What has the tsunami really taught us?
Read the opinion piece by Bekele Geleta, Secretary General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Over the past five years, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has channelled public donations into recovery programmes that have supported almost 5 million people across the four worst-affected countries - Indonesia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The enormous scale and scope of the operation has meant that thousands of people are now living in stronger homes supported by a more sustainable economic and social foundation.
The 2004 Asian Tsunami led to the largest relief and recovery operation undertaken by the IFRC in living memory. Over USD 3 billion was raised by our member National Societies, 70 per cent of which came from the general public. On the fifth anniversary of the Tsunami almost 5 million people have received aid from Red Cross and Red Crescent partners. This video retrospective shows how those funds have helped communities to build back their lives and recover from the disaster.
Fowza, 35, has been a volunteer for the SLRCS for four years. She lives in Ninthavur – a coastal village devastated by the tidal wave. Her house was partially destroyed and it was Red Cross volunteers that helped clear the debris and rubble from her home.(...)
Tsunami operation financial overview
The information in this summary combines financial data from 39 Red Cross and Red Crescent societies and organizations and the IFRC secretariat. (Last update December 2009)
Disaster management
