Today I was thinking about the tsunami that hit areas surrounding the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004.It was on this day that the tsunami struck 12 countries. Around 230,000 people were killed and over 1.5 million were left homeless. In an instant everything changed and even now, three years on, many millions of people are still struggling to rebuild their shattered lives.
How are these areas fairing? How is the rebuilding, not only of the buildings and homes but of the lives affected by this horror? Have all of the children found either their family or someone else to love and raise them?
Of course, it has been a little over 3 years since this life changing disaster, it has been overshadowed in the American news by such wonders as Brittney Spears, Anna Nicole Smith, war, oil, Paris Hilton et al and now politics.
I want to know how things are. I lived in Southeast Asia for sometime and spent time in several of the effected areas; Banda Aceh, Penang, etc. I was also very haunted by this event and wanted so badly to be there to help the victims but due to my health I was unable to go. Let me correct that... I am still haunted by this event.
I was able to find some promising information. Many areas are doing better now than they were before the tsunami (can't say the same for New Orleans... but motivation and survival could play a factor).
Here are some updates I could find online;
Indonesia
- Islamic Relief was one of the first aid agencies to respond to the disaster in Aceh, and from the first day was on the ground providing emergency aid to those who were affected. We helped those who had lost their homes by providing them with temporary shelters, as well as emergency food, clean water and sanitation facilities and medical care. Soon, attention was turned to long term projects; new houses, as well as health care, water and sanitation systems, livelihood opportunities and education for children to ensure the new settlements were sustainable.
- The global community, led by the Indonesian government, mobilized a reconstruction effort on an unprecedented scale for a developing country. Concurrent with these developments, and in part galvanized by the trauma of the tsunami, a historic peace agreement was reached between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
- Poverty in Aceh increased slightly in the aftermath of the tsunami, from 28.4 percent in 2004 to 32.6 percent in 2005. This occurred against falling poverty levels in the rest of the country. This increase is relatively small, given the extent of damage and destruction caused by the tsunami and may reflect the beneficial effects of the initial reconstruction efforts.
- Poverty fell in 2006 to 26.5 percent, below the pre-tsunami level, suggesting that the rise in tsunami-related poverty was short lived and reconstruction activities most probably facilitated this decline. The poverty level in Aceh declined in 2006 as it went up in the rest of the country. Nevertheless, poverty in Aceh remains significantly higher than in the rest of Indonesia.
- 2008 - ADB and Muslim Aid, a United Kingdom-based civil society organization, started the process of handing over 222 new houses to community members in Meunasah Bueng village, in Pidie district, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam. ADB is providing the financing for this housing project with Muslim Aid as the implementing partner. ADB's collaboration with Muslim Aid totals $4.9 million for the construction of 686 houses. It is Muslim Aid's dream that every family should have a decent home. Today's hand over marks that Muslim Aid has completed 5,000 shelters throughout Indonesia," said Farooq Salman Murad, Chairman of Muslim Aid Board of Trustees. ADB is providing $70 million to rehabilitate and reconstruct houses and community infrastructure. ADB's multi-sector tsunami for Indonesia assistance package covers agriculture, fisheries, irrigation, micro and small enterprise development, housing, water and sanitation, health, education, transport, power, spatial planning and environmental management, and fiduciary oversight.
- A livelihood project in 8 villages in Sampoi Niet, Aceh Jaya, implemented by Premiere Urgence in cooperation with the International Labor Organization (ILO) has been completed with very positive results: Premiere Urgence has generated the creation of 210 new businesses in this region. The project was a combination of two programs: the Professional Kit program and the Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) program. The Professional Kit program aims at reviving the economic condition of tsunami-affected populations by helping them create micro enterprises, run income-generating activities and recover their self-sufficiency. Whereas the SIYB program is a business management-training program for micro and small entrepreneurs who want to start or improve their business. 28% of the 210 new business holders have now recruited at least one employee and 65% have invested either to develop their activity or to improve their family living conditions. Most of Premiere Urgence’s beneficiaries have increased their revenues from less than 250.000Rp (19 Euros) to 1.400.000 Rp. (107 Euros). The first phase of the Professional Kits program was jointly supported by “Fondation de France” and the French Ministry of Foreign affairs in the Framework of their Tsunami answer. The second phase of this program is also sponsored by “Fondation de France”.
- Rebuilding of a school that serves 450 students in Sekolah Dasar Negeri 3—a project completed in June, 2007. UMCOR donated chairs, desks, office, educational and playground equipment to help fully equip and improve the educational environment for the children. With vividly painted schools and new visible houses springing up, hope lives on for those whose lives are still adversely affected by the tsunami.
Sri Lanka
- Two tsunami-affected schools in Batticaloa and Ampara were re-opened for educational activities yesterday (February 7, 2008). This was made possible with a grant of Rs. 343 million by the Japanese Government for the reconstruction of five tsunami affected schools. These all schools were reconstructed by local constructors, and the labor force power was drawn from the local people.
India
- Lutheran World Federation (LWF), built a new residential area which comprises 350 individual homes and shared facilities. Something remarkable has come about with this project, reports Debesh Bhuyan, LWSI tsunami projects' coordinator since November 2006. Despite strong opposition at the outset, the families of ocean and inland fishermen and Dalits - formerly know as "untouchables" - as well as other members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, now live side-by-side. According to the 37-year old coordinator, LWSI placed great importance on avoiding any kind of discrimination, including the project's spatial design. They also built over 100 homes on property already owned by people.
Surviving on less income
- G. Raju and several other families share a fiberglass boat that together with motor, nets and equipment had been made available by a French relief organization. The 32,000 rupees (around USD 815) compensation he received from the Indian government for the loss of his boat and house only covered part of the cost. Every afternoon he goes fishing on rivers and backwaters and he returns home the following morning with his catch. Despite long hours spent on his boat, he can scarcely survive on what he brings in. The tsunami changed the ecological balance of the ocean and rivers. There are now fewer and different fish compared to before the flood.
The United States Current Report:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/EDIS-7AHP6U?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA
I guess that all in all everyone seems to be doing fairly well, all things considered. I recommend that you follow the links provided and read the full reports and SEND MONEY to your charity of choice... as long as they are providing aid to the affected areas.
May we never forget those lost, may we never forget that this can happen again anywhere in the world.... even here in the U.S.
Sources:
For a full list of updates see the below link-
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/doc106?OpenForm&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/MUMA-7BX9CS?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=ACOS-635NWS
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/SKAI-7C3RWW?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/RMOI-7BGRHU?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/AMMF-7BKHWN?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/ASIN-7BEPS9?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=TS-2004-000147-LKA
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