Low-cost housing

Widow and mother of eight, Ponnomma, stands proudly inside her new home with two of her daughters, Letcha and Nishanthini.

The house, built by Oxfam partner, the Affected Women's Foundation, is one of more than 600 low-cost houses being built by Oxfam partners for people in Sri Lanka living in extreme poverty indirectly affected by the tsunami.

"We never imagined we'd be able to move into such a house in our lifetime," Letcha says.

Photo: Howard Davies

Providing training

Mrs Ina Wira holds cocoa pods she has cut from her garden in Satekkutm on the Indonesian island of Nias. This crop, along with coffee, is the basis of her family's income.

Oxfam is providing business and vocational training to farmers, fishermen and traders on Nias to help them better market their products. We have also formed a partnership with the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute to introduce new tree varieties, better harvesting tools and cultivation techniques.

Photo: Jim Holmes

Going back to school

Students from the Shariputra school in Ahangama, southern Sri Lanka, celebrate their new school.

The school, one of eight being rebuilt by our partner Educational International, was severely damaged by the tsunami. Until now, the school's 1,340 students have been taught in temporary classrooms.

Photo: Howard Davies

Increasing incomes

Sri Lanka: Joseph Thanapalasingam lost all his crops to the tsunami when his land was contaminated with seawater.

Today he is one of 18 'lead farmers' who have been trained by Oxfam in alternative agricultural methods so that they in turn can train members of their own producer-groups.

“Since I converted to organic methods, my income is the same, but my outgoings are much lower, so my net income is higher,” Joseph explains.

Photo: Howard Davies

Public health training

Atinia, left, and Zulfikar, right, demonstrate what they have learnt during on Oxfam hygiene promotion campaign in the village of Satelit, on the Indonesian island of Nias.

The event was held before a meeting at which Oxfam handed over a public health project to the community. All of Oxfam's public health engineering work, such as the construction of latrines, water systems, and wells, is conducted in tandem with educational and awareness-raising activities.

Photo: Jim Holmes

Improving women's standing

Ranjani is secretary of a goat-rearing group, one of five women's groups set up by Oxfam partner SWOAD (Social Welfare Organisation Ampara District) in the Sri Lankan village of Thandiadi.

As well as providing the goats and a purpose-built shed, SWOAD has given them training in how to manage their savings, and advice on accessing funds from financial institutions.

"Women's standing in the village has improved. Often men cannot go out to work because of the security situation, making us the main breadwinners. Now we get much more respect," Ranjani explains.

Photo: Howard Davies

Putting down foundations

In Indonesia, Oxfam is replacing some 478 of the 578 semi-permanent half-timber houses it built in 2005 with permanent full masonry houses, such as here in Lhokseudu, west of Banda Aceh.

This complies with a new housing policy introduced in early 2006 by the BRR, the Indonesian overnment agency responsible for rebuilding Aceh.

Photo: Jim Holmes

Supporting livelihoods

Zubaidah, a member of an Oxfam-supported basket-weaving co-operative in the village of Lamgirek, northwestern Aceh, shows off her handiwork.

Oxfam is supporting women to get paid work outside the home. We provided 80 million rupiah (US$8,700) to assist the group with materials and a workspace, as well as working with handicrafts agency, Yagasu, to provide them with training and marketing advice.

Photo: Jim Holmes

Returning to the sea

Workers move a large reef-ball into position before it is deployed in the sea.

Oxfam partner Centre for Environment Education (CEE) develped this innovative way of increasing fish stocks, which were drastically reduced by the tsunami, and so boost the livelihoods of an estimated 500 families living near the town of Karaikal, in south-east India.

The Indian National Institute of Ocean Technology, which provided technical advise to CEE, believes catches will increase 30-fold within two years.

Photo: Marie Banu Jawahar