The Asian Tsunami – one year on
It is almost a year since the Boxing Day earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated areas of coastline across eight countries. Forty eight hours later, the first international plane load of relief supplies left UNICEF’s central warehouse in Copenhagen carrying medical supplies, tents and education equipment.
Since this first delivery, thanks to our donors’ generous support, UNICEF has been able to provide ongoing basic services for hundreds of thousands of displaced families. Alongside governments and our partner agencies, UNICEF has also been working to ensure that communities are participants in planning their own futures.
In these past months there have been many important successes – no child has died from a preventable disease, there have been no widespread incidences of child-trafficking, the majority of separated and unaccompanied children have been placed with families rather than in institutions and education has continued for all children. Considering that over a million children were affected, these are very real achievements.
In some areas the progress has not been as rapid as we would like, yet successful and sustainable reconstruction takes time. UNICEF is committed to the principle of Building Back Better – this means making sure that services and facilities are re-established in consultation with communities, and that new services are both improved and sustainable. For example, new ‘child-friendly’ schools are being built with better sanitation facilities, with access for disabled children and stronger foundations to make them as ‘earthquake-proof’ as possible.
Part of our commitment to quality is good stewardship of funds. After nearly a year of work, UNICEF has spent roughly a third of the US$627 million received from donors around the world. This expenditure is in line with UNICEF’s multi-year plan for supporting tsunami recovery which emphasises strategic use of funds, quality, accountability and lasting results.
Public support was what made it possible for UNICEF to respond quickly and effectively over these past months, and that generosity will help UNICEF to continue to support children and communities affected by the tsunami, through the months ahead.
On behalf of the children whose lives have been touched, we say thank you.
