6Y3M 4Y5M Penang for Japan Disaster Relief Charity Drive

ペナン在住の日本人女性数名が企画実行した、大震災の義援金集めのチャリティーイベント。10日足らずの準備期間の間に、マスコミや学校、コミュニティを通じて宣伝。一日で240000リンギ（約700万円）の義援金が集まったそうです。今後もしばらくは寄付が集まりそうだとのこと、すばらしい行動力だと思いました。

マレーシア人にとって、日本は金持ちの国。物価の違いも甚だしく、ペナン内でも貧困層が存在し、募金を必要とする団体は多々ある。そんな中で日本へのチャリティーイベントをしても・・と、思った私の発想は日本人的過ぎだったかも。本当にたくさんの人々の賛同を集めた。

私は、ゆりこさんと二人でインスタントタトゥー（筆ペンで腕に日本語を書く）で一人から1リンギ（30円）募金を募った。母は洋書サイズの栞を作成。枕草子の一節やことわざを筆でしたため、リボンをつけて販売。3人で7時間、たった100リンギしか集められなかったけれどもとても貴重な経験だった。（歩き回ったのと暑さでヘトヘトになったけれども！）

ついでに、使わなくなったダブルバギーやカーシートなどを売り、約200リンギの収益金。タカラはついこの間まで自分が座っていたカーシートが売れた時、しばらく座って離そうとしなかったが・・・。

前日微熱があったアラタ。朝起きると開口一番「もう熱ないでしょ、今日行っていい？」折り紙を折って、売って、お母さんやお父さんがいなくなってしまった子供のために少しでも義援金を集めたいと、子供ながらに頑張っていた。

A couple of Japanese women who are living in Penang organised a charity event to raise funds for Japan's earthquake victims. With just 10 days or preparation, they circulated the event to every single corner of the community. They collected at least 240,000RM (700,000JPY, 50,000GBP) in just one day. They are still expecting more donations coming in. I really think they have done such a wonderful thing!

At first I was quite sceptical about having a charity event for Japan. For the ordinary Malaysian, Japan is a rich country. In Penang itself, there are a lot of poor people and organisations who need help. Can we raise funds for Japan in Penang? Well, my thinking must have been too 'Japanese'. Of course, there are lots of people came to support us.

I did instant tattoo with Yuriko. We walked around with a Japanese brush to write a word or two on arms, then collected 1RM (20P, 30JPY). My mum is good at calligraphy. She wrote a short phrase from a Japanese old novel onto a piece of paper to make a Japanese bookmark. Among 3 of us, in 7 hours, we raised 100RM. Not much and it was a hard work for me as Yuriko and I had to walk around. But it was such a good experience.

Jason and I also sold a couple of children's stuff, such as Phil and Ted double buggy, car seat, kid's bike.... and collected extra 200RM. When the car seat was about to go, Takara kept sitting on it and didn't want to let it go. He is the one who was using it until recently....

Arata had a slight temperature the day before. When he woke up in the morning, the first thing he said was, "I don't have a temperature any more. Can I go to the event today?" He was so keen to make origami spin-tops to raise money to help the children who lost parents in Japan.