It was one of the most devastating natural disasters in memory. On December 26, 2004, a powerful earthquake off the coast of northern Sumatra triggered massive walls of waves – tsunamis – that smashed into thousands of kilometres of coastline around the Indian Ocean rim. 

In all, 12 countries were hit. The most devastating damage was done to the Indonesian province of Aceh, Sri Lanka, four states of southern India, the Maldives, Myanmar, and coastal areas of Thailand and Malaysia. 

Those tsunamis killed more than 225,000 people and impacted millions; many of those affected lost homes, livelihoods and loved ones. Villages and towns, fishing boats and roads were swept away, or buried under wreckage. As the sheer magnitude of the catastrophe unfolded, the world rushed to help.

"Massive walls of waves – tsunamis – smashed into thousands of kilometres of coastline around the Indian Ocean rim."

With so much suffering and so much destruction, there were many places to begin the rebuilding process. The Canadian Red Cross began its work in Indonesia, in the region of Aceh and on the island of Nias. With so many people left homeless by the tsunami, building homes was one way to restore normalcy to a place that had been through so much. 

Donations from Canadians and matching funds from the Canadian government allowed the team to get to work. There were logistical challenges of getting materials into the right place. The operation had to identify community needs and select beneficiary families and had to navigate the physical geographic landscape. By the time the operation had wrapped up in the years after the tsunami, Canadian Red Cross teams on the ground were able to complete 5,580 houses. 

An early warning system has now been established in Indonesia to prevent such a great loss of life. In addition, through the Canadian Red Cross and its partners, thousands of people have been trained in disaster preparedness, as well as first aid, mental health support, and child development and protection. The Canadian Red Cross has reached more than 105,000 students through violence prevention messages in Sri Lanka and India.