FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 21, 2009

Contact: Rinn Self – 206.999.7826, rself@sea.mercycorps.org

Joy Portella – 206.437.7885, jportella@sea.mercycorps.org

This press release is available online at: http://www.mercycorps.org/pressreleases/17071

Photos from Mercy Corps’ tsunami response and current programs in the region are
available here: www.mercycorps.org/tsunami

FIVE YEARS AFTER INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI, MERCY CORPS

FOSTERS LONG-TERM RECOVERY IN INDONESIA

- Five years of recovery and rebuilding create a stronger, more peaceful Aceh

- Agency helps communities better prepare for disasters; saving lives during recent
earthquake in Padang, Indonesia

Portland, OR – On the five-year anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami, the global relief and
development organization Mercy Corps reports that it is has helped 892,000 Indonesians restore their
livelihoods and build back stronger and safer communities. The 9.3 magnitude quake on December 26,
2004, created the massive tsunami that destroyed cities and villages across 13 countries and killed almost
230,000 people. Almost half of those deaths were in Indonesia.
Within days of the tsunami, Mercy Corps rushed emergency responders and relief
supplies to the devastated coastal region of Aceh, Indonesia – the closest landmass to the
epicenter of the quake. Over the next four months, Mercy Corps delivered emergency
food to over 288,000 survivors, hygiene supplies to more than 253,000, and building
materials to construct more than 500 temporary shelters. Cash-for-work programs cleared
debris from over 13,000 hectares of public and agricultural land and 50 kilometers of
road, and got money flowing back into the decimated local economy.
Mercy Corps quickly transitioned to long-term recovery, empowering local community
groups, especially women’s groups, to identify and execute the most vital rebuilding
projects. Microfinance and microcredit solutions, developed from the agency’s extensive
experience in the sector, helped restart businesses and recapitalize local banks.
"When the tsunami hit, entire communities were leveled, lives lost, economies
eliminated. After addressing the immediate needs like shelter, food and water, Mercy
Corps turned our attention to rebuilding those communities," said Sean Granville Ross,
Mercy Corps' Indonesia Country Director. "Once roads and properties were cleared,
Mercy Corps worked with surviving business owners to restart their businesses so the
local economy could begin to function and today those areas are thriving once again."
Recognizing that Indonesia is particularly prone to natural disaster, Mercy Corps has
developed disaster preparedness programs to help communities plan for and respond to
emergencies. Disaster Risk Reduction activities help people identify escape routes to
higher ground and practice evacuation procedures. When a massive earthquake hit the
city of Padang on the island of Sumatra in September of this year, the participants in the
Mercy Corps program were well prepared, calling on the skills and training they received
from the organization to stay safe. Zulkifli, a resident of the village of Mangopo, said
proudly: “Our training from Mercy Corps was perfect. The community responded
quickly, and no one was killed here.”
Five years after the tsunami, Mercy Corps continues to work in Aceh to improve child
nutrition, provide farmers with access to microcredit and sustainable farming methods,
and identify and train local leaders. “Mercy Corps believes that communities are most capable
of solving their own problems. Empowering them is the best way to ensure lasting peace and development
in Aceh,” said Rod Volway, Mercy Corps’ Aceh Program Director.
Mercy Corps works in more than 40 villages bringing communities together to build their
futures through a comprehensive five-year planning process. Farmers are trained in
proven rice cultivation techniques and provided access to real-time market information
via radio, television, print media and text messages. Mercy Corps also works to
strengthen community governance, supporting the election process of village leadership
positions and building the capacity of local governments to ensure that positive change in
Aceh continues long into the future.
Mercy Corps helps people in the world’s toughest places turn the crises of natural disaster, poverty and
conflict into opportunities for progress. Driven by local needs and market conditions, our programs
provide communities with the tools and support they need to transform their own lives. Our worldwide
team of 3,700 professionals is improving the lives of 16.7 million people in more than 40 countries. For
more information, see www.mercycorps.org.