SVP Leadership in Japan Speak with Partners Across the Network

SVP Chair Hideyuki Inoue, partner and board member Ken Ito and partner Shinichi Kamiyo lead a special teleconference on  April 18th, sharing their perspective on events in Japan and how SVP Tokyo partners are responding to this terrible tragedy.  

To listen to the recording, click here.

To view the slide deck outlining the situation and SVP Tokyo's response, click here.

 
Hideyuki Inoue gives a glimpse of what he's seing on the ground in Japan.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 
Highlights from an email message from Hideyuki Inoue
Founder and Chair SVP Tokyo

Dear SVP Colleagues,  

Let me share an update as we had a calm Monday without any power outages.   It was the first time SVP Tokyo partners met after the earthquake; we shared our experiences and talked.  It was an important  time since having conversations with others is one of the most effective remedies after trauma. 

It was especially beneficial for Mr. Shinichi Kamiyo, NHK (national TV station) producer and an SVP Tokyo board member.  He had just returned from the disaster site and shared photos and stories. 

He saw terrible disasters - in fact several international missionaries such as a team from Switzerland gave up the rescue activities because the area is too wide and hard to approach.  Even the roads are broken.  This is what makes this disaster different from the Kobe earthquake (in 1995) and our other disaster experiences.  This is why we need not only money and materials but professional entities capable of building infrastructure at this stage.  It is recovering day by day with many peoples' efforts. 

On the other hand, Shinichi found tough, endless ingenuity among people in a miserable situation. People are making so much effort such as building hand-made toilets by themselves (kids make the "toilet" sign board, very neat). They are not just the sufferer and poor, they have dignity, ideas and spirits, great people ready to rebuild their community.  Although,  there are so many things insufficient, so much sadness  and fear in their current situation (including radiation.) I believe we should not just "help" them, but allow them the chance to utilize their own ingenuity.  

SVP Tokyo is seeking the most effective, leveraged way for supporting:   1)some emergency relief (but focused approach) and  2) mid-long term "SVP-like"capacity building efforts. So far investees and SVP Tokyo network organizations have started or are preparing many emerging new projects for help.

Since there are big emergency relief organization -such as Red Cross Japan and only a few Japanese emergency relief NGOs with sufficient capacity - such as Civic Force, etc, I am compiling a list of those NGOs with capacity for donations.  We want to leverage your precious dollars with a more citizens-based approach with specific focus and strong capacity among our investees and network organizations that we can trust (including organizations our partners are leading/ and committing to.) 

We intend to allocate 50/50 towards Emergency and Rebuild since most of any of rebuilding is still being planned and developed.  Other projects are emerging in this situation, which is changing day by day.
The Emergency Relief will focus on short term helping/support for victims.

More to come soon on what has been accomplished to date and future plans.

Check out this time lapsed visualization of the earthquake off the coast of Sendai, Japana and its aftershocks.

Social Venture Partners International is currently accepting donations which will be wired to SVP Tokyo for the partners there to grant to organizations involved in the rebuilding efforts following the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11th. Your support is greatly appreciated.

 

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Wednesday, March 16, 2011
This is a compilation of a series of Tweets from Hideyuki Inoue
Founder and Chair, SVP Tokyo

I saw the photos from the New York Times.  The reality in Tokyo is not like this.  Most people don’t know the REAL damage yet.

It’s been a crazy situation trying to settle ourselves. It’s a bit like we are mind refugees. Tokyo people are like half victim and half supporter: half victim because of the smaller earthquakes that are spreading to the south and west in addition to much fear for nuclear radiation and half supporter because they want to help the victims. 

There is too much information, but not many things one can do expect make a donation since the logistics are not yet in place in the immediate disaster areas.  Plus, the government and the Red Cross are only covering the major sites and thousands of people in the small evacuation camps are wishing for help.  People are starting to die there.

Now is the time for citizen organizations that have strong capacity to mobilize but the lessons learned from the Kobe earthquake in 1995 are limiting people’s effort.  Back then there were so many well-meaning but inexperienced workers that it caused confusion and chaos during rescue and relief efforts.  In Japan now, so far most small organizations are not taking action at the disaster sites because of that history.  But in this case, it’s not just one city impacted, in most cases the entire municipality has been leveled so local government infrastructure doesn’t exist at all in the small towns!  


Social Venture Partners International is currently accepting donations which will be wired to SVP Tokyo for the partners there to grant to organizations involved in the rebuilding efforts following the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11th. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Saturday, March 12, 2011
Message from Hideyuki Inoue
Founder and Chair, SVP Tokyo

Dear SVPs and friends -

Thank you very much for your warm messages and support for this disaster relief. What an encouraging, great offer for us and many people suffering - from Japanese to international residents and visitors who need help in many ways.

It is reassuring to know that those overseas are thinking of us, and to feel all connected.

Fortunately SVP Tokyo Partners, mostly living in Tokyo, are safe at this moment (as far as I know), however this has been a series of shocking events that suddenly happened in our daily life. Writing this message, there are still small earthquakes in Tokyo and North Japan occasionally.

Moreover, we don't know real impact for the earthquakes yet, in fact in the town of Minami-Sanriku, Iwate prefecture, there are 9,500 missing people in the small town of 17,000 population, very desperate situation.  I actually have some friends, such as a fisherman, who is still isolated in a house he evacuated at the top of the hill and is waiting for help at this moment.

We will certainly announce your inspiring friendship and goodwill for the victims of earthquakes and the tsunami.  We will make sure the gifts are leveraged, effective, and SVP-like by finding trusted and credible organizations and projects. We will also work with Social Venture Partners current or former investees.  In fact, we have relationships with several organizations related with relief projects.

Thank you all. Thank you for your quick action and great compassion.  I believe this citizen-to-citizen international relation will make the impossible possible.

Founder and President, Social Venture Partners Tokyo
Hideyuki Inoue

Social Venture Partners International is currently accepting donations which will be wired to SVP Tokyo for the partners there to grant to organizations involved in the rebuilding efforts following the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11th. Your support is greatly appreciated.