Tsunami crisis

On 26 December 2004, Oxfam launched the largest aid effort in its history.

Following the massive earthquake and tsunami disaster that struck Asia on 26 December 2004, Oxfam launched the largest aid effort in its history.

To date, Oxfam and its partners have assisted more than 2 million people across seven tsunami-affected countries.

This assistance has ranged from the provision of emergency water and sanitation in the initial stages of the response to longer-term help such as the construction of permanent houses, roads and schools, helping communities to better protect themselves against future disasters and restoring livelihoods. This latter category is currently the area of greatest expenditure.

The full amount that the Oxfam International Tsunami Fund will receive from joint agency appeals will not be known until later in the tsunami response, but it is anticipated that donations will total US$294 million, more than 90 per cent of it generously donated by the public.

By March 2008, Oxfam had spent $256 million, or approximately 87% of the total budget. An estimated 6% of the Fund will be spent on administration and fund-raising.