at Formula One.

The former marathon runner and mountain climber also donated blood till the age of 60. She also performed and sang songs for the residents at the Red Cross Home for the Disabled. She enjoyed volunteering because it gave her the opportunity to get to know more people. She would volunteer for about four hours each time. She has also asked her friends and inspired other people to come and help. She also encouraged her children to help out at Red Cross.

Recently, Helen has also helped out at the donation centre of Singapore Red Cross to help raise funds for the survivors of the Japan disaster. "The disaster destroyed their houses. It is a very sad case. I want to help them, rebuild their country."

"If we have the money, we will donate the money. If we don’t donate money, we can donate the time and effort," she added.

"As long as you find me useful and as long as I can do it, I will come," she said.

Helping Japan, from Singapore

Seventeen year old Nobusato Timothy Ban, a half Japanese-half Singaporean, was with his father in Tokyo to learn the Japanese language after receiving his ‘O Level’ results from ACS (Barker Road) in January. He was due to return to Singapore in end March to pursue his education in the School of Engineering, Ngee Ann Polytechnic as a freshman.

On 11 March, after school dismissal, Nobusato was on his way to visit a Museum at Saitama Prefecture, an hour away by train when the major earthquake struck. He was all alone. It was the biggest earthquake that he has experienced. He said “people around me were visibly shaken, faces turned pale but nobody screamed in that 4-5 minutes of violent shake up which was really scary.”

When calmness returned, Nobusato was at the door step of the Museum, only to be refused entry as the Museum was signaling all visitors out of its premises in compliance with safety regulations.

Next, it was announced that all train services will be stopped for the day. He tried calling his dad but was unable to reach him as all domestic phone lines were disrupted. Then, he called his mom in Singapore and she told him to stay calm and stay put at the station and to keep his mobile line open. However, to her dismay, Nobusato shared that his mobile phone battery was running very low and soon, he would not be able to speak to her. After a few brief calls of update, she was unable to contact him again. Instead, she managed to reach Nobusato’s dad who was on standby to hear from him.

Came nightfall, temperature fell and it was biting cold at the station. Nobusato, who vaguely recalled seeing a hospital nearby was planning to make his way there to take refuge for the night. Before he could do that, fortunately, the train master and his team decided to move all the stranded commuters to the Saitama Super Arena (our National Stadium equivalent).Straining his ears to hear every instruction given, together with hundreds of others, Nobusato walked about half an hour to the Stadium to take shelter. Upon arrival at the shelter, he was given a cardboard and a blanket for the night. Nobusato was hoping to establish contact with his parents to let them know that he was safe. And, it was an answered prayer when Japanese mobile phone companies also arrived at the Stadium and offered SOS phone lines. Nobusato took the SOS phone and immediately called his father and told him he was camping overnight at the Stadium and that he would take the first train back when the service resumes the following morning.

When asked what kept him calm when caught by this unexpected event all on his own, he said “initially, I was panicky but when unexpected help also came in slowly, I know, if God had allowed this to happen, He will see me through.” At the Stadium, the night was long. Surrounded by strangers and the SOS team and a projection screen reporting on the crisis throughout the night, equipped with only elementary Japanese, Nobusato tried to make sense of what was said. Initially, the unfamiliar camping ground and the chaos was overwhelming and he kept himself awake and alert. But by midnight, like the many others around him, he dozed off out of tiredness.

The next morning, the stranded commuters walked back to the station, but the train services did not re-start as was the expectation. Nobusato managed to speak to his father and he didn’t waste time and drove down to the station to pick him up and was reunited with him by noon-time.

Upon his return to Singapore, Nobusato signed up with the Singapore Red Cross, wanting to do his bit. He related his sadness upon hearing that the coastal stretch at Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, had been swept away by the monstrous tsunami. He said "on 5th March, exactly a week before the tsunami, my dad and I were visiting the same location and enjoyed the hospitality of the Sendai people who were really kind and friendly to visitors … to know that many of them have been swept away really shocked me and I know I want to do my part in the fund raising effort ."

So what did Nobusato learn from this experience? He said he saw "calmness in chaos in that no one screamed during the earthquake, perseverance in adversity, that people just waited patiently when stranded at the station and braved the biting cold until told to move to the Sports Arena to take refuge, and orderliness amidst shortages in queuing for whatever little foodstuff that could be purchased from the supermarket after the quake."

And, about his brief attachment as a volunteer at the Singapore Red Cross, he said, "it was really like working in a family, being one of the youngest volunteers there, I was taken good care of. As part of my job was at the call centre manning the incoming calls, for the first time, I realised being able to speak more than one language really helps."

"I feel that Singaporeans are warm-hearted and many were still calling in to find out how they could help. I feel that the work at the Red Cross is really meaningful. Though the term at Ngee Ann has commenced, I would go back to help out again during my term break when the opportunity arises," Nobusato shared.

