Help that works - Time that heals
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Five years after the tsunami disaster, SOS Children's Villages' President Helmut Kutin sums up the situation: "We have kept our promise to help people who have been affected by this catastrophe - especially the children". Kutin also stresses that SOS Children's Villages has a responsibility for those children and that the projects in the former disaster areas are modelled to provide support in the long term (December 2009).
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| People had to start from scratch (Komari, Sri Lanka) - Photo: Dominic Sansoni |
On 26 December 2004, massive tidal waves destroyed long stretches of coastal area around the Indian Ocean. In its wake, the tsunami left more than 220,000 people dead, immense damage and millions of heavily traumatised people who were forced to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones and feared for their very existence.
Five years later, the damage caused by the tsunami - at least the physical damage - is barely visible in some places, as is the case in Thailand. In other countries like Sri Lanka and Indonesia, there is still repair work that needs to be done. In an almost Herculean effort, those affected by the disaster have taken their lives into their own hands once more over the course of the last five years. Many had to start from scratch and learn to deal with the haunting, terrifying memories of those dreadful days.
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| SOS Children's Villages has built more than 2,200 houses in four countries (Murthypudukuppam, India) - Photo: Dominic Sansoni |
Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of donors the world over, SOS Children's Villages launched the most extensive emergency aid and reconstruction programme in the history of the organisation within the first days after the tsunami, which gradually became a long-term effort. Emergency aid for some 20,000 people was followed by several mid- to long-term reconstruction programmes and the construction of 2,230 family houses for some 11,000 people and the acquisition of 343 fishing boats.
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| In Thailand SOS Children's Villages has constructed a primary school in Ban Talay Nok which was handed over to the community - Photo: Sebastian Posingis |
Early in 2008, almost all construction projects in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand had been completed, including 18 multi-purpose centres and two schools that were handed over to the communities. The social services they offer, such as day-care centres, professional training courses, family and health counselling, are benefiting thousands.
At many locations, SOS Children's Villages still retains project ownership, but will soon hand over the responsibility for them to others. Sri Lanka in particular is home to a series of social programmes dedicated to the holistic support of hundreds of families. These programmes are still run by SOS Children's Villages, but are expected to be taken over by the respective communities at the end of 2010.
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| At the SOS Children's Village in Puducherry, India - Photo: Patrick Wittmann |
Six SOS Children's Villages (two in India, one in Thailand and three in Indonesia) were built to accommodate children who either lost their parents to the tsunami or whose families have become dysfunctional either as a direct consequence of it or for other reasons. Today, some 700 children are growing up in these villages.
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| At the sewing centre in Nagapattinam, India - Photo: Dominic Sansoni |
In addition to the long-term care for children in SOS Children's Villages, SOS family strengthening programmes and SOS Social Centres have been set up in many communities. More than 3,600 children and adults are currently receiving a range of services as support. The launch of several additional programmes, like the one planned in Komari, Sri Lanka, is scheduled for 2010.
Ever since 26 December 2004,
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| Putri Sunami Irayana, born on 26 December 2004 - Photo: Benno Neeleman |
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