United Nations Radio

Eight countries bordering the Indian Ocean were directly affected by the 2004 tsunami, destroying entire communities and killing 230,000 people, mainly women and children.

Tsunami recovery

A glimpse of the sheer scale of the tsunami destruction as detailed in the five year assessment by UNICEF that was published on Friday.

A massive mobilization of 14 million dollars followed immediately, says UNICEF's Veronique Taveau, allowing to "build back better," UNICEF's slogan for their reconstruction programme.

"In Indonesia, for example, the most-affected country, with 167,000 victims, a third of them children, an unprecedented effort has been made to build child-friendly schools. Schools have also been built with separate toilet facilities for girls and boys, and teachers have been instructed in survival techniques. The separation of toilets according to gender has made it possible for many more little girls to attend school in large numbers."

The report also shows how the tsunami experience prepared them for a better response to other emergency operations, like the 2008 Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar.

Of the funds received by UNICEF for the tsunami devastated areas, $22 million dollars remain unspent, and will go towards further reconstruction and development.

Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations Radio
(duration: 1'21")