2011年3月11日に起こった福島第一原子力発電所事故、東日本大震災及び津波によるの被害を今なお受け続けている子供達の肖像画です。
子供たちの描いた絵、言葉の中にイギリス人画家ジェフ・リードが子供たちの希望に応じて肖像画を描き入れました。

2012-08-22

How are my family? Young Fukushima evacuee

Kasumi is 14. She drew the house where her great grandmother, father and brother are still living in Nishi Aizu, north west Fukushima. She is looking down on them and wondering how they are, as she misses them and the countryside. Kasumi evacuated to Hiroshima with her sister Narumi and mother. Kasumi is a good volleyball player.
Scroll down for writing by her mother

Her situation
Although levels in Nishi-Aizu were a little lower than areas very near the plant, long-term risk from radiation is a concern for parents. Nishi Aizu receives heavy snow each year. This is hard work to deal with, and there is an avalanche risk. There is occasionally extreme rain and flooding, for example in July 20ll. There is now extra worry because this heavy snow and rain washes down radiation from a large mountainous catchment area and can concentrate it in rivers, drains and rice fields as time go by. Irradiated tsunami debris and incinerated sewage ash from Nakadori were secretly dumped in an area that drains into the river that flows through Nishi-Aizu. It is hard to find food from safer areas, as shops stock local produce from Fukushima – and schools serve it. It is expensive to order food from less contaminated areas.

Her mother wrote:

昨年九月、私たち家族はバラバラ生活をスタートしました。
年をとった祖母、病気の夫、高校入学目前の息子は、自宅に残り、
私と、二人の娘は、広島へ引っ越して来ました。
お金が必要でした。先の見えない不安定な生活を続ける余裕もなく
生きて、家を回して行く責任が、私にはありました。

雪、雨、地震、次々襲う天災が、私たちには耐えれなかった、
もう、未来が見えませんでした。
頑張るから、離れても、家族だから・・・

月日は、どんどん過ぎていきますが
田舎でしか暮らしたことのない子どもたちは、なかなか慣れません。
いつも、福島に心を寄せています。
いつかきっと・・・

今、多くの人たち、暖かい広島の街に支えられて
夜勤の仕事をしています。
辛いこともたくさんありますが、前向き元気に頑張ります。
いつかまた、家族六人で暮らせる日が来ることを信じて。

          にしあいづ町より 広島へ

"My family began living separately in September 2011.
My elderly grandmother, my husband who is ill, and my son who was just starting high school, stayed at home in Fukushima prefecture. My two daughters and I moved to Hiroshima.
We needed money. I had a responsibility to look after my family and to live. We could not afford to keep living such an anxious life.

Snow, rain and earthquakes; we could not keep on enduring the natural disasters which kept happening. I could not see our future.
Even though our family has separated, still we are family.
I will do my best.

Time is passing, but my children are still not accustomed to living in Hiroshima. They have only lived in the countryside before. They constantly miss Fukushima. I believe one day we will be……

We are now supported by warm-hearted people in Hiroshima and I work night-shifts. I have so many difficulties. However I am going to be positive.
I believe that we, all six of us, can live together again one day.

From Nishi-Aizu to Fukushima"

I can eat cake now! Young Fukushima evacuee

Narumi is 15. Her picture celebrates feeling safe to eat lots of cake - her favourite is Tiramisu.  She evacuated in 2011 to Hiroshima city from Nishi-Aizu in western Fukushima with her mother and sister

Her situation
Although levels in Nishi-Aizu were a little lower than areas very near the plant, long-term risk from radiation is a concern for parents. Nishi Aizu receives heavy snow each year. This is hard work to deal with, and there is an avalanche risk. There is occasionally extreme rain and flooding, for example in July 20ll. There is now extra worry because this heavy snow and rain washes down radiation from a large mountainous catchment area and can concentrate it in rivers, drains and rice fields as time go by. Irradiated tsunami debris and incinerated sewage ash from Nakadori were secretly dumped in an area that drains into the river that flows through Nishi-Aizu. It is hard to find food from safer areas, as shops stock local produce from Fukushima – and schools serve it. It is expensive to order food from less contaminated areas.

2012-08-14

I am a Kite - Fukushima child and mother

Shusei is 4 and lives in Fukushima City, north west of Fukushima Daichi. He really liked a kite from Aomori, so I painted his face into the kite. Shusei painted the wind blowing the kite.See below for an image and words by his mother

His situation The levels of radiation are so high in Fukushima City that some parents and schools are not allowing children to play outside at all. They usually wear long sleeves and face masks when outside, and avoid the rain. They try to be careful about food and water. 
 
