As the Red Cross in Japan has an overload of cash, which they are paying out in dribs and drabs, I have been actively looking for another worthy charity to give our donations to. The meeting with the staff of the Saga governor was a massive letdown. They had no interest in our efforts and knew nothing of our intention to provide bicycles to the Tohoku region, even though it was the their boss's idea and I had been waiting for three weeks for a chance to meet them and discuss their plans, which I was told they were forming. After explaining what we did, the money raised and our intentions, they said that our approximate sum of 150000yen was not enough money to provide all of the bicycles required for one of the schools mentioned, but they would see what they could do and then get back to me with a revised idea. They laughed when I said that Saga Prefecture could supplement our donation to buy the amount of bicycles needed. I wasn't joking.
Another two weeks passed, and then when they finally made contact I was quoted a cost of 20000yen per bicycle. According to the Saga-ken staff, that fee was made up of bicycle purchase and future maintenance costs. To put it into perspective, the bicycle I rode for about 900kms around Kyushu, and am still riding, cost only 6000yen. I don't want to waste the money so kindly donated by you on bureaucracy etc.
Sorry to bore you with all of this but if anyone knows of a worthwhile cause or has a great idea then please let me know. I am still trying to find a way of providing bicycles at a reasonable cost. Thanks to Naoki, Izumi and Noriko for their help and ideas.
GnJ
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