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It is constructing more than 1.9 million earthquake-resistant homes, 660 schools and 2,000 medical clinics and hospitals in the worst-affected provinces.
Recovery
Five million houses need to be built and this makes the reconstruction efforts comparable to rebuilding Sweden or major cities such as London or New Delhi.
While reconstruction continues at full speed, there are families especially those living in the more rural and mountainous areas that are still living in temporary shelters.
As well as shelter, the Federation’s recovery support programme includes livelihoods, water and sanitation, healthcare and preparing communities for future disasters. Money raised by the British Red Cross appeal is supporting the livelihoods programme, which involves microfinance and vocational training.
Emergency relief
In the immediate aftermath of the quake, Red Cross staff and volunteers distributed tents, food, water, clothes and medicine, reaching more than one million survivors. They were also heavily involved in the rescue and treatment of the injured pulled alive from the rubble.
As the focus in China turned to safeguarding the health of survivors, a British Red Cross team that specialises in preventing the outbreak of disease was deployed for two months. The four-member response team built 300 latrines and conducted hygiene promotion training in Jiulong and Banqiao townships.
The Federation also sent several psychosocial support teams to the affected area to provide emotional and practical help for survivors.
As well as deploying logistics and sanitation experts to support the emergency response, the British Red Cross immediately made a £25,000 donation from its own Disaster Fund and launched an appeal on 14 May 2008. The appeal raised £4.8 million, enabling us to support people both in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and in the long journey to full recovery.
Updated February 2010
More about the China earthquake | 
