World Relief Preparing for Long-Term Efforts in Indonesia
The relief and development arm of the National Association of Evangelicals is setting the ground work for multi-year presence in the region worst hit by last week’s quake-tsunami devastation.
The relief and development arm of the National Association of Evangelicals is setting the ground work for multi-year presence in the region worst hit by last week’s quake-tsunami devastation.
Of the 12 countries directly hit by the quake-tsunami on Dec. 26, Indonesia received the hardest blow, seeing a rising death toll surpass 94,000 on Monday. Due to the extensive damage in Indonesia, World Relief—which has been focusing on India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia in its relief efforts and providing support to its indigenous partners—announced Tuesday it is preparing a long-term plan for rehabilitation.
“By now, everyone is familiar with the horror of this tragedy, relief efforts are in motion and the focus is beginning to shift from recovery of survivors to reconstruction of lives,” World Relief reported.
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“Recovery from a disaster, especially the size and scale of this most recent one, is not measured in months, but in years,” the agency continued. “The initial inflow of donations has been phenomenal, yet sustained support is needed once the media coverage dies down and the rest of the world goes on with everyday life.”
At the moment, World Relief reports that it is implementing programs developed from sixty years of experience in disaster response, helping churches and communities in the region bring life-saving assistance to the affected population.
The agency is also collaborating with other non-governmental agencies to avoid duplicity of efforts and to effectively use whatever networks are currently in place. In addition to U.S. counterparts, World Relief is collaborating with like-minded international organizations from Europe and Asia.
During his tour of the region, Dr. Galen Carey, director of Advocacy and Policy for World Relief said “shelter is a big need” as well as “agriculture initiatives such as we have in Mozambique and Nicaragua.”
Working in more than 20 countries, World Relief specializes in establishing long lasting programs in the areas of health, education, agriculture, refuge and trade.
