Sani's daughter, Yus, unpacks a hygiene kit from Save the Children.

Sani, a widow with four children at home, was cooking rice in their house in Sunai Pangai, Indonesia, when the earth began to rock Moments later, the entire back wall of the house collapsed She and the children were unhurt – but they spent the rest of the day and all the next on a nearby hillside, fearing a tsunami.

With your support and that of many more donors, Save the Children has rushed aid to Sani and her children – and to millions more families left in dire need after six recent major disasters in Indonesia, India, Nepal, Vietnam, the Philippines and the South Pacific islands of Samoa.

Even as relief continues, Save the Children is already starting longer-term recovery projects that you and our donor family also help make possible.

In Indonesia, the equivalent of $20 U.S. dollars enabled Save the Children to provide Sani and other families with shelter kits to create dry spaces for sleeping and living. The family also received another kit with $20 in essential supplies for health and hygiene.

One of Sani’s young daughters, Yus, excitedly opened the box of hygiene supplies. She carefully laid out the contents. She then turned with a beaming smile to her mother and proudly announced “I am going to take a bath now.” She excitedly chatted with her younger sister, Nita, while they waited for Sani to take them to the river to bathe.

When emergencies make children and families vulnerable, it can take so little to help them with shelter and health needs – such as the $20 shelter kits and hygiene kits Save the Children has distributed in Indonesia. Save the Children pools gifts from private donors with other funding to respond to such crises. Your generous unrestricted gift today or through a monthly donation will be used to help Save the Children engage in all our work around the world and in the U.S. Our work wouldn’t be possible without your support.

Give Monthly

Make a Gift

Last Updated October 2009