The past year has been a huge endeavour for our management and field teams as we rolled out our recovery program after the 2010 tsunami devastated many of the Mentawai villages.

We have now moved into long-term recovery for affected communities and we have a new program called SeSe, which means ‘appropriate’ in Mentawai language.

During the Mentawai Tsunami Recovery Program, SurfAid worked with partner arche noVa to implement clean water facilities. Besides hardware, arche noVa also tried to increase awareness about hygiene practice. Although some public latrines were built by different international NGOs (non-governmental organisations), most of the community members were defecating in the open, in the forest or river.

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It’s just over a year since the earthquake and tsunami hit the Mentawai Islands on October 25, 2010. SurfAid was at the forefront of the emergency response. Once again, our experiences revealed to us the extent to which knowledge, resourcefulness and global community spirit can save lives. Helping people prepare for and deal with the recurrent natural disasters that are part of life in this region has become part of SurfAid’s mission.

SurfAid field activity this year has focused on our Tsunami Emergency Recovery Program in the Mentawai Islands, our Health Program in Nias, and the planning process for our new Emergency Preparedness (E-Prep) program in the Mentawai, Banyak and Telo islands.

We have launched an ‘Epic Mentawai’ campaign to raise funds for our work and all donations are greatly appreciated.

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SurfAid engineer Lamhot Purba works with community members to ensure solid and durable construction techniques. The Mentawai people are amazing craftsmen with timber. With technical assistance from SurfAid to improve strength and durability, the homes will be appropriate to their needs.

The 7.7M earthquake, which triggered a tsunami that has been recorded as being up to six metres (20 feet) high in some villages, struck 17 days ago at 9.41pm on Monday night 25 October.

The latest report from the Indonesian

Overnight a flood of imagery came through from our emergency relief teams in the field and the stark reality of the depth of this disaster hit home hard.

Our Mentawai Program Manager Tom Plummer filed this video clip from what used to be the village of Gogoa, on the island of Pagai Utara, and near the famous surf break Bat Cave.

So much destruction and so many lives lost, and survivors so shattered and scared that they can't even eat - even if food is available and in many cases that is running short. Some

A massive storm has moved into the Mentawai region making tsunami relief work even more difficult - and life more miserable for the local villagers who are living in makeshift shelters.

The storm is forecast to last up to four days and is creating hazardous ocean conditions - for both the 150-kilometre crossing from Padang and access to the isolated villages.

The latest report from the government command post in Sikakap, the main town in the Southern Mentawai, says that 23,087 people are now either displaced from their homes or affected by

SurfAid CEO Andrew Judge initially met with the Indonesian Vice President, Bapak Boediono, and Indonesian cabinet members, in Padang on Tuesday.

At that meeting, the Vice President asked SurfAid to provide an assessment to the Indonesian Government of the situation on the ground in the Mentawai Islands.

"To take the lead coordinating role in this disaster is a great honour and a huge level of responsibility,"