What's HANDS?
Message from the representative
1.17 the Light of Hope
5.46a.m, January 17th, 1995
Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
What the earthquake took away from us
Lives, jobs, happy homes, towns, memories
We realized keenly that we can not forecast the future
What the earthquake left to us
Kindness, consideration, bond, friendship
The Light of Hope
ties the lost lives
and the hope of us
who survived the earthquake
5.46a.m, January 17th, 1995
Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
What the earthquake took away from us
Lives, jobs, happy homes, towns, memories
We realized keenly that we can not forecast the future
What the earthquake left to us
Kindness, consideration, bond, friendship
The Light of Hope
ties the lost lives
and the hope of us
who survived the earthquake
Overview of the organization
All lives taken away by the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and survivors’ hope is condensed in an epitaph on a monument called “1.17 the Light of Hope”.
After the huge earthquake 16years ago, we lost so many lives, but on the other hand, we helped each other.
There was no differences of nationality, religion, gender, social status.
All did not matter.
Our warm-heated behaviors became a small “the Light of Hope " which truly illuminated the darkness.
The monument of “1.17 the Light of Hope” was built to represent a lot of monuments which were built everywhere in Kobe city to remember the earthquake.
And at the same time, nonprofit organization called “1.17 the Light of Hope” was established.
Most of our members are the survivors of the earthquake and some lost their family members by the earthquake.
We became” Government-Authorized NPO” in 2010.
After the huge earthquake 16years ago, we lost so many lives, but on the other hand, we helped each other.
There was no differences of nationality, religion, gender, social status.
All did not matter.
Our warm-heated behaviors became a small “the Light of Hope " which truly illuminated the darkness.
The monument of “1.17 the Light of Hope” was built to represent a lot of monuments which were built everywhere in Kobe city to remember the earthquake.
And at the same time, nonprofit organization called “1.17 the Light of Hope” was established.
Most of our members are the survivors of the earthquake and some lost their family members by the earthquake.
We became” Government-Authorized NPO” in 2010.
An action policy
1. To pass a story about the earthquake down from generation to generation
2. To support victims of the earthquake
3. To share the wisdoms which we have learned from the earthquake
4. To construct the network of cities all over Japan and the world to support each other
5. To cultivate a sense of morality about the earthquake through art, sports and music.
6. To support a grass-roots movement which has been started by the experiences of the earthquake
7. To inspect the cooperation between administrations and citizens
2. To support victims of the earthquake
3. To share the wisdoms which we have learned from the earthquake
4. To construct the network of cities all over Japan and the world to support each other
5. To cultivate a sense of morality about the earthquake through art, sports and music.
6. To support a grass-roots movement which has been started by the experiences of the earthquake
7. To inspect the cooperation between administrations and citizens
Director
chairperson of director Yu Uenishi
Director: Etsuo Adachi
Hiroko Oishi
Yukio Oshita
Mariko Otera
Itsuka Kato
Shoichi Kishimoto
Masakatsu Goto
Seiji Shimomura
Toshihiro Shiraki
Hiroaki Tanaka
Hiroshi Tenjinyama
Masami Horiuchi
Kiyoshi Matsuura
Yasuhiro Yamakawa
Minoru Yoneda
Director: Etsuo Adachi
Hiroko Oishi
Yukio Oshita
Mariko Otera
Itsuka Kato
Shoichi Kishimoto
Masakatsu Goto
Seiji Shimomura
Toshihiro Shiraki
Hiroaki Tanaka
Hiroshi Tenjinyama
Masami Horiuchi
Kiyoshi Matsuura
Yasuhiro Yamakawa
Minoru Yoneda
History of the organization
| 5.46 a.m, Jan 17th , 1995 | Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake hit Kobe and the vicinity |
| Autumn 1998 | The committee, preparing the monument map of the earthquake, established |
| Jan 17th, 1999 | The monument map of the earthquake was completed |
| The walk to visit the monuments of the earthquake started | |
| Jan 17th, 2000 | The monument of “the Light of Hope” was built ※Set the fire to the monument of “the Light of Hope” which had been gathered from all over Japan |
| July, 2002 | Nonprofit organization called “ Hansin-Awaji Earthquake 1.17 the Light of Hope” (The abbreviated name is HANDS）established |
| May, 2010 | HANDS became government-authorized NPO authorized by the National Tax Administration Agency |
