Around 100 Taiwanese homestay accommodations will be provided to Japanese students left homeless as a result of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Lee Hung-chun, a ruling Kuomintang legislator and president of the Legislative Yuan’s inter-party Caucus for Taiwan-Japan Relations, said March 22.
“Besides money donations, Taiwanese can lend a helping hand by serving as host families to the victims of these disasters,” Lee said. “It is also an opportunity for cultural exchange and learning while the students are trying to regain a sense of normalcy.”
Organized by legislators and private groups such as the Health, Welfare and Environment Foundation, the Home & Long Stay initiative will offer free accommodations for up to one month to students and their families from earthquake-stricken areas, Lee said. He added that Taiwanese expatriates living in those disaster locations will also be eligible.
According to Lee, organizers are raising funds to fully subsidize airfare for Japanese victims wishing to travel to Taiwan for their homestay.
“Taiwanese teachers and students who speak Japanese will also be recruited to help our guests during their visits with local families,” Lee said.
As one of the proponents for this program, Changhua County Deputy Magistrate Chang Ruei-bin said his county is set to provide 70 host families.
Residents from different parts around Taiwan, including New Taipei and Tainan cities, have all expressed enthusiasm to pitch in and provide respite for Japanese in need, the HWEF said.
The Taipei-based Association of East Asian Relations and the Japanese media will help pass on the homestay information to Japanese victims, according to the HWEF.
