At the second year anniversary of the Asia Tsunami, Christian Children's Fund (CCF) has completed the second phase of a three-year program of recovery and reconstruction…not just of bricks and mortar, but of the human spirit. CCF has collected $19,080,054.68 for tsunami relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts in India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. This includes $11,221,699 million in public contributions and $7,858,355.68 million in grant awards.

During the first two years CCF has spent for tsunami relief and recovery in India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, a total of $12,636,751.62. This expenditure includes: $6,412,365.48 in public contributions and $6,224,386.14 expenditures in grant funding.

CCF responded within hours after the tsunami ravaged the coastal areas of South Asia in December of 2004, when more than 200,000 lives were lost and 1.5 million children and families were displaced. CCF emergency response teams, working with local CCF staff and volunteers, immediately distributed food, bedding, clothing, medicine and other basic relief supplies to displaced families. CCF moved quickly to establish a three-year plan of reconstruction and development initiatives that would provide a long-term impact to tsunami-affected families through livelihood restoration and child protection programs. Recovery efforts continued in year-one and moved into reconstruction efforts which continued throughout year-two.

Specific Program Initiatives by Country India-- Hours after the tsunami crashed onto the shores of India's coastline, CCF-India started emergency relief and rehabilitation efforts to help stabilize the lives of children and families severely affected by the storm. Relief measures were undertaken in more than 100 villages in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry districts.

Over this past year CCF-India consolidated programs undertaken in the first year, strengthening activities that have created the greatest impact in Child Protection, Micro Finance and Livelihood Generation.

CCF-India continues to work in 110 villages in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry districts, providing primary support through Child Centered Spaces, livelihood interventions, and infrastructure restoration. During year two, CCF-India worked with 10,746 direct beneficiaries. In addition the 103 Child Centered Spaces which CCF established in these districts, assisting more than 13,000 children immediately after the tsunami, and are serving as youth clubs and activity centers once the children returned to school.

CCF-India conducted vocational and life skills training for youth in tailoring, welding, printing, mechanics, computer hardware, driving and electronics.

Empowering women and girls to come to the forefront of the community-driven development process has been by far the most successful CCF-India intervention in the Tsunami-affected communities, with the women's groups in the villages becoming actively involved in all community related matters.

CCF-India has completed construction of 12 new schools and completed repairs of 20 additional schools employing 3,500 adults. The new schools were furnished, new water facilities and toilets added and teaching and learning materials provided. Teachers were trained by CCF staff on the proper use of the new materials and on Child Protection issues and creating a protective environment at school.

In addition, CCF-India initiated forums and 226 children, youth and adolescent girls clubs that involved more than 6,000 participants receiving training on child rights and child protection concepts and engaging in community development processes.

Among the activities for youth was a media skills training workshop and a two day 'Youth Mela' (Fair) was organized, to provide an opportunity to about 120 youth members to engage in the process of collective planning and action. Main highlights included a rally led by the youth to bring awareness on children's issues and a conference with experts speaking on the topics: "Child Rights and Youth" and "Child Protection and Indian Laws", where the youth members were also given a chance to express their opinions and raise issues of concern.

District level conventions were held for 300 adults in Pulicat and Muhaperu on child rights and child protection issues.

CCF formed 49 Child Well-Being Committees and 15 new ones will be added over the next year with training in child development and child protection concepts.

Future Direction for Year-Three: In order to strengthen Livelihood Activities over the coming year, CCF-India will establish a formal micro-finance institution program for families they supported with livelihood interventions in the initial phase of tsunami recovery. This will enable families to continue to expand cottage industries over the long-term.

Significant staff and partner NGO training will also take place prior to outreach training in target CCF communities in Karaikal, Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari.

