The Singapore Soka Association (SSA) raised a total of $710, 948 for the victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on 11 March.
Within weeks of the disaster, SSA had presented an initial donation of $400,000 to Mercy Relief and the Japanese Embassy in Singapore ($200,000 each) to support the acute emergency relief operations including the provision of food, water, blankets, hygiene essentials and household items.
On 2 May 2011, SSA presented Mercy Relief (MR) an additional $310,948 to support the humanitarian organisation’s ongoing relief efforts at 2 of the worst-hit Tohoku prefectures of Miyagi and Iwate. Director of Mercy Relief, Senior Counsel Chelva Rajah received the cheque at the meeting commemorating the inaugurations of the Soka Gakkai second and third presidents in 1951 and 1960 respectively.
SSA General Director Mr Ong Bon Chai shared, “We are glad that we could do our part to help the victims and we want to commend MR’s efforts in having their staff personally deliver aid to the affected communities.”
Senior Counsel Rajah said, “The SSA has been a true friend and partner of Mercy Relief since our inception in 2003. They have accompanied and supported us through the 2004 Asian tsunami relief; the Wenchuan earthquake and Cyclone Nargis relief in 2008 and now, the earthquake and tsunami relief in Japan. We have been extremely impressed with the sincerity of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) members whom we have had the opportunity to work with in the region. It clearly reflects the overwhelming compassion within the Soka members, and they certainly have our gratitude, respect and admiration.”
The additional $310,948 will go towards supporting Mercy Relief’s ongoing nutrition programme in Iwate and Miyagi – to provide the survivors with much-needed fresh vegetables and fruits and, ready-to-eat porridge and red bean soup. The food nutrition programme has been approved and endorsed by both the central and prefectural governments there.
For details of local relief efforts, please also visit Soka Gakkai International website.
