TSUNAMI +3: ACTIONAID MEDIA ADVISORY AND SPOKESPEOPLE

Three years after the 2004 tsunami – one of the world’s most devastating natural disasters – ActionAid is continuing to help people rebuild their lives in Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Somalia and the Maldives.

By giving material support, psychological care, legal advice, and bringing people together, ActionAid and partner organisations have helped 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.

Bijay Kumar of ActionAid’s Tsunami Management Team said: “ActionAid and other major aid agencies were entrusted with huge amounts of public money to respond to the tsunami. We’ve worked hard to ensure it has been spent well.

“By targeting those already poor and marginalised before the tsunami struck, ActionAid has helped strengthen vulnerable communities: Hundreds of thousands of Dalit, tribal and women headed households have not only rebuilt their lives but are now more confident and better equipped to deal with the challenges ahead.

“We can’t forget though that many are still struggling to meet their needs. With big questions over future land use and ongoing issues around homes and livelihoods, ActionAid continues the struggle with people’s organisations to monitor and intervene to help coastal communities live safely and protect their rights.”


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Notes to editors

Reaching out: In three years of tsunami response, ActionAid has helped a total of 1,230,000 survivors (570,000 in 2005 plus an additional 351,000 in 2006 and 309,000 in 2007) rebuild their lives.

Livelihood: Across 760 villages and islands in five tsunami affected countries – India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand and Somalia – ActionAid with local partners supported 105,755 families (to end September 2007) in rebuilding their livelihoods.

As well as replacing boats and nets and providing cash-for-work as a stop-gap for families without an income, livelihood support was given to women in particular. These included fish workers and those in micro enterprises such as pickle making, coconut fiber products and market gardening.

Homes: Government policy in many areas was to move people inland, vacating coast for commercial development. State governments in India for example refuse to support any housing within 1km of highest High Tide Line on grounds of safety. Compensation was only available to those who moved to relocation sites inland.

Rather than re-house people away from their source of livelihood – the sea – ActionAid backs community-led campaigns to share the realities of life at relocation sites, identify gaps in response and lobby government to make homes more suited to people’s needs.

ActionAid through its partners has supported 8,870 families (figures to end September 2007) in rebuilding homes close to their source of livelihood. Training, funds, materials and technical support have been given to women and men to design, build and repair their own homes.

ActionAid and partners have helped some of the most vulnerable communities who previously had no titles to the land they lived on to secure coastal land and build new homes, often in the name of the woman of the household.

ActionAid says that removing people from their original habitation will make their situation worse: it involves major loss of livelihood and safety can be addressed by better early warning systems and other disaster risk reduction measures. We continue to work on these issues.

In the face of new threats such as government policies which do away with protection for coastal dwellers in India, ActionAid and partners are supporting communities in forming alliances and planning campaigns to protect their rights to live and work on the coast.

Finances: Current figures for ActionAid’s tsunami programme go up to 30 September 2007 when we had spent 88% of our budget for the year. Final quarter figures available in the New Year. All Disaster Emergency Committee monies will have been spent by deadline. Total expenditure since the start of the tsunami response programme is GBP 27,884,123.
For spokespeople and more information

International: Office: +94 11 250 6514 – 5. Bijay Kumar, tsunami programme convener +94 773 271263. Ravi Pratap Singh, programme advisor + 94 773435612. Unni Krishnan, international emergencies advisor +91 98 450 91319

Sri Lanka : Office: +94 11 250 6514 – 5. Rohitha Welihindage, team leader, South +94 777 804 537. Kisholi Perera, team leader, womens' rights +94 773271247. Nishantha Mallawaarachchi, Communications +94 773 271253

Thailand: Office: +66 28865276. Jan - Vachararutai Boontinand, country director + 66 896783038. Ann- Parinya Boonridrerthaikul, tsunami programme manager + 66 18327165

Maldives: Fathimath Afiya, country director, Care Society (ActionAid partner) +96 0777 6530. Ali Ijazulla, programme director +96 07776850

India : Office: +91 44 651 88323/5. Amar Jyoti Nayak tsunami programme manager + 91 94 444 02181. Sajeev PB, programme coordinator + 91 9444402191. Vanessa Peter, Communications +91 9941 537 591

Somalia: Ahmed Ibrahim, Country Director +25 224429529

For stories of tsunami survivors building back better than before: www.actionaid.org<http://www.actionaid.org/> www.actionaidindia.org<http://www.actionaidindia.org/> or contact Alice +91 98109 23 904

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