The media spotlight may no longer be focused on the impact of the December 26, 2004 Asian Tsunami, but it occasionally spotlights the progress of the massive reconstruction and recovery effort that is now in full swing. Operation USA remains very much a committed and active part of the longer-term sustainable reconstruction process. Operation USA’s immediate response to the disaster was to send vital supplies and materials worth over $13 million to the region. Today, Operation USA is helping communities in Indonesia, India, Thailand and Sri Lanka that are on the verge of self-sufficiency, but continue to need more assistance. Operation USA’s reconstruction efforts consist of sending financial assistance in the form of grants to18 local partner organizations. For more information about Operation USA’s immediate emergency response, grant making, pictures and stories of our valued donors, please click on the respective links below. Immediate Emergency Relief Within hours of waves engulfing many of South Asia’s seaside communities on December 26, 2004, Richard Walden, was in the office organizing an airlift of medical and shelter supplies, collaborating with other international aid organizations to assess the needs of the most vulnerable and arranging donations of funds and supplies. In an unprecedented response, Operation USA was able to send a total of over $13 million worth of emergency supplies to the region:
- On February 2, 2005, Operation USA shipped 110 tons of medical and shelter supplies worth over $7.5 million via a 747 cargo jet to Indonesia
- Throughout the months of February to May 2005, pharmaceuticals, baby food, rice, tools, roofing materials and water purification materials, worth over $5.4 million, were sent to Sri Lanka.
- On August 21, 2005, a sea container filled with wheelchairs was sent to Indonesia.
We thank all of our donors who responded quickly and without hesitation. Their rapid and generous support made it possible for Operation USA to send assistance immediately. In addition to our individual donors, these emergency supply shipments were made possible by: Atlas/Polar Air
Hyundai Marine
Cascade Designs
Fed-Ex
The Hilco Organization
Cathay Pacific
Latter Day Saints Charities
Islamic Relief
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids
Jeffrey Hecktman
The Los Angeles Airport Authority
Honeywell Home Solutions
Ernst and Young
Diagnostic Products Corp.
The California Endowment Mental healthcare is often overlooked during the acute phase of a disaster, but Operation USA understands the importance of its role in helping people to cope both immediately and long after the emergency has subsided. At the end of January 2005, Operation USA sent three teams of trauma and counseling professionals to the region. They conducted an immediate needs assessment through interviews with internally displaced persons and local non-governmental organizations to decide the most efficient way to facilitate mental health training programs - specifically designed to help children. Led by two highly qualified UCLA professors of Psychology, Drs. Janine Shelby and Michael Spidel, the training teams spent 10 days traveling to four cities throughout Sri Lanka. Financial Assistance through Grant Making Operation USA, by year’s end 2006, will have disbursed approximately $3 million in cash to support our recovery efforts throughout the region. Shortly after the scope of the disaster was realized, Operation USA stationed two expert humanitarian relief managers in the region. They found reliable and resourceful local organizations who were working effectively to rebuild their communities while being ignored by their governments and larger aid organizations. Our partners know what they need to ultimately become self-sufficient; they simply need the resources and training to do it. Operation USA’s international program staff monitor and evaluate projects and build partnerships based on trust, transparency and respect. Our partners are required to submit reports six months and one year following each grant disbursement. Please click below for a comprehensive list of our partners and Operation USA-funded projects in: Banda Aceh, Indonesia
Southern India
Southern Thailand
Sri Lanka Valued Donors
During one of the most widespread disasters of the 21st Century, our donors responded with generous donations, sponsored fundraisers and rallied their communities in support of Operation USA programs. To read about their heroic efforts, please click here. Field Reports
TSUNAMI REPORT: Two Years Later, The Tsunami's Destruction Still Lingers...
Field Report: Naomi Wyles, Manager, Field Programs - Banda Aceh, Indonesia
December 2006
TSUNAMI SURVIVORS SMILE AND LOOK TO THE FUTURE
Field Report: Naomi Wyles, Manager, Field Programs - Banda Aceh, Indonesia
October 2006
MATERNITY HEALTH CARE: Addressing a Vital Need in Rural Post-Tsunami Aceh
Field Report: Naomi Wyles, Manager, Field Programs - Banda Aceh, Indonesia
May 2006
JULY 2005 FIELD TRIP: SRI LANKA
Field Report: Nimmi Gowrinathan, OpUSA Director of South Asia Programs
REFUGEE BABIES : The Lasting Effects of Tsunami Aid in Sri Lanka
Field Report: Nimmi Gowrinathan, OpUSA Direcotr of South Asia Programs
February 2005
SRI LANKA TEAM FIELD REPORT
February 2005
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF EASTERN PROVINCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT MISSION
REPORT FROM THE GROUND: EASTERN SRI LANKA
Field Report: OpUSA Board Member, Skip Whitney and Ahilan Arul
January 2005
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