HOPE for Tohoku: Special Stories by Masahide and Sayaka

JDRFB is pleased to welcome two special speakers from the disaster-struct Tohoku area.  

In partnership with BEYOND tomorrow, a global fund for educational assistance to students who were affected by the Earthquake and Tsunami, we invited Masahide Chiba and Sayaka Sugawara to join us on for the March 17th event to share their life-changing stories on March 11th, 2011. 

Masahide Chiba

Ofunato High School (Iwate Prefecture)

Masahide lost his mother and grandmother to the tsunami in Ofunato city. He also lost his home and currently lives with his father and two younger brothers in rented space. Having his life saved while a number of lives were lost, Masahide aspires to contribute to reconstructing the region as well as building cities that are well prepared for natural disasters. He will start university in April with a major in construction engineering.

Sayaka Sugawara

Sendai Ikuei High School (Miyagi Prefecture)

Sayaka lost her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to the tsunami in Ishinomaki city. She currently lives by herself in an apartment in Sendai city. 6 months after the disaster, she participated in the World Economic Forum Summer Davos Conference in Dalian, China to share her experience with the world’s top leaders. Sayaka has always been interested in gaining international experience and she plans to study abroad from September 2012.