Tsunami Relief

The tsunami that struck Sri Lanka on December 26, 2004, left over 35,000 dead and displaced approximately 443,000 people. The damaged area stretched for over two thirds of the country’s coastline, destroying fishing villages and upheaving the lives of the coastal inhabitants.

Within hours, World Accord donors sprung to action assembling contributions to relieve the suffering of the victims of the natural disaster. Although World Accord did not have at that time an active project operating in Sri Lanka, we immediately contacted the Sri Lanka Centre for Development Facilitation (SLCDF) - a partner from a prior project in Sri Lanka - to enlist them to channel the accumulating tsunami relief contributions to where they were most needed.

The initial transfer of tsunami relief contributions amounted to $54,000, followed by an additional $192,000 collected in partnership with the Community of Christ World Hunger Fund. These funds helped the people of the tsunami-affected area to rebuild their homes and their means of earning a living. Although disaster relief is not part of World Accord’s mandate, the advantage of having a trusted, known partner in the disaster-affected region meant that World Accord was able to utilize that network to respond with immediate support.