Tsunami Recovery Efforts

We committed $10 million over three years to help rebuild the devastated regions of South Asia after the 2004 tsunami. In consultation with our local business units, government and potential partners, we conducted a comprehensive needs assessment in Indonesia to focus our efforts on building institutional and human capacity. Some examples of our recovery contributions include:

• Providing short-term vocational training for 350 young people at Politeknik Caltex Riau, a polytechnic university, in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In 2006, more than 80 percent of the graduates found jobs within three months.
• Partnering with the government and USAID to build a new polytechnic school in Aceh province that will provide training in electronics, engineering and business accounting.
• Establishing five local financial institutions and providing 500 loans in targeted areas in partnership with Mercy Corps.