Tsunami

December 26, 2004 dawned as a beautiful sunny day in most parts of Southeast Asia, bringing no warning of what was to come.  But everything irrevocably changed when a massive tsunami rolled over a wide swath of the Indian Ocean, causing an unprecedented toll of death and destruction.  

As part of its emergency response, AmeriCares deployed  emergency relief airlifts to Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India to support the survivors in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Today, AmeriCares is working with a  variety of non-governmental organizations in Indonesia and Sri Lanka to address some of the most pressing issues of the recovery effort, including health care, education, water supply as well as sanitation needs and livelihood issues.  

AmeriCares Tsunami Expenditures by Sector

 

Indonesia

In the emergency response phase, AmeriCares delivered three airlifts of medicines, medical supplies and water purification treatments into Banda Aceh.  AmeriCares was a major supplier for malaria prevention efforts for 30,000 people and provided food storage kits to more than 20,000 internally displaced families. Today, AmeriCares Indonesia is working in partnership with the Indonesian government and a variety of non-governmental organizations to address some of the most pressing issues of the recovery effort, including health care, water supply and sanitation needs as well as livelihood issues.  In the health sector, efforts are focused on the re-equipping of healthcare facilities including 13 primary health facilities and 37 satellite health clinics affiliated with IDP (internally displaced persons) camps in Aceh. AmeriCares is also equipping the Provincial Health Laboratory and constructing its new Laboratory Training Center in Banda Aceh, and has major prevention and treatment programs against malaria and dengue fever.  In the water supply and sanitation sector, AmeriCares is collaborating with partners to improve the health and living conditions for thousands of people in Aceh Jaya and Aceh Besar.  In the livelihood and economic recovery sector, AmeriCares has provided a cash grant to support the creation of the Lampulo Wholesale Market, which reopened in June 2006.  AmeriCares is funding several additional livelihood programs that are creating employment and income-generating opportunities to benefit the survivors. 

Sri Lanka

In the days following the tsunami, AmeriCares airlifted relief supplies to Colombo, Sri Lanka, delivering medicines, medical supplies, water purification treatments and other relief supplies.  Over the next month, AmeriCares delivered three additional airlifts of aid, which were distributed in collaboration with local authorities and other NGO's. 

Today, AmeriCares Sri Lanka is working in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and a variety of non-governmental organizations in Sri Lanka to address some of the country's most pressing post-tsunami issues, including health care, education, water supply and sanitation needs as well as livelihood issues.  At the invitation of the MOH, AmeriCares is working to further the development of trauma and emergency medical services in Sri Lanka, and is the only American NGO serving on the country's Trauma System Development Committee, created in 2006.  AmeriCares is also partnering with the MOH to support four major hospital projects at Tangalle District Hospital, Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, Jaffna Teaching Hospital and Elipitiya Hospital.  In the education sector, AmeriCares is collaborating with the Sri Lankan agency TERM (Tsunami Education Rehabilitation Monitor), to contribute to the rebuilding and rehabilitation of 13 schools in the Valaichchenai region, one of the poorest areas in the country.  In the water supply and sanitation sector, AmeriCares worked with the National Water Supply & Drainage board to develop a water testing and water purification program, and has supported the equipping of water treatment plants in the tsunami affected areas.    In the livelihood sector, AmeriCares is working with the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) to support the re-establishment and creation of small-scale income sustainability projects.

India

In January 2005, AmeriCares partnered with the Government of the State of Tamil Nadu to deliver essential medicines and medical supplies to healthcare institutions in the tsunami-affected areas. These relief supplies were distributed to more than 30 hospitals and clinics throughout 11 of the worst affected districts, including Nagapattinam and Cuddalore.