Spread charms of Kesennuma by storytelling
[Testimony 1] Ms. Natsumi Sato, Nonprofit Organization 'Sokoage'

Ms. Natsumi Sato, 'Sokoage'

"I'm working on a project called "Storytellering of a high school student". This is a project in which we high school students will share our experiences of the disaster with the people who came and visited Kesennuma.
I was in the third grade of elementary school at the time of the disaster. Now I am a high school student, so I strongly feel that I must convey about my experiences. My house was completely destroyed, I spent in an evacuation center, I lived in a temporary housing, and then I relocated to the hill after that. I want to convey to you the two things that I experienced, one is about the importance of spending ordinary days, and the other one is that the fact that unexpected things happen at any time.
I thought that Kesennuma was a provinces before the disaster, but as I saw how our community was recovering, and as I started storytelling, I've come to love my community and I felt a real affinity with my community. When I thought about what I could do for the local people, I wanted to tell them that Kesennuma is an amazing place and it is also a great place to live and visit. I want to work in the social welfare field, so I need to go to school which is not in this city, but after I return to Kesennuma, I will contribute the work to my community.
After the disaster, my school bag was broken and I went to school with a school bag gifted through a relief fund from overseas. I received a message with the bag. It was written that "Let's do our best together." The word "together" was touched my heart deeply. There is something that I can't do alone, so I am very appreciated for the message and the support from abroad.