Yamagata, Japan…Dollies and Colorful Teddys arrive!

Several blog-posts ago we showed photos of the adorable long limbed dollies which we made for the Santa Monica, CA based disaster relief organization International Medical Corps (IMC) to take to children in Yamagata City, Japan.  In order to get them to Japan, first we boxed and mailed them to Ms. Yumi Terahata, IMC’s representative who happened to be in Washington DC on business.  Ms. Terahata in turn checked them alongside her luggage on her flight back to Japan.  So these little ladies traveled EAST  from California all the way around the world to Japan!

Ms. Terahata sent us this message:  ” Partnering with a local non-profit organization International Volunteer Yamagata (IVY), we opened a full-time daycare center in Yamagata City in September 2012.  This is the first and only daycare center to focus on the children voluntarily evacuated with their mothers out of Fukushima Prefecture due to concerns about the long-term effects of radiation leakage from the failed Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.  Many of the 8 IVY daycare staff are themselves Fukushima evacuee-mothers.  IMC donated to IVY essential items including furniture, electrical appliances, toys,  personnel, and financial funding for the daycare.

By providing their children with a safe space, quality daycare, and high quality organic chemical-free meals, IMC and IVY are supporting evacuee-mothers have the freedom to seek employment opportunities, gain economic independence, and be active participants in society.  The superior quality of this program also serves to reduce mothers’ stress levels.  As of May 2013, 40 evacuee children aged between 3 months and 6 years of age are being cared for, allowing 24 mothers to be able to work and earn income to support their family.  The remaining mothers are able to search for work, care for an ill family member, or otherwise take care of their other needs.  IVY also offers part-time daycare services for 29 additional children according to their needs.

Many many thanks to the Dollie ladies – your efforts have put smiles onto many children in need. We at IMC and at IVY are so pleased to be have been able to work with you all to effect such a positive response in the children. “

A look at these photos surely demonstrate this!