Björk with a pupil of the UNICEF-supported temporary school in Min Lampuuk.
UNICEF UK/2006/Josh Estey

A girl views a wall of photographs of missing and unaccompanied children in the
UNICEF-assisted children’s centre in the TVRI camp for people displaced by the tsunami, in Banda Aceh, capital of Aceh Province.
UNICEF/ HQ05-0839/Josh Estey

Inspired to make a difference

When the tsunami struck on December 26 2004, Björk was inspired to do something to make a difference. She decided to release an album of remixes of her track ‘Army of Me’ by her fans, with all proceeds from the album going to UNICEF’s emergency work around the world. The album was duly released in May 2005.

One year after the tsunami, on 26 January 2006, UNICEF travelled with Björk to Aceh Province, Indonesia, to view first-hand some of the work her generous donation had supported.

The tsunami and Aceh Province

The tsunami took the lives of around 200,000 people and left half a million homeless. Of those killed, around one third were children. Aceh was one of the areas worst-hit by the disaster with some 130,000 people losing their lives.

During the past year, UNICEF’s focus has moved from immediate life-saving emergency measures, including the supply of clean water and provision of immunisations, to long-term development projects, especially in the field of education and child protection.

During Björk’s busy two-day visit, she visited a range of UNICEF projects and met children and families gradually coming to terms with their experiences and beginning to look forward to the future.