Remember the tsunami?

Backpacker Holly Wilkinson went to Thailand expecting exotic islands and parties; little did she know she’d have the time of her life re-building people’s homes.

Traditional longtail boat moored amidst the debris. Beachside memorial to tsunami victims. House construction in progress. Thai and international volunteers working hand in hand.

Having done little planning for a summer backpacking in Thailand I had no idea what to expect. I had all the usual, if vague, notions of the East - ornate temples filled with golden Buddhas, exotic islands and hedonistic moon-worshipping parties. But as well as all that I knew it to be a country devastated by the December 2004 tsunami and I was curious to find out how the redevelopment process was progressing.

My brother, who had been travelling in Thailand when the tsunami hit, seemed to imply that there wouldn’t be much development work still in progress. Whilst he may have been right that in many areas in the South it’s hard to see that the tsunami ever happened, further up the coast work is still very much in progress.

Khao Lak, where 78 per cent of Thailand’s total deaths and heaviest damage occurred, is home to long stretches of unspoiled, deserted beaches. Looking out to sea it’s hard to imagine anything disturbing such a beautiful coastline, but look the other way and the effects of the tsunami are only too patent. More than a year and a half on, the beach is scattered with debris, half finished developments, and poignant memorials. This was not what I had expected. Since media focus has shifted away from the events of December 2004, the implication is that the area has all the help it needs.

At the Tsunami Volunteer Centre (TVC) I discovered that this was not the case at all. In fact, the centre has suffered very much from the lack of media attention and dwindling volunteer numbers. My seemingly morbid curiosity actually turned out to be much needed interest; before I knew it I had changed my flight home and signed up for a couple of weeks volunteering on the construction project in nearby Nam Khem, a village which lost 50per cent of its inhabitants in the tsunami.

The TVC believes in ‘restoration through empowerment’, and through its five construction projects over 500 people have been returned to permanent shelter. Their projects have turned these devastating events into a positive experience for all involved. The villagers, mainly fishermen, have had the opportunity to learn many new skills. Those who aren’t involved in construction are allowed to customise their house - from the colour (even if it is purple!), to the layout of windows and walls - allowing a population displaced and dispossessed by the tsunami to create their own sense of ownership and community.

Volunteering for the TVC, despite being given hard and often menial tasks, gave me the chance to meet a wealth of extraordinary and enthusiastic people, and was an invaluable experience. Never before would I have imagined myself working alongside Mike, an 80-year-old British ex-pat who liked ‘to do something worthwhile instead of waiting for God’, at the same time as Jackson, from Bangkok, whose favourite phrase ‘Volunteer never die!’ always raised a smile.

As a partner organization TVC is driven exclusively by community needs, meaning that it will exist only until there is no more help required in the area. With current projects expected to continue until at least January 2007, there is plenty of opportunity to get involved - making it a great possibility for anyone looking to do something more worthwhile on their travels.