In May 2008, over 70,000 people were killed when a massive earthquake struck the Sichuan region of China.

In the devastation that followed, around 1.5 million people were left homeless and without food and clean water.

ActionAid immediately enacted a disaster relief plan helping 23,500 people with basics such as food, medicines, and toiletries.

A further 2,200 people and families were given longer term assistance including livestock, fertiliser and tools for small-scale farming as well as grants for re-building homes including small-scale, renewable energy generation.

ActionAid has huge disaster relief experience and were asked to advise on the government’s five-year strategic plan for earthquake rehabilitation.

Sichuan is still struggling to recover from the earthquake, a process that will take many years and huge amounts of aid. The priorities are:

- improving services and infrastructure in resettlement areas
- risk assessment and planning for future earthquakes
- helping people rebuild their livelihoods

ActionAid will continue working in the region to make the above a reality.

One of the best ways you can help ActionAid is by sponsoring a child.