WFP

In Depth

A TINY NATION SHATTERED: THE MALDIVES SIX MONTHS AFTER TSUNAMI

On 26 December 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami crashed over the Maldives, sweeping away loved ones and livelihoods, homes and resources. Six months later, many people still have no proper housing, no income and no means of producing their own food. Nina Kolbjornsen tells one family's story.

On my first trip to Kolhofushi in Meemu atoll at the end of January 2005, I met Hadheeja.

She was living in a tent together with her extended family of eight people.

COMMUNAL FEEDING

All their meals were taken in the communal feeding centre, and Hadheeja and her mother and sisters were part of the rotational cooking team.

Many donors had given food but a lot of it was in forms that were unknown to Maldivians, and was therefore left to waste.

The rice and sugar from WFP, combined with the wheat flour and condiments provided by the government of the Maldives, was consumed daily and made up the biggest part of their diet.

FORTIFIED BISCUITS

Hadheeja’s little brother was receiving a packet of fortified biscuits every day he attended school.

This meant Hadheeja and her mother and sisters could help out with food preparations and get on with cleaning the house without worrying about giving Hadheeja's brother a break-time meal.

FIVE MONTHS LATER

Five months later I meet Hadheeja again.

Her family has moved into a temporary shelter with two rooms so that they don’t all have to live in one room.

SHARED KITCHEN

Hadheejas family shares a kitchen with three other families, where they all store the food they receive from WFP.

The four families cook together, and now that they are also receiving pulses and oil from WFP, they can afford to spend a little money on condiments and other extras.

FOOD AID

Hadheeja and her mother feel they will continue to depend on food aid until they are resettled in their new home.

Hadheeja’s father is a fisherman who works on the one fishing vessel the island has.

DAMAGED RESORT

Her brother used to work at a nearby resort, earning most of the family’s income, but the resort was seriously damaged by the tsunami and will not re-open until October.

Only then will her brother find out if he can get his old job back, depending on how many visitors the resort has.

Hadheeja and her mother say the fact that they receive the basic food commodities means there is one less thing to worry about.

FROM:
Nina Kolbjornsen
The Maldives

A tiny nation shattered by the tsunami

On 20 December 2004, the Maldives celebrated leaving the list of the world's least developed countries.

It's people were doing well, building a burgeoning economy based on tourism, tuna fishing and international business.

Just six days later, the tsunami shattered the celebrations, sweeping away not just loved ones and homes but many of the archipelago's profitable tourist resorts, and with them many of the islanders' jobs.

The tsunami also destroyed fishing vessels and fish processing factories, depriving many islanders of their livelihoods.

Experts estimate that the damage caused by the tsunami cost the equivalent of 62 percent of the tiny nation's GDP.

The giant waves also left an insidious legacy: soil contaminated by high salt levels, making it almost impossible to grow food.

Families have been left with no proper housing, no income and almost no way of producing their own food.

WFP continues to provide food aid to the communities worst affected by the tsunami so that they can focus their energy and resources on rebuilding their homes and businesses.

Related stories

In Depth , 22 June 2005: Tsunami six months on: WFP shifts gear

In Brief , 22 June 2005: Six months after the tsunami, WFP shifts from rescue to recovery

Contact WFP
For more information please contact: Nina Kolbjornsen WFP/Maldives tel: +960 7794100 nina.kolbjornsen@wfp.org