Thank You from Japan

Mamadou Edrisa Njie -- I grew up in Japan. I’m accustomed to earthquakes. But nothing could have prepared me for this one. It was the first time I saw buildings in Tokyo actually sway back and forth. I watched live TV coverage as the tsunami swept away entire communities. It was like a horror film, but these are real people – thousands are dead, thousands more are missing. In one city, nearly half of the population is still missing. And now we're gripped with the fear of radiation from nuclear power plants. It's a real-life nightmare. In the past, Japan has helped the World Food Programme respond to some of the worst disasters around the world. Now, when my country is coping with its own tragedy, I feel proud to stand united with Japan to help people in need. I’m deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from all over the world. Thanks to the generosity of friends like you, in just 36 hours we raised all the funds we require for our operation in Japan. Thank you. Amid the devastation left behind by the earthquake and tsunami, transporting goods is an enormous challenge, but families remain in desperate need of emergency supplies and WFP is providing its expertise to make sure those supplies are delivered quickly. As the lead logistics agency for the United Nations in emergency operations, WFP has decades of experience in delivering food and other relief items in the most difficult environments. It will take a long time to recover from this disaster. But, between the heroic rescue efforts coordinated by the Japanese government and the incredible support of the international community, I know we’ll get there. Thank you for the role that you are playing. Sincerely, Yuko Yasuda Japan Spokesperson World Food Programme