Finding His Own Nationality

"When the disaster struck Haiti years ago, it never occurred to me that it would one day strike my own country. However, the tsunami and earthquake that struck Japan on 11 March had killed my aunt and nephews. My uncle’s house in Sendai was completely destroyed. It is the first time that a disaster had directly affected my family," lamented Satoru Isuozuka, 21.

In Japan, social networks like Mixi, something like Facebook in Japan provided information on how to evacuate, where to find water, where to go for free vending machine. There were words of encouragement for those people living in the Tohuku region (Sendai, Fukushima and Miyagi). There was this evident spirit of uniting and helping each other tide through this crisis.

"I wanted to do something to help in the reconstruction of Japan. If I don’t take action, the Japanese youths may not do anything. If I do something, then some Japanese may follow me," shared Satoru, a typical, Generation Y Japanese guy spotting a funky hair style with thick, black rimmed spectacles.

However, Satoru was not able to help survivors in Japan directly as he is currently on an eight months’ exchange programme, studying Sociology at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The exchange programme will end in May. He is a Third Year student of the Soka University in Japan.

That did not stop him from volunteering to help the survivors in Japan. He signed up as a volunteer at Singapore Red Cross. "It is a small step, but it is very satisfying," said Satoru.

"Finally, I feel I am Japanese. Through this small contribution, I find my own national identity. This is my first contribution to Japan. This is in a way, building my own future, because I am contributing to help in the reconstruction efforts of my own country," he shared.

The Heart of Gold
Sondra Foo, Corporate Communication

Mrs Wendy Hanai, 42, looks like a typical Australian, blonde hair and a fair complexion. Yet, it may come as a pleasant surprise that this amiable lady can speak Japanese. I later learnt that she married a Japanese and had stayed in Japan for 20 years!

She learnt about the tsunami 10 minutes after it struck on the fateful day of 11 March. Her top concern then was for the safety of her daughter, almost 20, a student at Waseda University in Tokyo. "I tried calling her but she did not pick up. Four hours later, I finally got through to her via a land line to my friend. My daughter was upset, shaken both physically and emotionally. Though she was safe, she could not get home because there wasn’t any transportation," shared Mrs Hanai, who has been staying in Singapore for the past four years.

"The building that her dormitory was in was fine, but her room was a mess, so she had to stay in a friend’s room. School has been postponed till mid May."

The web-savvy Mrs Hanai, a school teacher with Japanese Primary School at the Clementi campus, then sent a mass email to her friends that her daughter was fine and to pray for the survivors there.

Yet, radiation fears loomed as nuclear explosions erupted at the Fukishima plant. “The water contamination there was very bad. It was difficult to buy water,” pointed out Mrs Hanai.

To Mrs Hanai, there was this sense of helplessness. She expressed, “I have friends and a daughter in Japan. Yet there is nothing I can do for them apart from donating money. They want water and food. By coming here, I can do something for them.”

She did not just come alone to Red Cross House to volunteer. She brought her younger daughter, Asuka, along. Asuka is a pretty girl of 16, with a fair complexion like her, but dark brown hair, a student of Waseda Shibuya Senior High School. They had taken a 1.5 hour bus journey here from their home at Clementi during the peak hours (a journey which usually only takes 40 minutes). Yet, they were happy to have done something for their friends and family in Japan.

For Mrs Hanai, this was the second time she has been volunteering with the Red Cross to help out with the Japan disaster. She had worked with a group of other volunteers, to take turns to answer phone calls. They had queries on how to donate. She volunteered a total of four times during her Spring break.

Besides answering phone calls, Mrs Hanai had also helped out with cheque collection at the donation centre. "I am amazed at their generosity. There were so many zeroes in their cheques. I saw people writing cheques for S$5,000 or S$1,000 just like that, some were small companies, some others were individuals. There were also many people who donated S$50, which is of course, so much better than some people who do not donate at all," said Mrs Hanai.

Volunteers like Mrs Hanai were pleasantly surprised when Singapore Red Cross offered meals for them. “I am thankful, I really didn’t expect it. When I did my volunteer work last week, they brought lapis cakes and snacks. This time round, I thought we would bring something.” She offered me a brownie that she had baked , it tasted very good indeed. It was really heartwarming to see how kind-hearted these people are.

These volunteering experiences are not Mrs Hanai’s first interaction with Red Cross. She has donated blood five times in Singapore. Mrs Hanai has a blood type of O minus, which is deemed rather rare. Only one in every 1,500 people would have this blood type in Singapore. When she was given the letter from the doctor that she was no longer diabetic, she gladly continued her blood donation. She had donated blood 23 times when she was in Japan.

She encourages those who meet the criteria to donate blood, to do just that. "Blood replenishes very fast. If others can help people, I would do so too."

It is this heart of gold that really helps to touch the lives of others. The world is a better place to live in, because there are many out there, with a heart of gold, like Mrs Hanai.