Eccleston in Aceh
| Celebrated actor and British Red Cross supporter Christopher Eccleston has just returned from Indonesia where he saw how people are recovering one year after the tsunami.
The former Doctor Who visited Banda Aceh, which was particularly devastated by the Boxing Day tragedy.
Chris met British Red Cross staff who are working alongside local volunteers from the Indonesian Red Cross to help rebuild people’s lives. | | |  | |
| The week-long trip was filmed by a BBC crew, which has been broadcast over three days on the primetime BBC Breakfast programme.
“I’m now realising how long and complex a recovery operation like this is,” Chris said. “Twelve months is no time at all. It’s impossible for me to understand what’s happened to these people, all I can tell you is what I’ve seen – bravery, courage and defiance – which has been very humbling.” | |
 | | | The Red Cross is providing local people with cash grants to help them restart their businesses. To date, more than 3,000 families in Aceh have opened bank accounts and received their first account payments thanks to the charity’s pioneering cash support programme. | |
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Chris also travelled to Pulo Aceh, a group of islands just off Banda Aceh, to witness the start of reconstruction of the hundreds of homes that were lost.
The British Red Cross has been working with local people on the island to make sure that house designs are not only practical, but also liked by the islanders.
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