The Sahana Software Foundation's roots began after the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami on December 26, 2004, when a team of Sri Lankan technology workers associated with the Lanka Software Foundation (LSF) developed software that could be used by the government to coordinate assistance for those affected by the tsunami. Sahana was created for information management and collaboration in the aftermath. The software was designed to resolve common coordination problems that arise during a disaster, including facilitating the search for missing people, aid and volunteer management, and victim tracking across refugee camps.