Think that the effects of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami are over? Think again! 

By Tan Fei Ying The world was not prepared for the giant tsunami that hit Japan on April 2011. The 8.9 magnitude earthquake that hit off the east coast of Japan triggered a 23-foot tsunami which left thousands dead, and many more injured. Now, even after months since the disaster, the aftermath of it is still felt by the affected areas in Japan.   The Year 2 students from the Diploma in Business & Social Enterprise launched the Project YoU & I (YUI) in Ngee Ann Polytechnic on 2 December 2011, to increase the awareness on the recovery of the survivors in Tohoku, Japan. Led by Grace, Atiqah and Fei Ying, they volunteered to work with Mr Miyazaki Kensuke, an artist and painter from Japan who had initiated this project.		Miyazaki Kensuke (Centre in white T-shirt) with BZSE students
The public were encouraged to draw their dreams on a white oval-shaped cardboard called tanzaku, to inspire and encourage the survivors so that they too would be reminded of their owns dreams and continue to pursue them despite the tragedy that happened.  The tanzaku will be displayed in Tohoku during summer for the annual Tanabata festival. The NP students had fun doing the little art and craft activity and at the same time reminded themselves of their own aspirations. Mr Kensuke himself came down to NP to conduct the workshop, and even started a mural with the students.   By the end of the event, 500 tanzaku were completed by NP students.		Creating tanzaku

		Work in progress

To check out more details & photos of YUI project, visit them on