Disasters Emergency Committee joint press release
Three years after the 2005 Boxing Day tsunami – one of the world’s most devastating natural disasters – ActionAid is continuing to help people rebuild their lives with money raised under the Disasters Emergency Committee national appeal and from its own resources. By giving material support, psychological care and legal advice, ActionAid has helped ensure that survivors stand up for their rights to a home, an education, a livelihood and life free from discrimination and violence.
As a result, some of the most marginalised groups, including stateless boat people, women displaced by war as well as the tsunami, landless tribal communities, Dalits facing decades of discrimination, female fish workers and children out of school now have a stronger voice and a more secure future than they did before the disaster. They are better equipped to deal with the challenges ahead.
Jane Moyo, ActionAid UK spokesperson said: “ActionAid, and all the other major aid agencies were entrusted with huge amounts of public money and we have worked hard to ensure it has been well used and well spent.
“Whilst a chapter is closing now that DEC funding is being wrapped up, ActionAid has plans to continue monitoring and intervening in the state of affairs surrounding land and shelter, which by the nature of the challenges faced requires a longer period to put right."
The scale of the re-building challenge far outstripped the ability of local industry to cope: in the year before the tsunami, Sri Lanka built 5,000 new homes. Tsunami destruction required the construction of over 70,000 homes. There have also been well documented cases around ownership and land-grabbing following the destruction of local administration records.