Greg and Candace Stephanson of London, Ontario, had planned to spend February vacationing in Thailand, but instead spent the summer volunteering on the tsunami-ravaged island of Koh Phi Phi.

By Mata Press Service

Greg and Candace Stephanson of London, Ontario, had planned to spend February vacationing in Thailand, but instead spent the summer volunteering on the tsunami-ravaged island of Koh Phi Phi.

Winder's group and others have prevented a much feared "second wave of deaths" from epidemics after the giant waves damaged or destroyed major health care centres and killed doctors, nurses and midwives.

Chok Hiew, a psychology professor from the University of New Brunswick was part of Canadian team of psychologists who trained volunteers to work with children and families traumatized by the Tsunami disaster.

The goal of the mission, he said, is to teach volunteers how to recognize trauma in children and how to work with them to increase their chances of making a full recovery.

"This is not just a clinical problem, whole communities have been destroyed," he said. "We want to rebuild the social fabric of the communities. We are really talking about healing the body, mind and spirit of whole communities."

"To me, a community is more than just my immediate location," he said.

The killer wave that struck Dec. 26 killed devastated shorelines in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India, killing up to 275,000 people and displacing millions.

These volunteers include medical students who have taken a year off from their studies, and emergency room nurses who took personal leave to volunteer their services in hospitals across Asia.

Retired Canadian school teachers helped to coordinate the work of Canadian medical teams.

Engineers, nurses, teachers, doctors, paramedics, journalists, humanitarian workers, and heavy equipment operators left their lives back in Canada to help wherever they can, and to do whatever they can.

When Canadians see people in need, they respond generously. One year after the tsunami, Canada's aid continues to make a difference," said Aileen Carroll Minister of International Cooperation as she announced that the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will allocate a further $33 million to rehabilitate and rebuild tsunami-affected countries.

The Canadian government and local non-governmental organization have already provided C$85.2 million dollars in aid to victims of the tsunami.

The new money will go towards projects which will be carried out primarily by Canadian non-governmental organizations in India, Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

"We know that reconstruction will take years and CIDA, and its partners, are committed for the long haul, to help people rebuild their lives.”

The recent CIDA funding announced will support the following relief and reconstruction initiatives:

This funding, which will go to the Canadian Co-operative Association, Development International Desjardins, and SANASA's Post-Tsunami Revival Program, is expected to help 11,000 people, with an estimated 55,000 people benefiting indirectly.

The funding will also provide support to the credit unions in developing relevant financial products and services. In addition, it will help SANASA with institutional recapitalization, loan loss coverage, and late payments for the most vulnerable credit union members.

$6.2 million to World Vision Canada to support the implementation of Sri Lanka's national rural water supply and sanitation policy which will improve health and sanitation conditions in affected areas.

This will be achieved by strengthening the capacity of local government partners at the village level, communities, NGOs, and community-based organizations.

$4.6 million to Oxfam Canada/Oxfam Quebec to restore and enhance the livelihoods of small-scale producers in the fisheries and agriculture sectors in rural communities in Ampara affected by the tsunami, with a focus on women.

Oxfam will also seek to improve access to quality water and to strengthen these communities' ability to cope with future disasters.

Two million dollars for a land-reclamation project, undertaken by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, to rehabilitate shallow wells and reclaim agricultural land flooded by saltwater.

$350,000 to support the Government of Sri Lanka's Tsunami Housing Reconstruction Unit in the application of local policy and in-depth environmental impact assessments.

$1.2 million to the International Labour Organization to support entrepreneur and youth training programs.

The project will contribute to poverty reduction by creating more and better jobs through the restoration of income opportunities for young women and men in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province.

$1 million to the Christian Reform World Relief Committee for the reconstruction of 500 houses, as well as water and sanitation infrastructure in six villages in Aceh Province.

The reconstruction of their homes will improve physical security and the health and well being of tsunami-affected people.

$190,000 to the Christian Reform World Relief Committee to provide improved temporary shelter for about 2,200 people in Aceh so that families can improve their health and physical security as they rebuild their lives.

$1.1 million to distribute and install temporary housing kits for 5,000 families in Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Simeulue Island and Aceh Jaya, as well as to upgrade water and sanitation facilities. This CARE Canada project also will provide assistance to families to start small scale income generation activities that will help them re-establish their livelihoods.

$1 million to refurbish existing temporary living centres and construct new shelters, all with full water and sanitation facilities. This World Vision Canada project will improve the living conditions of about 2,800 internally displaced people in Banda Aceh/Aceh Besar and Lamno.

$420,000 to the International Development and Relief Foundation to help farmers and fishermen restart their livelihoods by creating jobs, improving food security and strengthening the capacity of community-based organizations in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar Districts.

INDIA
$1.5 million to SOPAR-Limbour for a housing reconstruction project in Andra Pradesh which will improve the lives of tsunami-affected people in six villages through the construction of replacement housing.

As well, the project will help to improve the status of women through a self-help process.

$744,000 to Canadian Lutheran World Relief to address health and psycho-social needs of some 100,000 people in 51 tsunami-affected villages. The organization has established a fullservice medical facility and 20 community based psychosocial trauma and social rehabilitation support centres in the area.