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A devastating tidal wave on December 26, 2004 killed an estimated
400,000 people and affected millions of others in countries
bordering the Indian Ocean. It was the worst natural disaster
in recorded history.
Development and Peace received $20.7 million in public contributions
and an additional contribution of $11.7 million from the Canadian
Government. As the second anniversary of the disaster approaches,
more than 82% of the $32.4 million available have been committed
to various emergency and reconstruction projects.
Almost half of the funds destined for the tsunami relief
have been allocated through Caritas Internationalis, a network
of 162 autonomous, Catholic, emergency relief, development
and social service organizations working in 200 countries
and territories. Development and Peace is the Canadian member
of Caritas Internationalis.
From the start, Caritas Internationalis created programs
with a lifespan of 12 to 18 months designed to provide victims
with the basic necessities of life, relocation and temporary
housing, as well as health and education services. Afterwards,
the accent was placed on building permanent housing and revenue-generating
and job creation activities to help re-launch the local economy.
Development and Peace always links its emergency aid work
with long-term development. Projects are designed to alleviate
immediate physical and psychological suffering, but they also
provide community-based groups with tools and procedures to
help them find viable, long-term solutions to ongoing poverty
and injustice.
In the case of Development and Peace's tsunami longer term
reconstruction program; advocacy, respect for human rights,
community development and equality between women and men are
all essential components of the work performed in Indonesia,
India and Sri Lanka.
Here is a description of the situation in each of these three
countries:
Indonesia (Funds committed: $11,614,000)
Development and Peace's Indonesia response was characterized
by its reliance on existing long-term development programs'
partners for the bulk of projects undertaken. The day after
the catastrophe, the partners were already deploying themselves
throughout the affected area in order to rapidly mount emergency
and reconstruction projects. By virtue of its partners, Development
and Peace was able to reach the most affected victims whose
needs were as diverse as rebuilding infrastructure, human
rights, advocacy, women and children's work, or support for
peasants and journalists.
Development and Peace $9,262,000 contribution to partner
UPLINK's "People's Driven Reconstruction Program"
is the largest single contribution to an individual project
in the organization's history. This contribution consisted
of $5 million of Development and Peace monies and $4,262,000
in matching funds from CIDA. The project was jointly financed
with Misereor, a German Catholic counterpart agency. Development
and Peace and Misereor are members of CIDSE (Coopération
internationale pour le Développement et la Solidarité),
a network of Catholic organizations working in development.
To date, 2,500 houses are completed and 1,300 are being built.
In addition, various infrastructure projects like community
centers, dispensaries, roads, as well as wells and drainage
systems have already been completed. The project also includes
the re-launching of the local economy through income generating
activities and the introduction of sustainable alternative
technologies in various fields.
Sri Lanka (Funds committed: $6,650,000)
The projects supported in Sri Lanka focus on rebuilding houses
and communities by re-launching economic activities, in particular
fishing, processing and encouraging small businesses.
Development and Peace allocated $5 million to Caritas Sri Lanka,
its main partner in the country. These funds support a more than US$100-million
initiative covering all areas affected by the tsunami.
The main objectives of the program entail rebuilding permanent
housing and providing temporary shelter, rebuilding community
infrastructure, re-establishing the area's means of production
by replacing lost plant and equipment, training and capacity
building for peasant groups, fishers and small-business people.
The program also involves organizing the more vulnerable segments
of the population by creating new income generating activities.
The program will continue through until December 2008.
India (Funds committed: $5,334,400)
Our largest effort in India involves a Caritas India reconstruction
program which has benefited from a $4.8 million CIDA bilateral
contribution. Development and Peace's support will enable
the construction of 860 houses in Chengalpattu Diocese as
well as promoting the social and economic rehabilitation of
victims in eight villages. This program will continue through
until March 2008.
Most of the funds available for the tsunami relief in India
have been committed. The funds that remain to be committed
will be allocated through Caritas India and devoted to support
initiatives helping individuals indirectly affected by the
tsunami.
Development and Peace is the official international
development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada and
the Canadian member of Caritas Internationalis, a network of
162 autonomous, Catholic, emergency relief, development and
social service organizations working in 200 countries and territories.
Last year, Development and Peace provided $40.3 million to support
294 long-term development projects and 58 emergency relief projects
in the Global South. In Canada, Development and Peace educates
the public about the root causes of poverty and mobilizes social
action for change.
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