More than 3 million euro for the basic necessities for 19 thousand people and economic development programs for companies in the prefecture of Sendai. The program will run in September and will last five years.

Tokyo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Caritas is launching a new emergency program for the tsunami affected population of Japan. It has allocated more than 3 million euro in basic necessities and economic development programs for businesses. The program will run from September and will continue for the next five years. The beneficiaries are the more than 19 thousand displaced people who have sought refuge in the shelters in the prefecture of Sendai.

"Three months after the tsunami displaced people are still living in a critical condition - said Fr Daisuke Naru, Secretary General of Caritas Japan - we are trying to stabilize our operations to provide aid in the long term. "

In recent months the Caritas organization has been dedicated to assisting the displaced and has recruited and trained teams of volunteers to be deployed in worst affected areas. Since the end of March more than 1,100 people from all over Japan have joined up to offer their help. "We received hundreds of thousands of letters from all over the world with requests to participate, but also prayers and donations for the affected population - says Fr Naru. Most of these letters we have donated to displaced persons to give them spiritual support."

To date, the toll of the  March 11tsunami occurred is 15 thousand victims, 8 thousand missing and 370 thousand houses and buildings destroyed.

• Japan
• tsunami
• caritas
• solidarity
• rebuilding
• development
• solidarity
• charity