 "I didn't know whether I could cope with the disaster", says Masriya, recalling the shock that she, her family and hundreds of thousands of other people suffered as a result of the tsunami. Immediately after the tsunami there was a scene of complete devastation, not just in terms of material items, but also in terms of the people themselves. More... Prior to the tsunami disaster, SOS Children's Villages had never before embarked on such a comprehensive reconstruction project. A total of 2,232 family houses were built for more than 11,000 people in four countries. This project was a first and was a real success for the child-care organisation specialised in out-of-home care for children. More... The district of Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu was hit hardest by the tidal waves in India. The area, which is well-known for its fishing, saw the most deaths. Fathers did not return from sea and mothers did not return home. Pictures of ships piled up on top of each other were seen around the world. As in the other areas hit by the disaster, in Nagapattinam those affected most were families who had already been struggling to survive in tough conditions before the tsunami. More... In many countries, the sea is revered as a goddess. Before they go out to sea, fishermen pray that they will catch plenty of fish and will return safely. This is also the case in Thailand. More... The children were very excited as they marked out the places for their favourite plants. Trees, flowers and bushes were planted. That was just before they moved into their new homes at the SOS Children's Village Meulaboh on the southern coast of Sumatra. More... Putri's full name is "Putri Tsunami Irayana", which means "Daughter of the Tsunami". She was born on 26 December 2004 on the roof of the mosque, the only building in Gampong Cot that remained standing in the swirling waves. More... |