Drawing solely by Shusei's mother













 
 
 
This picture is by Shusei's mother Kaori. It shows Fukushima Daichi, radiation and the tsunami at the top. She has drawn the whole family below. Scroll down for her words





























 
 
 
By Kaori, Shusei's mother
3.11 福島市で被災
3.14 原発事故があった日、
私たちは放射線が舞っているとは知らずに、水をもらうための行列に並んだり、食料を買うために店に何時間も並んだり、自転車で出かけたりしていました。原発から1.5kmに自宅がある大熊町の友人は、一晩だけの避難と思って出て3.11に家を出て以来、戻れていません。

私たち親子は避難生活はしていませんが、休日の度に、身体を休めるよう環境放射能の低い地域に行っています。 福島のお母さんは、そのような方が多いと思います。

原発事故以来、家族が遠く離れ離れになり、子どもは外遊びを控え、土は汚く危険なものと教えざるを得なくなりました。祖母の育てた野菜を子どもが口にすることはできません。子どもを外で遊ばせることができる暮らし。畑で採れたものを食べられる暮らし。私がしたいのはふつうの暮らし。

でも運命に、屈してはならないと思います。立ち上がる希望が明日を切り開くのだと思います。 世界中のみなさん、福島を応援してください。 そして、原発なんかいらない世の中を作りましょう。

"3.11: We experienced the earthquake disaster in Fukushima-city.
3.14: The nuclear accident followed.

We did not know about the radioactive fallout. We were standing outside in queues to get water, queuing outside the shops for hours and going around by bicycle.

My friend from Okuma-machi (which is 1.5km away from the plant) left their home. At the time the friend thought it would be for one night, but they have been unable to return home since March 11th.

Since the nuclear accident, our family has become separated, with some going away to live. My child has to avoid playing outside, and I have to teach him that soils are dirty and dangerous. He cannot eat the vegetables that are grown by his grandma.

We have not evacuated, but we go to places where the radiation is low each holiday to rest. I think that many Fukushima mothers are doing the same thing as us.

I just want to live an ordinary life where he can play outside and where we can eat vegetables from the allotment.

However we should not give up. Standing up with hope will open up tomorrow.

Everybody in the world, please support Fukushima.
We will make a world without any nuclear power plants."

What work will I do? Fukushima child


Takahisa is 9 and lives in a small village in the countryside of Minamiaizu, western Fukushima prefecture. His image shows him thinking about what work he should do when he is older: should he be (right to left): a surgeon, a carpenter, or a sweet maker?

In the pool with my friends - Fukushima child

 
Fuyuka is 6 and lives in a small village in Minamiaizu, western Fukushima. She painted her friends in the pool with her, as it is what she likes do best. There are towels in the shape of hearts on the fence at the top.

2012-04-13

Everybody has wings - Fukushima child evacuee

Ami is 10. She evacuated from Minamisoma on the coast of Fukushima, 25km (16m) north of Fukushima Daichi, with her sister and mother without waiting for official instructions. Most of Minamisoma was later declared an official evacuation zone. 1,500 people from there are dead or missing as a result of the tsunami and earthquake.

Her writing on the picture says:
Everybody has wings (on the splash of tea from the pink cup)
Everybody together (small splash top left)
Higher than that sun (bottom writing)


Scroll down for writing by Ami, hers sister Sato, and their mother Atsuko in English and Japanese

福島県で被災した親子

Dates
亜美、瑳都、敦子、

3.11
福島県南相馬市にて被災。
知り合いが、福島第一原子力発電所の危険を知らせてくれる。

3.12
川俣町で駐車泊。

3.13
福島市飯坂に避難。
温泉につかりながら、日々模索。

4.2
友達に協力してもらい、京都に避難。

4.4
木津川市に引っ越す。

A poem

3.11いこう

3.11いこう、私たちは地震の怖さを知りました。
私たちは、津波の力を知りました。
私たちは、放射能汚染に対する無知さを知りました。
私たちは、普段の生活の大切さを知りました。
私たちは、人々の心の温かさを知りました。

自然に対する人間の無力さに打ちのめされながら、
自然に生かされている感謝の心を知りました。

私たちはこれからも、力強く生きていきます。
みなさんに支えられている、この命のある限り。

福島県で被災した親子

Dates
By Ami, Sato and their mother Atsuko

On the 11th of March 2011
We were hit by the disaster at Minamisoma City in Fukushima.
An acquaintance told us about the dangerous condition of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

On the 12th of March
We slept overnight in the car.

On the 13th of March
We evacuated to Fukushima-city’s Iizaka area.
We thought for days and days, while soaking in hot springs.

On the 2nd of April
We evacuated to Kyoto with a friend’s help.

On the 4th of April
We moved to Kizugawa-city in Kyoto.

A poem

Going to 3.11

Going to 3.11, we realized our fear of the earthquake
We realized the power of the Tsunami.
We realized our ignorance about radioactive contamination.
We realized the importance of our ordinary daily life.
We realized people’s warm heartedness and kindness.

We were suffering because of human powerlessness against nature. Nevertheless, we realized our appreciation that nature enables us to live.

We keep living strongly.
We are supported as long as we continue our lives.

        
       By a mother and children, victims of Fukushima.

Click to see Ami's sister Sato's picture

The road to my dream - Fukushima child evacuee

Sato is 9. She evacuated with her mother and sister from Minamisoma, 25km (16m) north of Fukushima Daichi, without waiting for official instructions. Most of Minamisoma was later declared an official evacuation zone. 1,500 people from there are dead or missing as a result of the tsunami and earthquake.

Her writing on the picture:
My Dream (top leftt),
The road to my dream (by pink bird)
Shall we go with confidence? (Sato on a sheep)
Courage (yellow writing under the heart)
Hope (the flower in the middle)
Smile (pink writing, bottom right bottom)

Click for writing by Sato, her sister Ami, and their mother in English and Japanese.