2024 Noto Earthquake Scholarship

<Japanese follows English>

We, as “Ishikawan in Seattle” (シアトル石川県人会) are seeking your support to raise funds for those who were severely affected by a large scale earthquake on the New Year’s Day.

On January 1st 2024, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. A tsunami warning sounded across the western coasts of Japan, as the tsunami that followed hit the Noto Peninsula soon after. The tsunami damaged at approximately 400 acres in the Noto peninsula. Power and water supplies were cut, communications were disrupted. Since then, more than 1,500 aftershocks have followed the main shock. The quake also caused fires in some cities and it is estimated that hundreds of houses were burnt down.

Thousands have been affected and some of them were forced to evacuated out of their house or city, staying wherever possible for the time beings. The cleaning of debris and reconstructions will yet to be started, leaving a millions to feel uncertain about their future.

This fundraising is to particularly provide financial aids to new or existing college students that are affected by the disaster so that they can focus on their study without worrying about their financials. Please help us keep a light of hope for the region's sustainability in the long term.

<Update> By April 2024, we donated 12,000 USD to our partner, Iwaki Foreign Student Scholarship Foundation, which was utilized as part of the scholarship granted to 13 selected students. We are continuously working on raising additional funds for the second round of the scholarship for 2025.

Sincerely,

Takuya

President, Ishikawan in Seattle

2024年元日に発生した能登半島地震の被災者支援のため募金にご協力ください。ここで集めた資金は、被災した現役大学生および新入生を対象とした給付型奨学金として活用したく、日本側で枠組み作りを進めています。

なぜ奨学金なのか？日々被災地の状況を見ながら、遠く離れた地からどう支援すべきかを考えました。結果、すでに複数の支援団体が動いてるような短期的なニーズに応えるのではなく、中長期的な視点で能登の未来を担う人材を重点的に支援することが、復興に向けた希望になるという結論に至りました。対象者が限られることから賛否両論であることは承知のうえで、ご理解ご賛同頂ける方には、ぜひ募金のご協力をお願い致します。

<経過報告> これまで当会から12000ドルを提携先の岩城留学生奨学会に寄付し、2024年4月に選考を通った13人の大学生・専門学生へ給付された奨学金の一部として活用させて頂きました。引き続き、2025年度の給付に向けて募金活動を継続中です。

シアトル石川県人会代表

舟木 拓也