In Evacuation Center, Young Mother Worries about Her Baby’s Health

Andrew Wander, Save the Children Media Manager

Minimisanriku, Japan

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

After 10 days living in the evacuation center, with little hygiene and few supplies, Michiko Takahashi worries about the health of her 1-year-old baby girl, Mion. I transcribed her story with the assistance of a translator. 

“On the day of the earthquake, I had been at the doctor with my daughter. I’d just returned home and was changing her diaper when the earthquake struck.

“The house was really shaking hard, and I thought it would be safer outside. Normally I’d have stayed inside, because that’s what we’re taught to do, but the ground was shaking so hard that I thought I’d be safer outside. So I ran out with the baby, without even time to put on a new diaper. 

Michiko, 22, holds her daughter Mion, 1, in the evacuation center they have lived in since being made homeless by a tsunami in Minimisanriku.
Photo Credit: Andrew Wander - Save the Children

“I was about to go back into the house to get some things, when I heard the tsunami siren ringing. My mother shouted at me not to go into the house, and we started running to higher ground. 

“I now know that my house was completely destroyed, and we’ve lost everything.

“I have only the clothes I was wearing, but Mion was given some baby clothes yesterday.

“Life in evacuation center is very hard. We’ve been here for 10 days, and I’m very concerned about my baby’s health. For the first nine days, we had no hygiene supplies given to us at all. Yesterday, we got three baby wipes (not packets, but individual sheets) and a couple of cans of milk.

“There’s nothing to sterilize the baby’s bottle with, and I haven’t washed my hands for days. I tried to go to the city to buy some supplies, but there is nothing in the shops. 

"I’m very worried about my daughter, especially because she suffers from poor health. Even before the disaster, she’d been going to the hospital twice a month, and there’s no telling when we’re going to be able to go again.

“Mion is also very shy, and it’s really upsetting her living here, with so many people around all the time. We have no idea when we will leave here, or where we will go. Everything has changed.”

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[Elizbeth Leigh]

Bless you for taking a few minutes to publish this. I do believe that there are more desirable solutions.

[Chalice Lindgren]

In every disaster that happens in different parts of the world, whether in a developed or a developing country, those who suffer the most are the children. It's because their lives are still dependent to their parents especially with their mothers. Since it's been over a year after that quake and tsunami, I'm sure Michiko and Mion have survived the darkest days of the lives and have started to rehabilitate their homes and themselves.

[Anne Crissy]

As being a mother we are all aware the health of our baby and as a mother we must always secure the safeness and the health of our baby.Well, that would be natural for a mother to have concern for her baby, because a mothers love can't be broken.

[Carol]

I sure do hope that Japan recovers fast from this devastating event. Stories like Mion is probably common for most parts of the affected area in Japan, I pray for the kids safety and health. Thanks for the nice read Chris.

[Chris Yates]

Here's a video we put together to help

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ21CO_7c5Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player