Stock Taking 5 Years after the Tsunami

Bonn – December 23. At Christmas it will be five years since the devastating tsunami catastrophe happened in south-east Asia. After the seaquake in the Indian Ocean, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) administered immediate humanitarian help in Thailand, Sri Lanka, on the Maldives and in Indonesia. After a total number of 25 projects, THW’s rehabilitation activities in Indonesia were finished in 2009 with the completion of a school in Banda Aceh.
 
In April this year, THW’s Vice-President, Mr Rainer Schwierczinski, handed over the key for the last project in south east Asia – a school in Banda Aceh. "During the last four and a half years, THW has given a small contribution to the reconstruction in the region and thus supported the people on their way away from the catastrophe. Our projects were aimed at sustainability which is a prerequisite in order to help people also on a long-term basis", said Mr Schwierczinski on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the flood catastrophe. Since 2005 THW has supported the region of Aceh, in the north of Sumatra, in reconstructing the destroyed infrastructure. By doing this, THW applied the principle of “aid for self-help”.
 
In Indonesia projects were focused on the region of Aceh which had been particularly struck by the disaster. In the provincial capital of Banda Aceh and on the island of Simeulue THW repaired destroyed water supply networks and rebuilt hospitals, schools and even entire villages. In order to improve the hygiene standards on a sustained basis, THW-helpers taught villagers the technical use of water supply plants and in the sectors of hygiene and health care. Thanks to this knowledge, the villagers are able to repair the supply networks themselves, if necessary. On Sri Lanka as well, THW supported the reconstruction of the insular state after the flood catastrophe by building houses and maintaining the destroyed infrastructure. The humanitarian-technical help, after the seaquake, belongs to the biggest missions in the history of THW. Altogether, 35 projects with an entire volume of about 24 million Euros were implemented.
 
As a mission organisation within the civil protection sector of the Federal Republic of Germany, 99% of THW’s work relies on voluntary helpers who are organised in 668 local sections. In emergency and disaster cases, THW is active in Germany and throughout the world contributing technology and know-how. During the last six decades, THW has been on world-wide missions in about 100 countries and has been involved in humanitarian immediate help, projects and the transport of relief goods.