In the months after the tsunami ravaged the coasts of South Asia, NetAid led a campaign to inform students, teachers and concerned citizens about the disaster and help them respond to it.

Over $150,000 was raised for NetAid's Tsunami Crisis Fund in less than three months. With the generous donations, thousands of beneficiaries were supported in projects for tsunami survivors.

Tsunami relief: Phase I

In the immediate aftermath, donations were used to support the emergency relief efforts of two of NetAid's World Schoolhouse partners in India. This first phase, which lasted through March, allowed partners to implement the following projects:

• The Sanghamitra Service Society provided over 1,677 children with food and water in 16 of the hardest-hit coastal villages in Andhra Pradesh.  

• The Centre for Social Reconstruction (CSR) led relief and rehabilitation efforts in five severely affected villages in Tamil Nadu. A total of 1,020 children received counseling, education recreation, and sensitization on environmental health.

Tsunami relief: Phase II

As the needs in these tsunami-affected areas evolved from relief to reconstruction, World Schoolhouse's partners have been implementing a second phase of activities. This phase focuses on the long-term rehabilitation of communities and will continue through mid-2006. Second phase activities include:

• Sanghamitra supported 1,812 tsunami survivors. Activities included counseling, school support and medical attention. Recreational activities were provided, too and helped children recover from the disaster and focus on school. Additionally, students were trained in disaster preparedness to deal with future crises.

• Sewalanka Foundation, working in Sri Lanka, is providing meals at schools, rebuilding classrooms and helping support a community-run orphanage. You can read more about the Sewalanka Foundation and over 1,600 children who benefit from its projects on the World Schoolhouse partner page. 

• UNICEF is working in eight tsunami-affected countries to provide basic supplies, temporary construction, training and capacity-building for children and their families.

NetAid is grateful for the generous response of its supporters, who have provided immediate and long-term relief to tsunami-affected children. We also appreciate the swift and professional response of our partners in the field, whose ongoing service continues to help communities rebuild after the tsunami.