The last financial year has seen $37 million donated from the Disaster Relief Fund to aid people overseas in distress. It brings the total amount of grants disbursed to $332 million since the fund's establishment in December 1993.

For 2004-05, assistance was given through 18 projects operated by seven relief organisations to help tide victims over several calamities. The Government also responded to direct appeals for cash grants and relief supplies from four countries affected by the South Asian earthquake and tsunami.

Since December, 12 grants amounting to $24.77 million have been approved for tsunami relief in India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

In August and September, four disbursements totalling $6.59 million were sent to flood victims in Anhui, Henan, Hunan, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces. Two grants of $960,000 and $1 million were disbursed to flood victims in Bangladesh and India in August.

A grant of $1 million was made in August for displaced people in Sudan. Another $1-million grant was approved in September to help Kenyan drought victims. Two more disbursements totalling $2 million were sent to provide assistance to typhoon victims in the Philippines last January.

Organisations receiving grants must submit evaluation reports and audited accounts to the Government after the completion of the relief projects.