USAID Seeing Results in Tsunami Reconstruction
USAID has worked alongside survivors for over three years to rebuild communities affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. This hard work has paid off, and many USAID-supported programs have been completed.
HIGHLIGHTS OF COMPLETED PROGRAMS
 In Aceh, Indonesia - the region hardest hit by the tsunami - USAID has funded the timely reconstruction of houses and roads in the village of Babah Ie.
 Other completed Aceh projects include the construction of Aceh Polytechnic, the restoration of coastal areas, village clear water sanitation and watersheds management that improves rural livelihoods, and the rehabilitation of the region's principal fish market in Peunayong. In addition, USAID supported peaceful and democratic local elections in Aceh Province as part of a peace agreement signed between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement.
For more information: http://indonesia.usaid.gov/en/Program.5.aspx
In Sri Lanka, the $10 million USAID-supported Arugam Bay Bridge opened in July 2008, and three upgraded fishing harbors and nine state-of-the-art vocational education schools were completed between June and October 2008.
 The bridge provides significantly easier access for tourists to the 64 hotels in the Arugam Bay area - breathing new life into a region with great potential as a center of commerce and tourism. The 185-meter-long bridge was constructed by USAID in partnership with the Sri Lankan Road Development Authority and with the support of the Ministry of Highways. In Eastern and Southern Sri Lanka, USAID has built and equipped nine new vocational educational schools to graduate over 2,000 students per year. The vocational schools teach key trades currently in high demand by the Sri Lankan workforce, such as apparel, welding, electronic repair, masonry, and carpentry, in addition to English language and computer training. The upgrading of three fishing harbors has helped to improve the livelihoods of over 15,000 families in Southern Sri Lanka and helped boost the nation's fishing industry following the 2004 tsunami.
For more information: http://srilanka.usaid.gov/programme_tr_overview.php?prog_id=4
In India, the tsunami recovery program concluded in September 2007.
 The program lasted 31 months, involved 12 partners, and programmed $18 million of relief, transition, and recovery support to tsunami-affected families in four South Indian states. Tangible benefits included reliable access to clean water while families remained in temporary settlements; proper sanitation and solid waste management systems; strengthened village-based disaster management mechanisms; enhanced economic opportunities (especially for women); and child-centered education and health services.
For more information: http://www.usaid.gov/in/newsroom/tsunami_news.htm
In Thailand, USAID's tsunami recovery and preparedness programs concluded in March 2008.
 Among the achievements of the program is a community learning center funded by USAID and Coca-Cola that provides training in computer literacy and sustainable livelihoods alternatives, as well as a micro-finance program that provides small loans in tsunami-affected areas. The USAID-supported communities in Thailand have served as leading models of sustainable recovery for the region.
For more information: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/news/press/2006/nrot050.html
The USAID-led portion of the regional U.S. Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS) program concluded in March 2008.
 Since its launch in 2005, the program provided substantial contributions toward ongoing international and regional efforts to develop tsunami warning capabilities in the Indian Ocean led by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. Today, coastal communities are much safer and better prepared against future risks as a result of U.S. support.
For more information: http://www.us-iotws.gov
Throughout the tsunami-affected region, hundreds of schools, community centers, playgrounds, libraries, and markets have been constructed or renovated with USAID funds.
ONGOING PROJECTS
Meanwhile, many other reconstruction projects are ongoing, and USAID continues to work side by side with survivors to enhance sustainable economic growth, promote transparent and accountable governance, and provide vocational training. Large-scale infrastructure projects - with longer time frames - are making considerable progress. For example, in Indonesia, completion of the West Coast Highway Project is projected for March 2010. And in Sri Lanka, projects to upgrade the water supply system and fishing harbors in communities surrounding newly constructed Arugam Bay Bridge are expected to be complete in late 2008.
BACKGROUND
In December 2004, a major earthquake followed by a tsunami hit Asia and Africa, devastating many coastal areas. Over 200,000 people in eight countries perished in a few hours, and many more had their homes and livelihoods swept away. The coastal areas of Indonesia and Sri Lanka and two Indian island chains bore the brunt of the calamity. They have required significant repair and reconstruction.
USAID's historic commitment to these countries, 40 years of expertise with disaster assistance, and solid working relationships with the region's governments meant we were able to respond immediately, providing life-saving food, water, medical care, and shelter. For the past three years, we have worked to rebuild communities and lives. The success of our work is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, learning from experience, and the power of partnerships between nations.
| Total USG Humanitarian and Recovery Assistance Pledged 12/31/04: | $350 million
|
| Tsunami Recovery and Reconstruction Fund: | $656 million* |
| India: | $17.9 million |
| Indonesia: | $405.7 million |
| Maldives: | $ 12.0 million |
| Sri Lanka: | $134.6 million |
| Thailand: | $5.3 million |
| Regional, other countries: | $31.8 million |
| Program Management: | $17.4 million |
| *$656 million was approved for the Tsunami Recovery and Reconstruction Fund, but $31.3 million is
committed to Avian Flu. |
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