Many staff members — past and present — were involved in rebuilding homes and lives through Habitat for Humanity’s multi-year response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. They share their reflections.

Habitat for Humanity’s response to the Indian Ocean tsunami was made possible because of the contributions of volunteers. They traveled thousands of miles to commit time, labor and resources. Twenty years later, families and volunteers shared memorable moments.

Sandhiya, who lives in Villupuram district in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu, recalled how the volunteers provided support and comfort. “The quality of the construction was very good. Many international volunteers came and worked alongside us. They asked about our story while we worked together. We were very happy about such interaction that gave us mental relief at the time.”

Jean Smith and her daughter Jennifer Combs were among U.S. volunteers who helped rebuild homes in Killai village in Tamil Nadu. Jean said, “By the end of the project, we had formed wonderful friendships and mutual respect for these people who had lost everything.”

For Jennifer “my favorite part of the trip was meeting and engaging with the villagers. We played games with the kids, danced with the villagers, tried our hand at cricket, and shared meals.”

Olivia Wong, a long-term volunteer and present member of Habitat’s international board of directors, also remembered the family that her team worked with in post-tsunami Sri Lanka.

“My most memorable moment was the family we partnered with. It was a young family with parents and 3 kids. Their home was destroyed, and they were living in a makeshift shelter right next to their ‘new’ home. The father was earnest and worked hard to put in sweat equity to build a home for his family. He was meticulous and demanding of himself and this really made us want to work that much harder to make sure he and his family have a decent home to live in.

“The experience has shaped my view of the world and my life. On a personal level, I truly appreciate what ‘blessing’ really means. We only need to do our part to help one person to move forward one step at a time. As we combine each individual’s willingness to help, there will be a ‘tsunami’ of change.”

As Jean Smith thinks of the families who built alongside the volunteers, she said, “The project provided them with a home which enabled them to continue with their way of life. Yet, I know that they are changed forever. I hope the memories they live with have made them stronger.”

Among the worse-affected countries, India reported more than 16,000 people dead in the wake of the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami. The country’s economic loss came to US$1.7 billion. The catastrophe highlighted the vulnerability of coastal communities. Three families who have rebuilt their homes and lives with Habitat for Humanity India share how they have overcome challenges.

Rani’s family of five used to live in a thatched house near the beach in Villupuram district, southern India. She recalled, “Suddenly, the big waves came from the sea, completely destroying our house. We didn’t know what was happening. Everyone ran from the beach to the main road to survive.” Rani’s two children were taken by her mother to a safe place. Rescued by other villagers, Rani gave birth to her third child two weeks later.

With the support of Habitat for Humanity India, Rani’s family built a new brick home that was dedicated a year after the tsunami. After her husband Muniyan died in 2010, she had to bring up the children on her own. But Rani felt secure. “It is questionable whether I would have been at peace if I had not such a house.”

Currently, Rani lives with her youngest daughter Pavya while her married eldest daughter Narmatha stays in a village nearby. Rani’s son is currently working abroad in the fishing industry. She said, “I have to save some money and build another room so that my son who is going to get married will be comfortable.”

Another villager Porkalai recalled the difficult times when many tsunami-affected families had to stay in relief camps. There was a sense of insecurity. With the support of Habitat staff and volunteers, Porkalai and her husband, who had since passed away, were able to build a new home that was more spacious, better ventilated and with access to electricity.

Porkalai’s second daughter Surya said, “Now all our children are grown up. But they come and stay with my mother and take good care of her. Even though my mother is old, we are relieved that she is in a safe house.”

Others in the village feel a sense of security. Sandhiya said, “We left our children safely at home and went to work. As a result, our family’s economic situation improved to some extent. We educated our children well and saw them get married. Now they live happily with their husbands and children.”

Her daughter Sivalaksmi recalled that there were only four or five concrete houses back then with most people living in huts. According to her, villagers respect others based on the condition of their houses. While her family had low income, they were able to build a quality home with Habitat’s support. “We got an honor that we did not have before. After that, there was an atmosphere of equality in the village.”

Her daughter Sivalaksmi recalled that there were only four or five concrete houses back then with most people living in huts. According to her, villagers respect others based on the condition of their houses. While her family had low income, they were able to build a quality home with Habitat’s support. “We got an honor that we did not have before. After that, there was an atmosphere of equality in the village.”

Sivalaksmi remembered being happy in their new home when she was young. It was airy and had sufficient light. Having a toilet — which they did not have before — was a new experience too.

Of the 230,000 people who were killed by the massive December 2004 tsunami, about three-quarters of them died in Indonesia alone. On the 20th anniversary of the disaster, Karnen Dasen, who lived in Indonesia’s hardest-hit Aceh province, recalled what happened.

Then a university student in Ajun village, he said, “It was a quiet Sunday morning on December 26, 2004. I had just woken up when a powerful earthquake shook my village in Aceh, Indonesia. About 30 minutes later, I heard a strange noise like a jet plane. Then I saw something I’ll never forget — a massive wall of water rushing toward us. I grabbed my sibling and ran out of the house. People were running, some hurt, others just trying to find their loved ones.

After the waves had receded, I tried to return home but debris blocked the road. As I attempted to get closer, I saw something that really shook me — many bodies were stranded among the rubble. It really hit me just how massive the destruction was.

My family members managed to escape. But about 50 people in Ajun village where I lived lost their lives. About one fifth of the houses were destroyed with many others damaged.