CCF-India will also provide school based interventions with teacher training on child protection in six clusters involving 180 teachers; train Child Well-Being Committees to develop community level child protection policies and standards in six clusters and 60 villages; organize parent training on child protection concepts in six clusters to provide effective and protective child care practices in local communities. CCF-India will also continue to build capacity among local partner agencies and stakeholders through training on child protection and child rights and family and child-based interventions, school based interventions and community based interventions.

Indonesia-- Almost two years after the destruction of the tsunami, tens of thousands of people in Indonesia are still living in temporary housing under difficult conditions. This greatly impacts CCF's child protection efforts. CCF, working as ChildFund Indonesia, is focusing on providing continuous support to communities working through the complex process of community rehabilitation. ChildFund is working at 110 sites in Aceh Barat, Aceh Besar, Aceh Jaya, Banda Aceh, and Bireuen and has provided assistance to 92,371 beneficiaries since the tsunami hit in December of 2004. CCF is working in 69 communities across Aceh province with 69 full-time staff. More than 20,000 children across Aceh have received community-based psychosocial support through 66 Child Centered Spaces. Six new centers will be built over the next year.

During year two, ChildFund Indonesia conducted numerous activities including: initiating monitoring and referral mechanisms in 110 camps and host communities for orphaned and separated children that included family tracing and reunification; made provisions for essential water, food and sanitation facilities including construction of 69 community toilets and wash rooms; initiated cash-for-work activities assisting more than 6,030 people; managed distribution of 1.4 tons of soybeans, 2.6 tons of maize seed, 15.6 tons of groundnut, 46,384 cash crop and estate crop seedlings, 360 packages of vegetable seeds, 66.2 tons of fertilizer, and 1,540 hoes and rakes to more than 2,500 farmers in Aceh Jaya and Bireuen.

More than 300 youth trained in carpentry skills helped in the construction of 28 jambos (community centers) with plans for building 8 additional sites this coming year. ChildFund staff conducted training of 2,360 community animators, mobilizers, social workers and Child Well-Being Committee (CWBC) members in child protection issues and protocols. Thirty self-help groups formed for 707 vulnerable families in 23 villages and were trained in micro-finance. Staff from three local partner non-governmental organizations received training in social mobilization, accounting skills and monitoring and evaluation of projects.

ChildFund Indonesia established 15 mobile libraries complete with books and school supplies for children, materials for youth clubs and provided training to Child Well-Being Committee (CWBC) members on library oversight and the lending of books in 25 communities in Aceh province on a two-week rotation plan. More than 570 hectares of land was cleared of dangerous debris and tsunami waste and drainage was installed.

Future Direction for Year-Three: ChildFund Indonesia will focus on three major initiatives: child protection, livelihood interventions and peace building. ChildFund will continue to form new Child Well-Being Committees and train them on child protection standards and the needs of women in local communities. Community Facilitators will be trained in each community to assess local needs and to implement programs to assist children and women. ChildFund will initiate a reading program in partnership with local schools for all grade school students in Sampoinet and Bireuen following teacher and volunteer training.

ChildFund will launch sustainable livelihood programs in micro-enterprise development, focusing on women in Bireuen and coastal areas in the west, with the intent to create sustainable income generating activities and increase the capacity of tsunami survivors to find sustainable employment or start their own small businesses.

The peace building initiative will center on children and women from families involved in the lengthy conflict between the government and opposition militia. ChildFund will also initiate literacy programs for youth in conflict affected areas and conduct livelihood interventions integrated with environmental protection in the Teunom coastal rehabilitation program.

Sri Lanka --In the midst of providing recovery and reconstruction assistance to thousands of people severely impacted by the Asia tsunami, CCF-Sri Lanka has faced new challenges this past year from the civil conflict in eastern regions of the country. In Trincomalee the mounting violence, which has claimed more than 700 lives since late 2005, has disrupted the ability of families to recover from the tsunami and has created a deepening sense of fear and uncertainty, especially in the east. CCF-Sri Lanka continues to provide tsunami assistance in the districts of Galle, Hambantota, Matara and Ampara in the midst of this unsettled environment. More than 75,500 beneficiaries have participated in CCF tsunami recovery and reconstruction programs which help children and families, to the greatest extent possible, recover from the tsunami and cope with the ongoing crisis.

