11th January 2012
Message from KnK Japan
We would like to express our best wishes for 2012, a year of Dragon.
As our gratitude for your generous support last year and our hope for a good start of this year, we would like to inform you of what we are implementing now with your kind support in Iwate Prefecture.
Now 4 members of KnK Japan are based in Kamaishi City in Iwate as project coordinators.
1. The renovation of Kamaishi Aoba Building (Community Center) started on 1st December 2011.
Opening of premises scheduled begining of April 2012.
This project of approx. 190 million yen is supported by L’Occitane en Provence. Their Foundator and representatives will attend an opening ceremony scheduled on 25th April.
L’Occitane Japon organized a charity fair by selling candles during Christmas period last year and they will donate books for libraries in Kamaishi City and Aoba Building.
2. Two Mobile Children Centers started activities in the beginning of December with renovated buses. Children from schools and Kasetsu (temporary shelters) in Rikuzentakata can join this Center after school until 9pm. We hope to run this project for the next 2 years until the end of 2014.
This project is supported by Vacheron Constantin and a new foundation created by Mr. Masayoshi Son, the President of SoftBank.
3. Yamada Town chose a new land for building a Community Center in Tanohama area. This land is under preparation (cadastral, surveying and contouring) supported by Saint Gobain.
4. Tanohama Community Center is scheduled to start construction from spring 2012 until March 2013. This construction is supported by a French Company (official announce will be in February or March 2012).
5. Reclamation of Yamada Kita Elementary School playground was inaugurated on 20th December 2011. This reclamation was supported by Saint Gobain.
6. KnK supports sports activities as we think it is of a great importance for students’ lives. We provided 6 Rowing Boats and 1 trailer for Yamada High School and 2 Security Boats for Sailing Clubs at 2 High Schools in Miyako City.
7. After issuing our Activity Report for Tohoku between March and September 2011, we received a request to support a Kindergarten in Minami Soma City in Fukushima. KnK, in corporation with Pal System, will deliver healthy dairy products, fish and preserved food to kids for the next 12 months from January 2012. This project is supported by a Korean singer, Mr. Kim Hyun- joong and Hohoemi Project.
8. We will continue positively responding to various kinds of requests regarding children and education at least until March 2012. We delivered to Educational Departments, schools, teachers and children in Iwate such as new curtains, new Tatami, educational materials, music instruments, transportation for students, 1000 parkas and so on. In corporation with Takashimaya, KnK also supported a Xmas party for an after-school care program in Otsuchi Town.
9. Ofunato City requested to KnK a financial support to build 8 small community centers (including 5 temporary centers). We will have a meeting with a Japanese Foundation and to a Japanese company this month regarding this project.
10. We are also looking for support for a community center in Fuppushi in Rikuzentakata. Fuppushi is one of the first communities we visited in March 2011.
11. BNP Paribas Tokyo Branch donated us 75 laptops that will be delivered to Iwate and also delivered to our projects in the world.
12. Some artists and some youth groups such as Boy/Girl Scouts are willing to visit, participate and support young people in Iwate as Private initiatives. We shall try our best to find the partners within all the schools we are supporting.
13. Last December 2011, KnK Japan had a confirmation from a Ministry of Finance as a Special Tax Deductive association for donations for the assistance projects in Tsunami affected areas until 2015.
http://knk-iwate.jp/donate/tax.html
14. The temporary Matching between the donations we received and the expenses we spent for the period March to December 2011 will be done by the end of January 2012. The final Matching for the period March 2011 to March 2012 will be done by April 2012.
So far, excluding Ofunato Project, our total expenses for Tsunami affected areas will be approx. 850 million yen.
As you see, KnK Japan will continue running the activities in Iwate for the next following years. All support you bring to us is much more than welcome!
Please be advised that both private donors and companies, especially companies, will have a great preferential tax treatment for donation to our projects.
If you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us!
kodomo@knk.or.jp
Thank you again for your constant support.
Let’s keep “Growing Together”
Faithfully,
Dominique Léguillier
KnK Japan
KnK Iwate
