"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day Give a village a fishing boat and you feed them for life." -- Our India adaptation of the old Chinese proverb A Mickey Mouse doll and a hug for a four-year old Thai girl, whose father perished when the wave hit. Stimulating Indonesian boat-building economy with orders for fishing boats to replace those lost to tsunami.

Family Care Foundation Responds to Tsunami Emergency

Within hours of the tsunami tragedy that struck Asia in the last days of 2004, Family Care Foundation (FCF) responded with immediate assistance for victims in India, Thailand and Indonesia. FCF Project Partners and volunteers of Family Care Foundation continue on the ground, responding to the most urgent needs, as well as assessing upcoming needs.

INDIA – A united relief effort was coordinated in the villages of Tamil Nadu State, followed by a program focusing on the replacement of fishing boats for the villagers in order to sustain their livelihood. Construction of a school for village children ages 6 - 14 is now underway, with an orphanage to follow.

THAILAND – FCF is involved in the communities of Phuket, Phangna, and Ranong, three of the worst affected provinces. FCF partners assisted in the grassroots development and staffing of a daycare center for tsunami orphans and children of tsunami survivors, and remain involved in ongoing restructuring efforts.

INDONESIA – FCF focused efforts in Aceh, with trauma counseling in coordination with the Red Cross, as well as mobile phone and aid distribution, and is now concentrating on replacement of fishing boats for the villagers.

100% of each donation designated for tsunami relief has been sent to fund relief efforts directly benefiting tsunami survivors in the hardest hit areas. For a relatively modest sum, certainly when related to North American standards, entire villages can be assisted and the livelihood of hundreds of families can be restored through well-targeted aid.