Almost 600 people from 27 different countries have posted photographs on Hope-Note.com, a website created by a Boston University student that aims to support victims of the Japanese tsunami and earthquake.
Japanese exchange student Masayuki Furuta, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, created the website Hope-Note.com in early April after the natural disaster struck Japan in March.
“I wanted to make the website to connect people here and in Japan,” Furuta said.
While none of his family was directly impacted by the natural disaster, Furuta said one of his family friends was affected, leading him to make the website.
Furuta said the website aims both to support victims and to provide a place for victims to say thank you.
Hope Note allows people anywhere in the world to upload a photograph of themselves holding a sign with a hopeful message. Japanese victims can respond by uploading their own notes expressing their gratitude.
Kana Kasahara, a student at Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, worked as a web designer for Hope Note.
“It was a time consuming challenge since it was important to begin when the event is still vivid in people’s memory,” Kasahara said. “We completed the basic project in two weeks.”
Yuka Akiyama, a CAS professor of Japanese, said she helped promote the project among her students and colleagues.
“I was very moved by what Mr. Furuta was doing,” Akiyama said. She said she asked students of Japanese to make a Hope Note to be uploaded on the website.
Akiyama said the website is a great way for Japanese individuals outside of the country to support victims of the natural disaster and that she hopes it will catch on around the world.
“Japanese individuals, including me, who are not in Japan, tend to have a hard time figuring out what they can actually do to help those victims in Japan,” Akiyama said. “Although I always pray for victims, it is just difficult to take any kind of action and initiative like Mr. Furata did.”
Susan Vik, a senior lecturer in the Center for English Language and Orientation Program, said she contributed a message to be photographed for the website.
“I hope that any encouragement that we can communicate to families who have lost loved ones and/or their homes will let them know that the world cares about them and is supporting them,” Vik said in an email.
CAS and School of Management junior Ayaka Matsui, the treasurer of BU’s Japanese Student Association, said members of the organization helped spread awareness of the website by posting on Facebook and encouraging members to post on the website.
“We think it is such a great and effective way to spread awareness of the earthquake incident,” Matsui said. “The website gives you a sense of involvement and delivers a sentiment of sympathy towards the victims of the earthquake. It’s wonderful to see such encouraging spirit of people from all around the world.”
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