OTTAWA —  The Honourable Aileen Carroll, Minister of International Cooperation, today announced that Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will allocate a further $33 million to rehabilitate and rebuild tsunami-affected countries. The projects will be carried out primarily by Canadian non-governmental organizations in India, Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

"When Canadians see people in need, they respond generously. One year after the tsunami, Canada's aid continues to make a difference," said Minister Carroll. "We know that reconstruction will take years and CIDA, and its partners, are committed for the long haul, to help people rebuild their lives. I am especially pleased that the Report of the Auditor General, released today, confirms that the funds for the relief effort were well managed. This is, of course, extremely important."

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

Indonesia

• $4.9 million to Development and Peace for the construction of 550 permanent earthquake-proof houses and related community infrastructure in ravaged coastal villages of Aceh. The project will be implemented with the active participation of beneficiary community organizations.

• $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.

• $7.7 million to provide microcredit support and training for tsunami-affected credit unions and their members. This funding, which will go to the Canadian Co-operative Association, Développement 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, and strengthening information systems and database management. 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 Québec 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 for domestic and agricultural purposes and to strengthen these communities' ability to cope with future disasters.

• $2 million for a land-reclamation project, undertaken by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, to rehabilitate shallow wells and reclaim agricultural land flooded by saltwater as a result of the tsunami.

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

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 full- service medical facility and 20  community-based psycho-social trauma and social rehabilitation support centres in the area.

• $300,000 to the Canadian Baptist Ministries for its Sharing Way for Indian Fishing Villages Reconstruction Project. The project will improve the lives of 6,120 tsunami survivors with the rebuilding of 400 homes. In addition, three cyclone shelters, which also function as school buildings, will be rebuilt.