Tsunami Recovery
A huge earthquake off the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, on Boxing Day, 26 December 2004, created massive tidal waves (known as tsunamis), causing massive destruction and loss of life in communities around the Indian Ocean.
More than 250,000 people were killed and an estimated five million lost their homes and livelihoods. International aid was mobilised, with relief workers in a race against time to prevent survivors dying of disease and starvation.
With millions of people homeless, livelihoods lost, RAWCS created a special fund, the RAWCS Indian Ocean Disaster Appeal, to provide the backbone of Rotary assistance to our neighbours needing help to rebuild their future.
RAWCS-WR raised some AUD$390,000 which was used to help communities in Sri Lanka, Thailand, India and Indonesia to recover from this terrible disaster and from the earthquake of Easter Monday 2005.
Our Tsunami Recovery Projects, now completed, were:
AP001: Rebuilding Lives -- Sri Lanka
AP002: Rebuilding a Community -- Sri Lanka
AP003: Operation Rotary Cares -- Thailand
AP014: Home for Seniors -- India
In addition, AP005: Wheelchairs for Kids, was expanded to provide for children needing wheelchairs as a result of the tsunami. This project is continuing.
SUMMARY AVAILABLE: An article by RAWCS Western Region's past Chair, PDG Doug Pascoe, was published in the Region's District Newsletters in May 2006, summarising the outcome of the Indian Ocean Disaster Appeal and how the funds had been distributed. Download a copy of this article.