Durie, the 'Tsunami' teacher

Durie, the ‘Tsunami’ Teacher is the first of 'Tsunami Story Books', a series of illustrated real-life stories from the Asia-Pacific for children. 

Durie Hickie is a teacher in the Solomon Islands. Although she experienced hundreds of earthquakes in her hometown of Simbo Island, none had triggered a tsunami. Until the morning of April 2 2008. “I was terrified. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I was afraid it was the end of the world.” Durie recalled. Read her story.

The UNDP ‘Tsunami Story Books’ is a series of illustrated real-life stories from the Asia-Pacific region that aims to help children better understand the magnitude of a tsunami and how to be prepared. Each story features different community heroes and explains how children can protect themselves, their families, and friends from tsunamis and manage difficult emotions when confronted with a tsunami. The books – aimed primarily at children aged 6-11 years old – are part of the ‘Strengthening School Tsunami Preparedness in Asia-Pacific’, a United Nations Development Programme project, in partnership with the Government of Japan.