[Report] Project HOPE: 1/2
MOU Ceremony between Project HOPE and Iwate Prefecture
Long awaiting moment has finally come to us.
On May 31st, there was a ceremony for signing Memorandum Of Understanding between Iwate Prefecture and Project HOPE regarding long term medical service assistance for disaster areas redevelopment.
Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) and IMPACT Foundation Japan, two NGOs both holding Kiyoshi Kurokawa as a chair have cooperated to work for Project HOPE’s “Operation Rising Sun”. Project HOPE, a U.S. -based global health education and humanitarian assistance organization has come right after the Tohoku big earth quake to seek ways to offer wide range of medical related relief assistance named as “Operation Rising Sun”. HGPI and IMPACT Japan have coordinated with the Japanese government and local prefectural governments as well as various medical related associations to make this operation happen.
Already from mid May, in support of the Japan Primary Care Association’s Disaster Relief Project, Project HOPE has deployed twelve medical volunteers in Miyagi Prefecture. But this MOU event would be a big mile stone for the Operation Rising Sun.
Mr. Fred Gerber of the Project HOPE in charge of Operation Rising Sun pointed “This MOU would be a first step for long lasting relationship between Iwate and Project HOPE. Project HOPE staffs and volunteers are committed to assisting the Iwate and Japan leadership establish a new medical system strategy.” He also added that in the long run he considered establishing scholarship program for medical related service people in Iwate to study abroad to learn about disaster relief medical operation.
The Governor Tasso mentioned “Since medical service re-establishment is one of the most important aspects of regional redevelopment. Project HOPE’s service offering would be great help for us. Also, this type of international collaboration would bring new future for regional development. I hope that those younger generation who experienced this disaster would someday help relief operation of future disaster areas.”
I hope that this tiny step forward would be a big stream for international collaboration for the social goodness to help one another through mutual understanding and respect. For that end, we should strive for nurturing innovative mindset and doers spirit.
(Continue to [Report] Project HOPE: 2/2 – Down to Ishinomaki from Morioka and HOPE volunteers)
Reported by Haruko Nishida, Secretary General IMPACT Foundation Japan
Pictures from MOU Ceremony at the Iwate Prefecture government office (Mr. Fred Gerber of Project HOPE and Iwate Governor Takuya Tasso)
