On December 26th, 2004 a devastating tsunami smashed against the shores of 10 Indian Ocean countries. Sri Lanka was one of the hardest hit, with over 38,000 people killed and at least 860,000 more displaced. It left parts of this island nation completely destroyed and will cost millions of pounds to rebuild. The tsunami also left many thousands of children homeless and without their parents. 

International Childcare Trust is not an aid agency; it is a development organisation focusing therefore on the long-term rehabilitation of the children who were affected and not on the short-term relief. However, senior staff of ICT`s local partners were on the ground assisting with the relief effort just hours after the disaster took place and ICT was able to provide some funding to assist them in their efforts at this early stage. Now that the initial relief work is well under way, ICT wants to support our local partners in Sri Lanka, Makandura Village Project (MVP) and Shilpa Children`s Trust (Shilpa) to work towards the long-term rehabilitation of children, their families and their communities in Sri Lanka.

Our primary aim, in the aftermath of the tsunami, is to assist in the provision of basic needs, specifically food, shelter, access to education and emotional support to children and their communities affected by the disaster. Our specific objectives are as follows:

• To assist MVP in rebuilding 300 houses and reconstructing schools in the fishing village of Arugambe in the Ampara District near Batticaloa (on the North East of the Island � one of the areas worst affected by the tsunami).
• To assist Shilpa and MVP with the provision of trauma counselling, family tracing and reunification services for children from Kalutara and Ampara districts, placing as many children as possible with suitable guardians. In the coastal district of Kalutara alone there are reported to be 846 children directly affected by the tsunami who either lost their parents or guardians, or whose families were made destitute by the tsunami. It is our hope and intention that at least 255 of these children will be cared for in family environments with appropriate guardians
• To provide 45 children at a time with food, shelter and education in a loving environment in one of the ICT support children`s centres in Sri Lanka.

All donations to support the relief work in Sri Lanka can be made on our Online Donations page, please write �Tsunami Assistance` in the comments area of the form so we know where to direct your donation.

For any further information please contact the ICT office on 020 7065 0970

• To assist MVP in rebuilding 300 houses and reconstructing schools in the fishing village of Arugambe in the Ampara District near Batticaloa (on the North East of the Island � one of the areas worst affected by the tsunami).
• To assist Shilpa and MVP with the provision of trauma counselling, family tracing and reunification services for children from Kalutara and Ampara districts, placing as many children as possible with suitable guardians. In the coastal district of Kalutara alone there are reported to be 846 children directly affected by the tsunami who either lost their parents or guardians, or whose families were made destitute by the tsunami. It is our hope and intention that at least 255 of these children will be cared for in family environments with appropriate guardians
• To provide 45 children at a time with food, shelter and education in a loving environment in one of the ICT support children`s centres in Sri Lanka.

All donations to support the relief work in Sri Lanka can be made on our Online Donations page, please write �Tsunami Assistance` in the comments area of the form so we know where to direct your donation.

For any further information please contact the ICT office on 020 7065 0970