避難所に行くのは今日で3回目。何回か避難所を訪れると顔を覚えてもらえて嬉しい。もっと長期でいれれば関係性も築けて、住民さんにもっと安心感を与えられるんだな、とスタッフを見て感じる。
Today was my third visit to the shelter, and some of the residents remembered me from my previous visits. By watching the staff, I saw the importance of long-term support and how having the same people work at the shelter is crucial in building rapport with the residents and making them feel safe.

避難所では料理ができない。支給される食べ物は主にコンビニで買えるようなパンやおにぎり、カップ麺やお弁当。
There are no cooking facilities at the shelter. Most of the provided meals are the sort of things that can be purchased at a convenience store; bread, rice balls, instant noodles, and bento-boxes.

少しでもバランスの良い食事が提供できるように、PBVや他の支援団体は炊き出しを行っています。野菜が多い温かい食べ物を提供している。
In order to provide more balanced meals, many aid organizations including PBV hold cookouts where they distribute warm home-cooked meals with lots of vegetables.

避難所では、プライベートの空間が少ない。普段人に見せないものごとを見られてしまったり、譲り合いながら共有しなければならないことが多い。
There isn’t a lot of privacy at the shelter. Things that would normally be done in the comfort of one’s home need to be done in shared spaces, and while being considerate of others.

でも逆に一緒に暖をとる仲間が居て、話を聞いてくれる人も周りに居る。お互い気にし合って、励まし合っている。
But on the other hand, because of these shared spaces, there are always people nearby to socialize and share thoughts with. The residents look after one another and encourage one another.

そして今日気づいた。災害が起きると普段当たり前の物が当たり前じゃなくなる。例えば生理用品。必要だけど、声を上げずらい。災害支援の経験や知識がたくさんある団体の重要性をここでも感じた。
Something I realized today. When a disaster strikes, things that we wouldn’t normally think twice about can become hard to come by. For example, feminine hygiene products. They are a necessity but it can be hard to come straight out and ask for them. That’s why its important for aid organizations with lots of experience and knowledge to be involved in relief efforts.

台風19号後、「災害関連死」で亡くなっている疑いのある方がたくさんいます。災害関連死とは、「災害の直接被害ではなく、避難中や避難後にその災害との因果関係のなかで健康状態が悪化するなどして命を落とすこと。」
Following Typhoon Hagibis, many people have been suspected of passing away from what is called a “disaster-related death.” A disaster-related death is defined as follows. “A death that is not a direct result of a disaster, but as a result of degradation of health that arises during or after evacuation.”

参考文献 Source (Japanese book)
『災害ボランティア入門』(2017) ピースボート災害ボランティアセンター

たくさんの人が被災者と接する機会があれば、早めに異常に気づくことができる。この災害関連死を防ぐためには、これからも多くのスタッフやボランティアの力が必要。
If lots of people are involved in relief efforts, we can pick up on unusual or suspicious behaviors that could warn us of health issues. In order to prevent disaster-related deaths, the support of lots of volunteers and staff is crucial.

ボランティア募集中です→！！！
Click here for more information on how to become a volunteer.