– AN ACCOUNT OF THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS
Singapore, 17 July 2012 – The Singapore Red Cross received a total of S$35.7 million from the Singapore public – individuals, companies and organisations – in response to the appeal to assist the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. This sum includes the S$500,000 seed money contributed by the Singapore Government. A full account of the allocation of the donations to the various recovery and reconstruction projects is in Annex A. Given the scale of the destruction, these efforts constitute only a small amount of the massive reconstruction needed in the affected prefectures.
In the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, the Singapore Red Cross worked closely with the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo, local authorities and the Japanese Red Cross Society to help in the delivery of critical services and restore some of the damaged facilities in three of the most affected prefectures of Fukushima, Iwate and Miyagi. During this period, the Singapore Red Cross donated S$1.25 million to the Japanese Red Cross Society for emergency relief efforts, and purchased S$250,000 worth of supplies such as bottled water, collapsible water containers, blankets, and mattresses.
About S$9.3 million was disbursed during the recovery phase of relief operations, of which S$8.9 million was donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society to rebuild a night-time medical centre, refurbish a nursing school, purchase 250 medical/nursing beds, 100 vehicles for social welfare institutions, and basic necessities worth S$1 million for Japanese families placed in temporary housing.The Singapore Red Cross worked with Life Community Development to fund 10 mini cars to ferry aged patients to medical facilities in Iwate Prefecture, and with the Singapore Rotary Club to fund two sets of Taiko Drums as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
Four reconstruction projects have also been undertaken. Just last weekend, the rebuilding of the Shichigahama Toyama Nursery School at Miyagi Prefecture commenced. To be completed in mid-2013, the S$5 million nursery will be one of two public nurseries in the coastal town of Shichigahama and will also serve as an evacuation centre.
Besides the Toyama Nursery School, the Singapore Red Cross also funded with the donations the construction of the Taro Support Centre in Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture (S$1.1 million), a Multi-Purpose Community Hall in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture (S$11.1 million), and the Isobe Community Centre in Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture (S$2.1 million). The Taro Support Centre was completed in November 2011. Construction of the Multi-Purpose Community Hall in Rikuzentakata City commenced in March this year while work on the Isobe Community Centre will commence later this month (Annex B).
“We spared no effort in going to the Tohoku region to assess the needs and to work with the local Japanese authorities to identify niche projects that would directly benefit the survivors. These are symbols of Singapore’s continued support for Japan’s recovery, and of SRC’s commitment to rebuild lives and communities,” said Mr Tee Tua Ba, Chairman of the Singapore Red Cross.
Altogether the Singapore Red Cross has committed $30.1 million to the various relief and recovery projects. The Singapore Red Cross has further committed S$2 million to support the Japanese Red Cross Society in its ongoing operations in the Tohoku Region to support the survivors of the disasters. The balance of S$3.6 million has been set aside for contingencies to cover any escalation of costs and foreign exchange rate fluctuations during the construction period of the various projects. If there are any surplus monies upon the completion of all committed projects, these will be channelled to collaborative projects for communities in the affected areas, and/or to equip the construction projects mentioned above.