These are some of the many past emergencies which Anglicord has responded to with the generous support of donors in Australia.
Pakistan Floods 2010
Severe floods in Pakistan killed more than 1,600 people, left more than 2 million people homeless and affected at least 13 million people.
According to the country’s National Disaster Management Authority, the 2010 floods were the worst disaster in Pakistan’s history.
Read about life in Pakistan after the floods
Haiti Earthquake Emergency Appeal
On 12 January 2010 a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the impoverished nation of Haiti.
The earthquake – the biggest to hit in Haiti in more than 200 years – killed more than 222,500 people and injured a further 200,000.
More than 1.2 million people sought refuge in temporary settlements and 467,701 people left the severely damaged capital Port-au-Prince for other areas.
Read the twelve month update report on the disaster.
Read the six month update report on this appeal.
Pacific Tsunami Appeal
A series of devastating tsunamis struck Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga in 2009 killing scores of people, flattening villages and causing massive destruction. At least 150 people were killed by the deadly waves with struck the South Pacific countries on 29 September of that year.
Donations from Anglicord supporters helped those affected by the tsunamis in the South Pacific.
Gaza Emergency Appeal
Hundreds of Palestinians – including many civilians – were killed and wounded during a massive air and ground offensive launched by Israel in late 2008 and early 2009. Israel said the invasion was designed to target Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Many of the killed and wounded were civilians. And many of the dying, sick and wounded were treated at the Anglican Al Ahli Arab Hospital, which has been supported by Anglicord for over 20 years.
Al Ahli Arab Hospital is always short of vital medical supplies and personnel because of the crippling border closures. But the bombardment pushed the hospital to breaking point. The director of the hospital, Suhaila Tarazi, described the situation as “a real massacre” and “catastrophic”. The generous support of AngliCORD supporters helped the hospital to provide urgently needed medical supplies and operations.
Zimbabwe Emergency Appeal
As a terrible cholera oubreak swept across Zimbabwe in early 2009 Anglicord warned that far worse was yet to come, with around 6 million people facing starvation. Maize production had collapsed and there had been almost total crop failure in some areas. Many people needed food handouts just to stay alive during the traditional hunger months from January to March.
Donations to the Zimbabwe Emergency Appeal went into an international campaign coordinated by the Act Alliance to avert starvation; provide clean, safe water and improve sanitation facilities in seven districts in Zimbabwe.
Burma
More than 2 million people were affected by Cyclone Nargis which struck Burma on May 2, 2008. The military junta imposed restriction on access by international agencies, but local people, including churches and Non Government Organisations, worked hard to bring relief to survivors in the worst affected areas. The ACT Alliance responded on behalf of member agencies including Anglicord.
Indian Ocean Tsunami
On December 26, 2004, the world was shocked by a devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean. The disaster killed as many as 230,000 and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Within hours ACT Alliance members in India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka mobilised relief assistance teams through their local partner networks.
The response in Australia was rapid and generous. Donations from Anglicans across Australia for Anglicord's tsunami appeal topped $880,000. These funds were used utilised through the ACT Alliance network in Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.
Relief and rehabilitation and long-term development programs were fraught with challenges and difficulties, given the unprecedented loss of life and the destruction. Thousands of people remained without permanent homes for a long time while many more struggled to make ends meet.
Anglicord remained committed to the long-term recovery efforts in tsunami-affected areas with funds being directed towards rehabilitation programs covering shelter, livelihood, education, water provision, disaster preparedness and building resilient communities by assisting people through income generation.