Aid Agency says Number of Tsunami Orphans Less than Feared

The disastrous tsunami in the Indian Ocean has claimed the lives of 295,000, according to the latest official figures. Entering into the stage of the recovery and rehabilitation as declared by aid agencies, the continuous care and support for the vulnerable survivors such as widows and orphans is crucial.

Save the Children is the largest independent international assistance organisation operating in the Aceh province of Indonesia - the worst tsunami hit region. According to the organisation’s latest release on Tuesday, the number of children left without any surviving relatives in Aceh may not be as high as initially feared.

The provincial headquarter of Save the Children at Banda Aceh, has unveiled a consolidated list of more than 175 children who have been found alone. The list was collated with three other organisations, including the ministry of social affairs, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second-biggest Muslim organisation.

Senior Save the Children official Mike Kiernan told Reuters the list is a very first step and the right direction to allow those who have lost their parents or children to find each other.

A report issued by the World Bank and Indonesian authorities last month estimated that nearly 8,000 children may have lost both their parents. Tens of thousands more are thought to have lost one parent.

Kienan said after the release of the list, even though more names are expected to be added, "It does indicate that the number of children who are alone is smaller than we initially thought, and that's good news."

"That is a major concern of ours and there is a very rigorous validation process we go through to ensure that the adult claiming a child is the real parent or relative," he continued.

Adults seeking lost children are shown five pictures of youngsters. If they correctly identify the missing child, additional questions are asked, such as the child's favourite food, the names of school friends and what they were last seen wearing. The child is also asked questions and shown pictures of adults.

Before the consolidated list had been drawn up, Save the Children had 71 youngsters on its list, just 15 of whom had been reunited with relatives since the tsunami. Now the process is expected to be speeded up.

According to Save the Children, which has 30 years of experience in serving Indonesia, the number of parents missing children, and children missing parents is a reminder that the lasting psychological damage resulting from one of the world's worst natural disasters may never heal, festering long after the rebuilding of devastated homes and livelihoods.

Charles MacCormack, President and CEO of Save the Children has just returned from Banda Aceh. He said, "The images on television cannot capture the reality of destruction and loss resulting from the tsunami. In 35 years in responding to crisis, I have never seen such devastation."

Since the first hours of the earthquake and tsunami, Save the Children mobilised resources to address the critical needs of children and their families, including food, health, shelter and protection from exploitation.

"One month later, 75 percent of emergency needs are being met," added MacCormack, noting that children, young people and their families and Save the Children staff have been heroic in responding to the needs of their friends and neighbours.

Aceh province on the north-western tip of Sumatra Island lay closest to the epicentre of the magnitude 9 earthquake and bore the brunt of the deaths. Authorities said on Tuesday 115,628 bodies had so far been buried and 127,749 people were still unaccounted for.