Seven-year-old Ami from Japan

When the earthquake and tsunami hit Ami’s city of Ishinomaki in March, 2011, Ami spent four days wondering if her mother Sayaka was alive and if she’d ever see her again.

Fortunately, after the tsunami warning was sounded, Ami’s grandparents went to the school to look for her. There they found Ami and four days afterwards she was reunited with her mother.

As the Japanese Government responded to the crisis, Ami spent most of her time at one of the 19 child-friendly spaces (CFS) that Save the Children established in the area.

Ami said being apart from her mother was very scary and that the CFS was a great place to play with her friends.

 “I was so happy when I saw my mum [after being separated for four days],” she said.

Almost one year on from the disaster, which left almost 16,000 people dead, Save the Children hears from Ami and her mum in a short film about how they are adjusting to life in a new town. View the film on our YouTube channel

You can read more about Save the Children's achievements for children in earthquake tsunami affected Japan in the Save the Children one year on report here