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The Church World Service Emergency Response Program
Response Update: Southern Asia Tsunami Recovery
May 11, 2005
SITUATION: The death toll is now approximately 176,168, with 50,000 persons still missing and an estimated 1.5 million persons displaced, as a result of the massive December 26, 2004 earthquake and subsequent tsunamis that struck off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia and affected several countries throughout South and Southeast Asia and East Africa. The figures include Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Somalia, Maldives, Malaysia, and the Seychelles.
CWS, in conjunction with members of InterAction, an alliance of 160 US-based development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations has prepared a Tsunami Accountability Report. The report provides a brief description of CWS response activities completed within the first 90 days of the December 26, 2004 disaster. Updates of this report are expected for the 6 and 12-month anniversaries. The CWS Tsunami Accountability Report is available on the CWS website in the Tsunami Recovery Info and Resources page.
(Below is an update of CWS tsunami response activities and developments from April 11 - May 6).
INDONESIA:
+++ CWS, with the assistance of local partner MAMAMIA, continues
distributions of non-food items including: tents, blankets, mosquito
nets, mattresses, jerry cans, and "Gift of the Heart" Health
kits,
School kits, and Baby kits in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar.
+++ Distributions of energy biscuits and Kids Against Hunger (KAH)
soy/rice meal packages continue in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar.
+++ CWS Indonesia staff continues to provide medical services through
its mobile clinic to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and returnees
in Aceh Besar and Banda Aceh.
+++ The CWS Psychosocial program -- Fun and Educational Activities in
Tents (FEAT), is working with young children to involve them in games
and singing in the Tanjung Harapan, Lhoong, Mata Le, and Cot Gue Camps.
Activities continue on a weekly basis.
+++ CWS is assisting in the construction of tent platforms in the
Tanjung Harapan Camp. The camp currently houses 60 tents on platforms
and an additional 44 will be put up as soon as platform construction
finishes.
+++ Water and sanitation services, including latrines and shower
facilities are being provided in Kuta Padang and Sual Ribe camps in
Meulaboh. Water/Sanitation assessments continue and activities are
expected to expand in the region.
+++ From April 18 - 22, eight members of the CWS Emergency Response
Program Executive Committee were in Indonesia visiting CWS relief and
rehabilitation projects in Banda Aceh and Meulaboh. Menno Wiebe, CWS
Tsunami Coordinator and Rick Santos of CWS-Washington office,
accompanied the group.
SRI LANKA
+++ CWS partners have recently received three containers of fortified
soy/rice meal packets donated by Kids Against Hunger (KAH) in Minnesota;
and one container of school kits sent from United Methodist Committee
on
Relief
+++ CWS partner, Interfaith Fellowship for Peace and Development
(IFPD), has completed its distribution of KAH food packets and
high-energy bars in the southwest and along the east coast of the
country.
+++ CWS partner, Sarvodaya, is currently distributing KAH food packets
in several villages along the southwest part of the country.
+++ CWS partner, National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL), is
coordinating distribution of CWS School Kits to tsunami and war-affected
children in the eastern part of the country. The distribution will
be
completed by the end of May.
+++ The Thai Ministry of Health Services has completed the distribution
of 100 IMA boxes donated by CWS. The boxes provide basic medicines
and
antibiotics for approx. 100,000 persons for 3 months.
INDIA:
+++ CWS partners and ACT members Church's Auxiliary for Social
Action, Lutheran World Service-India and United Evangelical Lutheran
Church in India, are beginning to receive "village allotments" from
the Indian government. The allotments will supplement long-term
rehabilitation projects in the tsunami-affected coastal regions where
these partners are currently working.
THAILAND:
CWS partner and ACT member the Christian Church of Thailand
(CCT) is providing food items and helping to repair fishing boats and
equipment in Phang-Nga province - the worst hit province in Thailand.
CCT, in collaboration with the Thai government, is also coordinating
volunteers and providing support for housing construction projects in
the coastal village of Tung Wa. The goal is to have new houses for all
71 families, said Samarn Chaisathan, a CCT coordinator. "Once
rebuilding projects are completed, the next step will be to acquire
boats and fishing equipment so residents can return to their livelihood
and not depend on relief any longer."
SOMALIA:
CWS is supporting on-going work of partner and ACT member
Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), which is supplying clean water, and
repairing and cleaning flooded wells for 12,000 persons. NCA is also
providing inputs to restore fishing livelihoods for 729 fishing families
(approx. 4,000 persons).
Contributions to support CWS Tsunami Recovery efforts may be sent to your denomination or directly to:
Church World Service
Tsunami Recovery (Acct. #6970)
P.O. Box 968
Elkhart, IN 46515
Contributions may also be made by credit card by calling: (800) 297-1516, ext. 222, or online at S. Asia Tsunami Recovery.