The Tsunami on 26th December 2004 killed and injured more than 500,000 people making it one of the worlds deadliest natural disasters recorded in history.

Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust has implemented and co-ordinated several projects for the welfare of poor people in some of the worst tsunami affected districts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
The salient features of these projects are as under:

RNCT with the support of a donor is implementing a major project to provide orthopedic assistance to victims in these areas. They are providing free distribution of tricycles, wheelchairs and crutches as well as free fitting of Jaipur Foot to amputees.

The project is being implemented with custom built Mobile Orthopedic Clinic Vans equipped with Machinery, Tools, Raw materials and Consumables and manned by a team of trained technicians.

The project has rehabilitated more than 12,000 physically handicapped till date and will continue till end 2007.

RNCT has coordinated with a local NGO for the construction and equipping of a vocational training center at Cuddalore-a tsunami affected area of Tamil Nadu. This center is being used exclusively to impart training to women from the tsunami affected families and will assist them in becoming economically independent.

Female beneficiaries from 20 surrounding tsunami affected villages are being trained at this centre by suitable resource persons in several vocational options like Sewing, Embroidery, Computers and others.

In association with local NGOs RNCT has organized the free distribution of a substantial number of Bicycles in the tsunami affected areas especially to school going children to enable them to continue with their education.

In the aftermath of the disaster and the consequent disruption in the educational system these bicycles have proved to be a boon for those who have had to travel a considerable distance to pursue their studies.

As the Sewing Machine is one of the most effective yet economical tool for the economic independence of women in rural and semi-urban regions, RNCT has distributed sewing machines-both hand and foot operated to women from the Tsunami affected areas who knew basic stitching and had the aptitude and interest to adopt it as a means for livelihood. These women can operate from their confines of their houses at their own convenience and manage a reasonable income.