To Debris Clearing Volunteers: Here are Your Protective Shoes!

The earthquake has caused different levels of the devastation of residential buildings in Kumamoto. Volunteers’ support is essential regarding the extensive damage. However, walking through debris in thin-soled sneakers is awfully dangerous. There were even reports about volunteers getting injured after stepping on a nail in the ruins.

Thanks to supports from Keen (shoe maker), Japan Platform (aid organization) and others, JEN is finally able to lend protective shoes to those dedicated volunteers who help victims with rubble removal.

Protective shoes get distributed to volunteers through Kumamoto City Council of Social Welfare responsible for recruiting, assigning work to, and dispatching volunteers. This picture was taken at the volunteer center of Higashi Ward.

Keen’s employee explained the importance of protective shoes to everyone, while Mr. Takeda, Keen’s representative was also present. ↓

With assistance from OPEN Japan, a disaster-relief organization, we also lent protective shoes to volunteers working with heavy machinery in the hardest-hit Mashiki Town. We plan to provide the same service to volunteers in Minamiaso Village as well.

↑Devastated Mahiki Town

↑We visited Mashiki Town to distribute protective shoes (JEN’s staff is pictured left).

Here is a precious photo picturing our amazing volunteers with protective shoes on, along with Mr. Takeda from Keen and JEN’s staff. ↑

↑We provide the protective shoes to volunteers according to their shoe sizes.

The role of volunteers will become increasingly important in the recovery process. If you want to take part in the volunteer work, please check out the website of Kumamoto City Council of Social Welfare(Japanese). Groups of more than ten people can register in advance through simple steps (individual participants are surely welcomed).



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