Contributions by the Canadian Red Cross
MALDIVES
The Maldives experienced a greater per capita impact than any other country in the region because the islands that comprise the nation are just two metres above sea level.
Massive clean up
The wash from the tsunami contaminated ground water used for drinking, ruined sewage systems, damaged homes and spread 290,000 cubic metres of garbage and debris over many of the 200 inhabited islands. This posed a significant obstacle to recovery, and a dangerous health risk. A massive clean up effort was required.
Canadian Red Cross has helped clear over 76,000 cubic metres of the dangerous debris on 68 tsunami-affected islands. Through a joint venture with the Australian Red Cross, 79 waste management centres were built to ensure the environmentally safe cleanup of tsunami debris, and introduced an ongoing solid waste management system for domestic garbage.
Waste management training sessions were held for more than 1,400 community members to help reduce the incidence of preventable disease.
The Canadian Red Cross, which has a presence on over 80 islands in the Maldives, has also helped rebuild community infrastructure and conducted repairs on 30 islands, constructed pre-schools and community centres, and helped rebuild or resurface community sporting facilities.
A progressive recovery
The tsunami forced 29,000 people in the Maldives from their homes, including the 3,600 residents of the island of Kadholhudhoo, which was completely destroyed. Now, those people are being resettled in 600 new homes on Dhuvaafaru Island. The Canadian Red Cross contributed to this new island community by piloting a wind power project to supply a portion of the new community’s electrical requirements.
Currently, the Republic of the Maldives must import large quantities of expensive diesel to power generators, creating a strain on an economy that suffered a 62 per cent hit to its gross domestic product when the tsunami struck. By creating electricity from a readily available, renewable energy source, this Canadian Red Cross pilot project will reduce the island of Dhuvaarfaru’s dependency on diesel generators.
