Humanitarian Partnerships

Following a disaster, survivors face two challenges: first, immediate needs must be met to prevent further suffering; and second, devastated communities and environments must be restored. Often, however, the high demand for natural resources - which are needed to rebuild these communities - can cause even more destruction to the environment and actually increase community vulnerability to future disasters.

In the areas affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the environment represents an important asset. If properly managed and maintained, it can provide a solid base for communities to rebuild their lives. Forests provide materials for construction, watersheds provide drinking water, and marine ecosystems serve as a source of food and economic opportunity. Healthy environments can also help protect communities against the effects of future disasters, making it even more important to restore communities and natural resources together.

WWF and the American Red Cross Tsunami Recovery Program partnered from 2005-2006 to make sure that recovery programs include environmentally sustainable considerations - from design through implementation - which are essential for ensuring a long-lasting recovery for the affected communities.

An American Red Cross volunteer helps complete steel framing for new homes.
© American Red Cross/Bonnie Gillespie

WWF and American Red Cross Partnership for Tsunami Recovery
The tsunami that swept across the Indian Ocean in December 2004 devastated entire communities and natural environments. Hundreds of thousands of people lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods, leading to one of the largest international humanitarian responses in recent history. Shortly after the tsunami struck, WWF and the American Red Cross formed an innovative, five-year partnership to help survivors rebuild their communities as well as the natural environments on which they depend. By combining the humanitarian aid expertise of the American Red Cross with the environmental expertise of WWF, the partnership seeks to ensure a long-lasting recovery by restoring livelihoods, protecting natural resources, and strengthening communities against future disasters.

How did we work together?
As a global leader in delivering humanitarian aid, the American Red Cross worked to meet immediate needs and engaged in long-term recovery efforts in areas such as water and sanitation, housing, livelihoods and disaster management. As a leading authority on environment management, WWF advised the American Red Cross on better practices for rebuilding communities with a commitment to long-term recovery success. WWF provided guidance and training to help American Red Cross staff in the field address environmental issues as they helped communities recover. WWF wrote Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines as a road map to recovery and a guide for managing the consequences of disasters. These guidelines were initially developed by WWF in Indonesia in the wake of the 2004 tsunami to help the American Red Cross and others involved in tsunami reconstruction plan and implement projects while protecting local communities’ natural resources.

Read about the WWF-American Red Cross 'Garbage Bank' Project

Where did we focus our efforts?
WWF and the American Red Cross worked together in Indonesia, India, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand focusing on four major areas: shelter, disaster risk reduction, livelihoods, and water/sanitation.How did we work together? As a global leader in delivering humanitarian aid, the American Red Cross met immediate needs and engaged in long-term recovery efforts in areas such as water and sanitation, housing, livelihoods and disaster management. As a leading authority on environment management, WWF advised the American Red Cross on better practices for rebuilding communities with a commitment to long-term recovery success. WWF provided guidance to help American Red Cross staff in the field address environmental issues as they helped communities recover.