Save the Children has assisted 625,000 individuals, including more than 250,000 children impacted by the earthquake and tsunami that devastated coastal communities in southeast Asia.

To mark the 6-month anniversary, Save the Children has released a 12-page report on its progress to date in tsunami-struck regions. The full report - complete with personal stories, pictures and drawings from children impacted by the tsunami - is available at www.savethechildren-tsunami-response.org/

“Save the Children’s response to this historic disaster was the largest in our 85-year history,” said Chair of the International Save the Children Alliance Barry Clarke. “Active in many of the worst-affected regions for 30 years or more, Save the Children was able to swiftly deliver life-saving relief, averting a second wave of death from malnutrition and disease that many experts anticipated would follow the disaster.”

Save the Children concentrated its efforts in the three countries hardest hit by the tsunami -- Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India -- while also providing assistance to affected communities in Thailand, Somalia and the Maldives.

According to the report, Save the Children has registered over 7,000 children separated from their parents and helped reunite scores of children with family members. In addition, Save the Children has assisted in helping thousands of children return to school and has played a leading role in helping to protect children from potential exploitation by creating safe places for children to play and live.

Besides child protection, the report also details the results of Save the Children’s efforts in education, shelter and water sanitation, health, food and livelihoods in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and India. In Indonesia, for example, the organisation has:

Distributed nearly 8,000 tons of food to more than 292,000 survivors.
Distributed 27,000 household kits of basic supplies for cooking and shelter.
Delivered more than 1,000 school kits benefiting more than 50,000 children.
Distributed 2,000 medical kits and 100 midwife kits to clinics, benefiting more than 4,000 people and supplemental food kits for 17,000 mothers and babies
Vaccinated more than 3,100 children against measles.
Set up a “cash for work” programme in 155 sites to provide short-term income through jobs for more than 17,800 people.
Trained up to 1000 new teachers, benefiting up to 70,000 children.

“Despite these achievements, Save the Children sees many challenges ahead as our focus shifts from relief to recovery and reconstruction,” said Mr Clarke. “ The process of rebuilding needs to move faster, and we need local and national authorities to accelerate their plans so that Save the Children and others active in this effort – including the local communities themselves -- can help with on-the-ground expertise, human resources and financial support.”

The report notes that 27 Save the Children organisations worldwide have received contributions or pledges in excess of NZ$350 million for relief and recovery efforts, with NZ$1.6 million from Save the Children New Zealand. Of the total amount raised, about 15 percent or NZ$50 million has been spent during the first five months in affected countries.

“This report clearly spells out to New Zealanders and our international supporters that their donations are being spent wisely,” said Mr Clarke. “94 cents of every dollar raised has gone to relief and recovery programmes in affected areas.”