tsunaminews

Since 2007, Trócaire has been supporting the Greenhands Field School , the first permaculture school in Aceh, Indonesia, the area hit first and hardest by the tsunami.

As we approach the fourth anniversary of the Asian tsunami, Trócaire and partner NGO No Strings have won a major European award for their collaboration on a series of educational videos called ‘Tales of Disasters’ that were inspired by the events of that December day.

The 26 December 2004 earthquake, measuring 9.0 on the richter scale, triggered powerful waves of up to 10 meters in height. This tsunami caused massive damage and loss of life in coastal areas of the Indian Ocean. Aceh, on the northwestern tip of Sumatra Island was the worst hit region, with more than 230,000 killed.

Trocaire has so far provided €8,140,070 for partners' programs responding to the Aceh tsunami and Nias earthquake in Indonesia

Tengka Ansjari, is a teacher in the Pesantran Budi school near Lamno in Aceh province, in Indonesia. Tengka lost his best friend, his home, and many colleagues and students to the tsunami. The school was the centre of village life and it’s main building the biggest structure around. Not too big for the mammoth waters however and twenty students who sought refuge on its roof were simply swept away and lost forever.

Indonesia.

€11,397,291 spent on emergency relief and longer-term recovery work.

Indonesia, the worst affected country, witnessed the loss of 128,645 lives and displacement of 532,898 people. Funding from Trócaire enabled our partners to directly support 237,000 people with food, clothing and medical care directly after the tsunami struck. Since then Trócaire’s work has included funding the rebuilding and repair of 20,987 temporary and permanent houses.

by Kathryn Robertson, Trócaire Regional Representative, South East Asia

Trócaire marked the 2nd anniversary of the Tsunami of 2004 by participating in a commemorative event in the village of Piyadigama in the Southern province of Sri Lanka. Seventy-six new houses were presented to tsunami survivors that day. Rather than sadness or mourning, my main feeling after participating in this event is one of hope.

Two years following the devastating tsunami in South-east Asia that killed 180,963 people and displaced 1,741,875, Trócaire has spent over €17.5 million of the money raised from the Irish public and has committed another €4.5 million in 2007 to projects in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India. Trócaire received  €28.5 million from the public and the government in response to the world's greatest natural disaster and the remainder of the money will soon be allocated.

by Orla Fagan

There are women in this world, who, through sheer persistence, will always be leading examples to others in times of great hardship. When the tsunami decimated the coast of Aceh on 26 December 2004, it left many people traumatised and grieving for their loved ones. Trying to motivate the survivors who had suffered so much with the loss of their families, their homes and their livelihoods became a challenge for the international community.

by Orla Fagan