HONG KONG
On a cold numerical scale, the impact of the tsunami on Hong Kong was dwarfed by that on those nations directly affected.
But the images of suffering on ourdoorstep, and the loss of 40 Hongkongers to the waves, shook our community to its core. And in the year that has passed, it has helped reshape our notions of what it is to be responsible global citizens.
The billion-plus dollars in donations that have come from Hong Kong pockets stand as testimony to our city's generosity. Schoolchildren, domestic helpers, corporations and the media co-ordinated activities across Hong Kong to raise funds and awareness. A South China Morning Post campaign for the tsunami children raised $9.4 million in just two weeks.
But for hundreds of people, cash was an inadequate response to a tragedy of such magnitude and they flew to the affected areas to offer their medical or counselling skills, or just pure brawn.
Among them was Suraiya Kamaruzzaman, an Indonesian researcher at City University, who left her job and filed away hopes for a PhD to go back to Aceh to help with reconstruction work.
