South Asian Tsunami emergency response

26 December 2004

The scale of the South Asian Tsunami disaster was unprecedented in the region, and prompted a phenomenal outpouring of generosity by Y Care International's supporters.

Our emergency response effort was the largest in our 20-year history. We were in contact with the World Alliance of YMCAs hours after the disaster, and YMCA staff in affected areas of Sri Lanka and India were able to assess and communicate to us the extent of the devastation immediately.

As organisations with their roots in the local community - already long-established in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand before the Tsunami - YMCAs in affected areas were able to mobilise quickly and effectively, and were in an excellent position to identify local needs.

We sent our first grants for emergency relief in India and Sri Lanka the day after the disaster so that clean water and provisions of food, cooking utensils, clothes and other essential supplies - all locally sourced - could reach thousands of people in need.

From the start, we planned rehabilitation and reconstruction work to help people rebuild their lives and livelihoods, and through our YMCA partners we will be working on a four-year programme to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of people who have suffered such profound loss.