Indian Ocean Tsunami: Recovery and Beyond

EIGHTEEN months after the Indian Ocean tsunami devastated coastal areas of Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, Habitat for Humanity and its partners are looking beyond reconstruction to put in place long-term programs that reduce the grim effects of poverty.

The tsunami-recovery efforts are making a lasting impact on thousands of lives. An estimated 8,000 families have been served; 5,200 houses have been built or repaired and more than 2,600 are under construction. Over the next year and a half, plans are to provide good housing for another 10,000 families and to assist even more with training and disaster mitigation services.

Certainly, rebuilding the tsunami-affected regions will continue long into the future. Water, electricity, sanitation and other infrastructure and services are yet to be completed. Schools, community centers and clinics are needed. In some communities, because of their remoteness or delays in obtaining land, Habitat is only now able to begin construction.

Progress in Numbers