Tragedy in Japan—doing what we can to help
by Alan E. Lewis
Entry: June 2011
This tiny survivor finds comfort from a Red Cross volunteer.
It seems that the world of late has been reeling from one tumultuous event after another—from political upheavals to all manner of natural and man-made disasters. And while global tourism has certainly been deeply affected, we should pause and consider something vastly more important: the people caught in the middle of these tragedies.
As the world is aware, on March 11 a devastating tsunami slammed into Japan’s eastern coast, the result of one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded. The ensuing television footage of people, cars, and homes being swept away, and fires burning out of control, left one with a profound sense of helplessness. These were heart-wrenching scenes to watch.
But as the head of an international travel company, I knew that our responsibilities lay first with our own travelers—and they were indeed all safe. After that, however, a bigger question loomed:
ASHINAGA also lends emotional support to the children left orphaned by the recent Japanese disaster.
How could we help?
The answer came from our associates in Tokyo. They told us about ASHINAGA, a Japanese non-profit organization that was begun in 1969 with the goal of helping children who have lost one or both parents, providing them with both financial aid and emotional assistance. Unfortunately, there were so many orphans resulting from Japan’s current tragedy.
We immediately got the gears in motion—but we weren’t the only ones. We were flooded with calls from our travelers, who asked how they could help. Thanks to the generosity of 1,357 of our wonderful travelers, as well as many Grand Circle associates, Trip Leaders, and Program Directors from around the world, we managed to raise $173,086 for ASHINAGA. The total—which includes a $25,000 match by Grand Circle Foundation—will help provide stipends for children of all ages, scholarships for those ready to pursue higher education, and the construction of a new facility that will offer additional emotional support programs.
Japan’s serenity was shattered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
We were so glad to do what little we could to help alleviate such suffering. We were especially touched by a comment of one of our Tokyo associates, who told us:
“The scale of the disaster is unimaginable, and the situation in the stricken area is tragic. The children who lost one or both parents are especially pitiable. Many children were saved because they were at school, but their parents either perished or are missing. The Foundation’s donation will help ensure they have the opportunity to study at high school and university. I believe our gift will change their lives in the future.”
Difficult times lie ahead for the people of Japan. But thanks to ASHINAGA, many children will be helped on their long journey through the healing process. We hope that our gift—and the kind generosity of our travelers—will go a long way toward making this possible. And we wish to extend our deepest sympathies, not just to the children, but to all of the people of Japan affected by this devastating tragedy.
Alan E. Lewis