Latest News

The heavy rain disaster in August 2022 caused massive landslides and flooding in Murakami and Sekikawa cities in Niigata. Repair and rehabilitation work on infrastructure, homes and agricultural lands are still on-going. Some affected areas have been restored, however, challenges remain to provide psychosocial care for the affected people. In particular, Murakami and Sekikawa cities have a large aging population and local health care workers are too overstretched to care for children.

Ohana Net, a local organization providing support for parents and families, receives concerns from parents. Comments such as “My child gets scared when it rains” or “I am too busy to spend quality time with my child” have been heard.

Children affected by disasters often experience physical unwellness, fear of darkness, emotional instability, and withdrawal. Some experience panic and get triggered by small things which affect day-to-day lives. Specialists are needed for these children but the affected families in Niigata still do not have access to adequate mental health.

Civic Force began supporting Ohana Net and Tsukisara Partners Center through the NPO Partner Project.  The partner organizations will host seven family consultation events through the project in Murakami City and invite nurses and certified psychologists

This project is supported by Johnson & Johnson in Japan.