Tsunami: World Vision commits to in long term rehabilitation devastated countries

A huge surge in donations has swelled World Vision¡¦s total to over $800,000 by the end of today in response to what executive director Helen Green terms ¡§the greatest human emergency of our time¡¨.

World Vision offices all around the world are receiving unprecedented levels of giving from the public to the tsunami relief work, and the World Vision international partnership is now implementing a US$50 million relief and rehabilitation programme for the first 12 months in the affected countries. This is the largest single commitment in the organisation¡¦s 54-year history.

The programme has four phases:

„« Emergency response ¡V 6 ¡V 8 weeks

„« Community rebuilding

„« Economic recovery

„« Infrastructure rehabilitation programme.

Mrs Green says it¡¦s important for donors to know that World Vision¡¦s work will go from emergency to rebuilding. ¡§World Vision will be in there for the long rebuilding process, and for countries which have had their infrastructure devastated, this will take years.¡¨

World Vision assessment staff in the Banda Aceh area report lack of transportation is still a huge problem, making it difficult to distribute food aid. Aftershocks are still causing added trauma amongst the people, and diseases have spread in several camps for people made homeless by the tsunami. The most common diseases suffered by disaster victims at the refugee camp were diarrhoea, fevers, skin irritations, respiratory infections, headaches and stomach problems.

Food, water, sanitation, medical assistance, coordinating relief camps and transport are still the main problems in Banda Aceh. World Vision workers are shipping and trucking goods and food for thousands of families into Banda Aceh.

To donate to World Vision¡¦s relief fund for tsunami victims, please phone 0800 80 2000 or visit http://www.worldvision.org.nz

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