This article examines the ways in which women’s and men’s socio-economic situation within both the community and family in Indonesia and India have been affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and World Vision’s (WV) disaster management practices, and whether WV’s livelihood projects have or have not enabled women and men to initiate and/or develop sustainable and profitable livelihoods. Through analysing the projects of WV and other aid organisations, the findings demonstrated that there were numerous issues and difficulties for most NGOs in implementing livelihood projects with a gender focus and equity lens. The article recommended that humanitarian organisations adopt non-traditional livelihood training schemes alongside women’s self-help groups to help start small businesses.