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Nine months have passed since Typhoon No.19 (Hagibis) brought tremendous damage to wide areas across eastern Japan. Nagano City was one of the hardest hit areas and many residents are still cleaning up their flooded homes.

“Our children’s lives have changed completely. I’m worried they are not getting enough physical activity,” said Ms. Mie Iijima of Nagano. She has been working tirelessly to resume her children’s basketball team activities in the Naganuma neighborhood since the disaster.

In Naganuma, an elementary school for 100 students was flooded by the Chikuma River and the water level reached as high as 1.4 meters (4.6 feet). Temporary classrooms have been constructed; however, the school gym is still closed. The school was closed for three months from March to May due to COVID-19 and reopened on June 1. The psychosocial effects of COVID-19 on children could be seen widely.

“The school gymnasium was flooded and the students lost a place to play and exercise. On top of this, the entire neighborhood was flooded and the students started commuting by bus instead of on foot and so they rarely have opportunities to exercise.” The school gymnasium was utilized by many sports groups in the community. The gymnasium still being closed, the community lost a place to gather together.

For the children’s basketball team, the coach and the parents tried to secure a safe play area for the children by cleaning the gymnasium and renting another gymnasium in the next town.

A sports event was organized on March 15 by the Nagano Sports Community Club. The community club was providing a tour bus for children from the disaster affected areas and invited them to watch a professional soccer game.However, the event was postponed due to COVID-19. Ms. Iijima said, “We wanted to fulfill the children’s wishes to continue sports even in the aftermath of the typhoon. We are saddened by the decision to postpone the event but we’ll work to make it happen.”

Civic Force is assisting the Nagano Sports Community Club and the children’s basketball team through NPO Partner Projects for Typhoon No.19 (Hagibis). The projects have provided financial assistance for the groups to continue sports activities, host events, and purchase uniforms after the children’s old uniforms were damaged.

The children received 34 blue and white uniforms in different sizes this June. Sixth graders, the most senior members of the basketball team took the lead and designed the new uniforms. The students paid close attention to details like fonts and colors and decided on a design that will be used for a long time. Alumnus of the team, the coach, and parents also made suggestions in the design process.

TheNagano Sports Community Club resume their activities on June 8 after suspending their gatherings due to COVID-19. Civic Force hopes that the children can now stay active and continue their practices.

Please visit the Facebook page of the Nagano Sports Community Club for more details.

Facebook page of the Nagano Sports Community Club