The waiting room of Motoyoshi hospital which was renovated with Red Cross support after being partially destroyed by the tsunami.
A boy and his mother outside their temporary home in the city of Iwaki. He is attending the temporary kindergarten for children from Naraha town.
Nordic walking is one of the activities organized by Japanese Red Cross volunteers for elderly inhabitants of prefabricated temporary communities.
This large vessel remains grounded inland in the port of Kesenumma. It is a symbol that things are far from getting back to the way they were.
Children unable to return to their homes due to high radiation levels play in the temporary kindergarten supported by the Japanese Red Cross.
Takehiko Nanbu’s spirits are much better now that he’s been able to restart his seaweed business.
Two years have passed since the lives of hundreds of thousands of people were suddenly changed forever. On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami and nuclear accident devastated Japan. In an instant, people lost everything - their homes, their loved ones, and their communities. Immediately following the disaster, the Red Cross was present to support emergency relief and recovery efforts.
To date, Red Cross teams have provided medical treatment to over 87,000 patients, psychosocial support and counseling to over 14, 000 people, and distributed over 135,000 electronic appliance and furniture packages to help families settle into their new home.
Five hospitals and medical centres have also been rebuilt with Red Cross support.
To learn more about how the Japanese Red Cross is continuing to support the recovery process visit the IFRC.
Photos: Masaki Kamei/JRCS