Film Spotlights Paper Cranes for Japan

A 4-minute film tells the story of Paper Cranes for Japan with never-before-seen footage—including the unveiling of a massive sculpture in Sendai Train Station using 100,000 of the cranes—and how it inspired a global movement that mobilized thousands of young people in 38 countries and all fifty states to support their Japanese peers.

Immediately following March 2011’s devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, DoSomething.org and Students Rebuild took action. The campaign Paper Cranes for Japan challenged young people worldwide: make and mail-in a paper crane with a wish of hope and healing, and trigger funding for Japan’s recovery.

The goal was 100,000 cranes; the result was 2 million cranes and $500,000 in donations for rebuilding projects in the Tohoku region. It was announced today, March 6.

Architecture for Humanity has been building relationships with communities to assess needs and direct resources where they’re most needed through its Tohoku Rebuilding Program.

Projects underway include the expansion of Kashiwagi Daycare Center, which has strained to manage the influx of kids from other areas damaged by the quake, and critical repairs to the Shizugawa Judo Juku structure, much of which was washed away.

“By working with small communities, we can talk directly with leaders and ask them to identify needs in their community,” says Hiromi Tabei, program coordinator for Architecture for Humanity’s Tohoku Rebuilding Program.

“Our approach to reconstruction and recovery isn’t just about building schools or community centers, but also about inspiring a renewed sense of community and belonging.”