As part of its efforts to help children cope with the effects of the Japan earthquake and tsunami, Plan organized a child media project. The project provided children with the opportunity to tell the story of the recovery process through photos and video. Fifty-six students from two primary schools were trained in camera work by a professional photographer. The children then set out to capture their stories on camera. The pictures, captioned by children themselves, depict how they see the world around them recovering in the aftermath of a disaster that shook their nation.

1. “ Children enjoy a baseball practice session. Their smiles encouraged me as I could see that we are not defeated by the disaster.” Photo by Hisashi, a 11 year-old boy Six months on: Japan through the eyes of children

2. “ Down the hill from our school, the town we pass through has been totally destroyed by the tsunami and there are many buildings which have collapsed completely. Many children had to move out from the area to find a new apartment or to live with relatives. We used to walk to school before, but now our school has arranged for a school bus so we can continue to attend our classes.” Photo by Ryo , 12 year-old boy

3. “ This area was severely hit by the tsunami, but Jizo (a stone statue) stood firm and was not washed away. Jizo is believed to be the ancient guardian deity of the area. The words on the helmet say, ‘Thank you, all the volunteers!’” Photo by Itsuki, a 12-year old boy

4. “ I visited the Kadonowaki primary school which was struck by the tsunami and then got burnt down. There were a thousand origami cranes and pictures hanging on a tree. Having seen the cranes, I felt we are supported by many people.” Photo by Koujun, 12 year-old boy

5. “ These portraits were drawn by the children from a nursery school in Tokyo. This huge drawing was sent to an evacuation centre to cheer up people and to show solidarity and support from all over Japan.” Photo by Itsuki, a 12-year old boy

6. “This photo was taken in an evacuation centre. Many Japanese people like taking baths, but doing so was not possible after the disaster as there was no running water or gas for weeks in this area. As a substitute, the volunteers at the evacuation centre are preparing foot baths for people to relax.” Photo by Kenya, a 12-year old boy

7. “ This is a three-storey building that collapsed due to the impact of the tsunami. You can imagine the scale of destruction caused by the disaster. ” Photo by Kaisei, a 12-year old boy

8. “ This photo was taken during a photo workshop by Plan. My friend was trying to take some photos while I was trying to take her photo. It has been a whole new experience to tell our stories through our own eyes.” Photo by Sana, a 12-year old girl

9. “ On the eve of the Ishinomaki River Opening Festival, people gathered by the river to float lanterns. The lanterns are supposed to console the souls of the dead people and this year they will console the victims of the tsunami. Each lantern carries the name of the victim and a message to them.” Photo by Koujun, a 12-year old boy

10. plancanada.ca