During year two, CCF-Sri Lanka activities focused on protecting children, bolstering livelihoods and restoring community infrastructures. Community based organizations and parents committees have been trained to establish local networks to support single parents, extended families and caregivers. CCF is operating 29 Child Centered Spaces to provide children and families with a safe environment and structured activities for children. As families are moving to new communities with the completion of permanent housing projects, CCF is relocating the temporary Child Centered Spaces to support children in their new communities, and to provide and strengthen locally based community child protection and support structures. In the eastern conflict areas CCF was forced to temporarily close some of the CCS's, reducing participation and postponing community training programs. The result has been increased vulnerabilities among children including abductions, forced recruitment, exposure to land mines and unexploded ordinances and limiting access to education and health care. CCF has relocated some Child Centered Spaces in an attempt to maintain security and a sense of normalcy for children affected by the tsunami and the current conflict.nances and limiting access to education and health care. CCF has relocated some Child Centered Spaces in an attempt to maintain security and a sense of normalcy for children affected by the tsunami and the current conflict.nances and limiting access to education and health care. CCF has relocated some Child Centered Spaces in an attempt to maintain security and a sense of normalcy for children affected by the tsunami and the current conflict.nances and limiting access to education and health care. CCF has relocated some Child Centered Spaces in an attempt to maintain security and a sense of normalcy for children affected by the tsunami and the current conflict.

In addition, CCF-Sri Lanka and its partners have established 97 community banks in Galle, Hambantota and Trincomalee with 1,965 members. 1,425 loans have been disbursed to women for small business opportunities. Construction of a new community center, community wells, hand washing facilities and toilets were completed. CCF has also completed repairs to playfields, temple gates and fences. CCF staff conducted training programs on first aid, home-based childcare, health and nutrition, environmental sanitation and hygiene education in schools and held child protection training for community Child Well-Being Committees, parents and youth clubs. CCF also initiated vocational training in tailoring, automotives, air conditioning, refrigerator and machine repair, soap and candle making and handcrafts.

CCF working with its partner organization, ChildFund International - Taiwan Fund for Children and Families, made a commitment to tsunami recovery by sponsoring 3,000 additional children in four of the affected coastal region. In addition, Taiwan is funding the construction of a new library and repairs to playfields and other civic institutions.

CCF is working with Seven Children's Societies assisting 224 children who lost parents in the tsunami, along with 78 parents and caregivers, in the dissemination of anti-child abuse and child protection messages delivered through dramas. Youth clubs (ages 14-24) participated in a six-month community service program, skills development, sports activities in competition for a national awards program. CCF-Sri Lanka targeted 600 youth for the Duke of Edinburgh Youth Award Program.

Future Direction for Year-Three: One of CCF-Sri Lanka's primary goals moving forward is to strengthen community and government capacity to care for children affected by the tsunami. Working in partnership with UNICEF, CCF will train government workers to upgrade government care systems and deliver child and family-focused activities and build the capacity of social services officers in child protection. CCF staff will continue their liaison role with relevant Sri Lankan Ministries to agree upon standardized child protection protocols and procedures per policy. These efforts will enhance effectiveness and efficiency of program delivery in country and prevent duplication of efforts at the local level.

CCF-Sri Lanka will continue to develop programs with long-term interests and sustainability as major priorities. Community participation and ownership is essential to achieve this as is continued collaboration with the government sector. Local Child Well-Being Committees and youth clubs will serve as a valuable platform to move ahead in addressing child protection concerns. CCF will continue to provide livelihood opportunities to families with vulnerable children and to improve health care and nutrition programs for children, youth and families. Media Contact: Ellie Whinnery, 804-756-8987 Toni Radler, 804-756-2722

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