Atsumappe FKG (Nagaoka city Niigata pref.)
(Atsumappe mean "lets get together" in the Fukushima pref. dialect)

Atsumappe FKG is a social circle for the mothers with small children evacuated from Fukushima pref. to Nagaoka city due to the Nuclear Power Plant accident. We, including the mothers from Fukushima have named this circle in Fukushima dialect in a hope that many mothers will attend our circle and for it to become a very friendly relaxing space for the mothers to socialise.

FKG stands for "Fukushima Girls".

Our work mainly supports mothers with children who have evacuated to Nagaoka city without other members of the family. Most of them come from Futaba-gun or Minami Soma city but there are some from other areas also.

The main worries that the mothers have are financial. Their living cost is often increased hugely as they are having to sustain "double household" as they are having to live separately from the husbands who live in Fukushima. On top of that, the transport cost in order for the families to get together over the weekend will be added to the cost. Hence it is a heavy burden for many families. Also, the stress level of the mothers and children can be very high living alone with children in a temporary housing, as they usually do not have friends in Nagaoka city and tend to stay at home.

Midwife, Kaneko


Activity report

22.05.2013 Niigata pref. mayor award Midwife Kaneko

Midwife Ms Kaneko who runs the workshop, Atsumappe in Nagaoka City has been given an award from the mayor of Niigata prefecture. Her aid work towards supporting the evacuees and the community work to increase connection between the local mothers with the evacuee mothers has been recognised. Currently, Ms Kaneko continues to hold workshops in order to increase the community connection between the mothers as well as runs seminars in order to prepare for disasters such as earthquake.

The achievement that has been awarded:
As a member of Nagaoka City Midwives Association, there has been a great contribution towards giving a support to the pregnant women and mothers evacuated from Fukushima pref. as well as towards other evacuees evacuated to Nagaoka City. Also participated in Tokyo Satogaeri Project and on November 2012, have started workshops for evacuee mothers, which was first of its kind in our prefecture. By 2013, in addition to the evacuee mothers, the work has extended towards the local mothers also and has left a great contribution towards parenting support in our community.