Surviving the tsunami and its aftermath taught me resilience and gave me the strength to face challenges. In June 2005, I began working part-time with a humanitarian organization. Since then, I’ve never wanted to do anything else.

As a civil engineering graduate, I became passionate about disaster resilience and committed to helping communities recover and rebuild. This experience is one of the main reasons I chose to work with Habitat for Humanity. I know firsthand how important it is to have safe and resilient homes, infrastructure, and systems that protect people and help them rebuild their lives after a disaster.”

MANILA (Dec. 26, 2024) — Twenty years have passed since the Indian Ocean tsunami struck on December 26, 2004. The deadliest and most destructive tsunami in recorded history killed over 230,000 people and left 2 million people homeless across 14 countries. According to Swiss Re, total losses exceeded US$13 billion and were mostly uninsured.  Indonesia was hit the hardest by the disaster, followed by Sri Lanka and Thailand and India in Asia and the Pacific.

Communities and individuals were also profoundly affected by one of the deadliest disasters in modern history. We share stories of individuals, families, volunteers and Habitat for Humanity staff members for whom the Indian Ocean tsunami left an indelible mark.

NEPAL (November 2024) — By Laxmi’s estimate, there are 2,600 former Haliyas like her in Kanchanpur district where she lives. The Haliyas are agricultural bonded laborers who are forced by extreme poverty or debt to till the land for landlords and do heavy manual work. They were not paid wages and received small portions of food. Many members of the lowest caste known as Dalits in western and far west Nepal were trapped in such situations.

In September 2008, the government of Nepal declared the liberation of Haliyas. Due to a lack of formal education or technical skills, many Haliyas struggled to enter the labor market. An overwhelming majority, or 97%, of Haliyas do not possess land that they could cultivate for their own benefit. As of 2010, the National Haliya Liberation Federation estimated that there were 150,000 bonded agricultural laborers in Nepal’s far western region. They called for the prompt abolition of the Haliya system and for the freed persons to be given training, financial support, education and rehabilitation as well as land. Micro-credit programs should also be implemented to help Haliyas access economic support.

In the present time, Laxmi, 31, shared that the situation has not greatly improved. “I have received some form of government support though not fully,” she said. Other ex-Haliyas still lack adequate housing, land ownership and educational opportunities for their children.

Building self-reliance
A 2021 media article cited Parbat Sunar, the central general secretary of the Freed Haliya Society. He urged, “Only declaring the Haliyas free is not enough. We could be self-dependent if we were provided with skill training.” Sunar’s sentiment is shared by Laxmi who is concerned about fellow Haliya women’s independence. Volunteering with the executive board of the Haliya Freed Society, she coordinates livelihood skills training with the support of the International Labor Organization. Popular courses include beauty services, tailoring, house painting, masonry and vegetable farming. “Haliya women who were shy to leave their homes are now attending the training,” she said.

According to Laxmi, Dalits and Haliyas are particularly marginalized in a patriarchal society. “Because the women are not educated and lack skills, they depend on their husbands to earn money. I want other women to upgrade and learn skills. If anything happens in the future, women can bring up their children and provide for themselves.”

Her comments reflect the findings of a report. Haliya women face discrimination on various fronts. This includes not receiving the same pay as men for the same work. Only one in two Haliya women can read and write, lower than the nation’s average literacy rate of 67%.

Compared to some of her peers, Laxmi has made progress in life. She lives with her husband Prakash, 32, in a two-room house that was designed by her father-in-law who is a skilled mason. In the past, the couple used to live with Prakash’s parents and his brothers. The house became overcrowded when the brothers got married and started their own families. Laxmi’s mother-in-law has 600 square feet of land in her name which is distributed equally among the three sons.

On her husband’s share of the land, the couple helped to build their own home by carrying bricks, mixing mortar, applying primer to the walls and painting the window grilles. A 3.5-feet plinth helps to prevent rainwater from getting into the house during the monsoon season.

Haliyas who were freed from bonded labor were eligible for government funds to help them build homes and/or purchase land. In Laxmi’s case, she was eligible for middle grade support of about 125,000 Nepalese rupees as her husband’s family owned some land. For home construction, the government funds were disbursed in two tranches. Typically, 60% of the funds was disbursed in the first tranche. The remaining funds would be released when a future homeowner had completed most of the house’s foundation. Laxmi and her husband worked hard to build their a new home but they needed further support. That was when Habitat for Humanity Nepal stepped in to help.

Their house was finally completed in 2021, after Nepal lifted the second lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Laxmi loves children though she does not have any of her own. Children from her neighbors and her brother-in-laws’ children would often come over and hang out in the spare room of her home.

Looking ahead
“We took one-and-a-half years to complete the house. Still, much work needs to be done,” Laxmi said. “The basic is fulfilled. But we can never complete working on a house. Even for women, we cannot be completely done with make-up and jewelry.” She plans to hire skilled craftsmen to create decorative motifs, put up railing around the house, paint the inside walls and upgrade the kitchen by putting in a window.

She came up with the idea of putting tiles on the floor of the veranda. “This is my own house. I believe my home is a temple — it should be clean, beautiful, tidy and safe.”

Since 1997, Habitat for Humanity Nepal has worked with more than 1 million people to build or improve the place they call home. We collaborate and partner with local and provincial governments on social housing initiatives and advocate for land and housing rights for marginalized communities. To promote sustainable housing at scale, Habitat Nepal influences local governments to adopt housing strategies that incorporate affordable, climate-smart construction technologies. We also respond to major disasters, help communities reduce disaster risks and foster the development of housing market systems.