Tsunami, two years on – DEC reports back to UK’s generous donors

12 December 2006

Members of the DEC will have spent an estimated £141m on Tsunami relief operations in 2006.

This brings to over £250m the amount spent so far. EC funds helped survivors rebuild villages, re-equip fishing ports and small factories, and build new schools and hospitals, according to information released today.

In December 2004, the Disasters Emergency Committee, representing the UK's leading aid and relief agencies, launched a nationwide appeal to deliver emergency aid to the millions of people caught up in the tsunami catastrophe.

Images of the human and physical devastation caused by the earthquake on the ocean floor near Sumatra, Indonesia and the subsequent tsunami on 26 December 2004 were transmitted around the world and were the catalyst for unprecedented levels of individual and corporate generosity.

Over £350 million was donated to the DEC Tsunami Earthquake Appeal, while a further £50 million was donated direct to members.

Throughout 2006 – year two of the Appeal’s three-year spending plan – an estimated £141 million of the total money raised during the Appeal will be spent in the seven programme countries; Sri Lanka £36m, Indonesia £65m, India £26m, Somalia £6.5m, Thailand £1.5m, Myanmar £0.8m  and the Maldives £5m.

Brendan Gormley, Chief Executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee, said: ‘Two years on, our members have helped change the lives of over 1.8 million people in the seven countries worst hit.  Many of those most in need, whose rights we must protect, are being helped to recover by building safer, stronger communities.’ 

The remainder of the Tsunami relief fund is expected to be spent in 2007 with over £30m committed for further construction.

--ends--
NOTES TO EDITORS

• The Disasters Emergency Committee is is an umbrella organisation, which represents 13 leading UK aid agencies. The DEC comes together when there is a pressing need for coordinated action, when the members have the ability to make a real difference and when there is sufficient public awareness to assume an appeal would succeed.

• The DEC members are: ActionAid, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS OR CASE STUDIES

  • www.dec.org.uk
  • Call Gidon Freeman on 07905 284846 or Josie Dobrin on 07958 397 407