American Red Cross and IOM Finish Housing Project in Indonesia

Houses help 9,000 people affected by the tsunami restart their lives

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are celebrating the completion of more than 1800 homes in communities that were destroyed by the December 2004 tsunami, nearly three years ago.

Shortly after the tsunami, IOM and the American Red Cross formed a close partnership to rebuild tsunami-affected communities throughout Aceh, Indonesia. Along with building houses, the partnership also focused on promoting health and hygiene and providing clean water and proper sanitation.

"This partnership is about giving families an opportunity to get their lives back. That means water and shelter, but it also means a sense of community and belonging," says Steve Cook, IOM's chief of mission in Indonesia.

One of these communities is Lhok Timon, a village of 1,320 people and 447 households located five kilometers north of the town of Calang in Aceh Jaya district. It is situated on the section of the west coast that was worst hit by the waves and caused most of the village to be washed away. Survivors relocated to a neighboring village, but returned to Lhok Timon after only a month, to start rebuilding their community. Now, nearly three years later, the community is back together, stronger and more resilient.

"These new homes are much more than physical structures," says Tom Alcedo, American Red Cross senior field representative in Indonesia. "They allow families to start a new beginning and start thinking about the future."

In addition to funding IOM's construction of more than 1,800 new homes and transitional shelters, the American Red Cross is also providing funding to IOM to ensure that over 4,000 IOM-constructed homes have access to a permanent water supply and appropriate sanitation. It is also funding the construction of 21 schools and community centers.

For Amardani, the 39-year old mayor of Lhok Timon, the help from IOM and the American Red Cross has been crucial to the rebirth of his community. "It's like a dream come true to see the IOM houses in our village and we are very grateful for this gift. We will use these houses as the place where we will start a new life with our new hopes," he says.

The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.