~ Article and Photo by JETAA Vic/Tas/SA~
JET Programme alumni in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia have raised more than $27,000 since the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami to help survivors.
After the March 2011 disaster, JETAA Vic/Tas/SA alumni association members – many of whom lived in the disaster-affected areas – wanted to do whatever they could to help, so the association set up Big Bento Lunch, a fundraiser encouraging people to get together for a Japanese-style lunch and collect donations.
The first Big Bento Lunch, held in March 2012, raised a staggering $15,000. The money was donated to UNICEF Japan and used to fund psychosocial support, child protection and child-friendly reconstruction plans in disaster-affected areas.
A cheque celebrating the $15,000 donation is now on display at the Consulate-General of Japan in Melbourne.
The second Big Bento Lunch, held in March 2013, raised more than $7,000 for the Save Minamisoma Project. The project’s volunteers have delivered fresh food and clean drinking water every two or three weeks since the disaster to the 6,000 residents still living in temporary housing in Minamisoma, Fukushima-ken.
Big Bento Lunch received tremendous support from the Japanese and wider community. The Japan Foundation in Sydney raised the single largest donation in 2012 – $1,733.90. Daramalan College in Canberra took part in both Big Bento Lunch events, raising more than $1,600.
Together with the association’s Anime in the Arvo fundraising event, held in Melbourne’s Federation Square in April 2011 and collecting $5,000, the association has raised more than $27,000.
Thank you to everyone who has generously donated to Big Bento Lunch.
To find out more about Big Bento Lunch, please visit out website, www.bigbentolunch.com.au
Big Bento Lunch is just one of JETAA Vic/Tas/SA’s annual activities to support Japan and encourage cultural exchange. To find out more about the association go to www.victassa.jetaa.org.au
