Indonesia Earthquake: GlobalGiving Relief Fund

More than six months have passed since the earthquake struck Indonesia, affecting the city of Padang and approximately 250,000 families. After such a disaster it takes some time to put the pieces of people’s lives back together, but with the help of donors like you, GlobalGiving partners have been making serious efforts on the ground. Read on to catch a glimpse of their much needed work!

CHF International’s Natalie Taggart gives an update on January 22nd:

“In response to the September 30th, 2009, 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck 30 miles northwest of the Indonesian city of Padang, CHF International quickly began implementation of a transitional shelter program in several earthquake affected communities. The Building Indonesian Livelihoods and Transitional Shelter (BUILT) program, funded by USAID/OFDA, is providing 5,000 households in areas in Padang Pariaman with transitional shelter kits while supporting community recovery with initiatives in disaster risk reduction, water and sanitation, economic recovery, and infrastructure rehabilitation. CHF is also building the capacity of communities to recover quickly and strengthen both household and community preparedness for future disasters. At the center of this work is the importance of the time and effort invested by local volunteers.

Community contribution and investment is a pillar of the BUILT program, demonstrated by the large number of student and professional volunteers who work alongside CHF teams to select beneficiaries, provide technical assistance to shelter recipients, provide training and awareness for sanitation and disaster awareness issues, and conduct monitoring and evaluation. CHF’s volunteer corps currently consists of nearly 30 volunteers from the Engineering Department at Andalas University, and from independent community members in Pariaman town. Additionally, CHF has recently entered into a new partnership with the Civil Engineering and Planning Department at the University of Bung Hatta in Padang, to provide additional volunteers for disaster risk reduction awareness. Mr. Ir. Hendri Warman, the Dean of Civil Engineering and Planning at Bung Hatta, expressed support for the BUILT program. “This partnership will help communities to build back better. Our work with CHF is part of our commitment as an academic institution to encourage community resilience after disasters. We are happy to have this partnership because we believe that CHF International has a lot experience working with the community, and this can be a model for our future activities in earthquake recovery.”

Faisal Ferara, volunteering with CHF’s construction team to train and assist shelter beneficiaries, says, “I want to help because this is my hometown area, and I want to support my people.” Firzamon adds, “For those of us from the earthquake affected areas, we are motivated by a moral responsibility to assist our greater community.”

Lindsey Ballenger, from Water Missions International, writes about immediate relief work after the earthquake:

“Water Missions International began treating surface water and distributing it to refugee camps in Padang. Because the water source is located a lengthy distance from the camps, WMI technicians loaded the water treatment system onto a small trailer to mobilize it, making it possible to deliver safe water directly to those in need.

Twenty safe water storage tanks were transported to Padang yesterday. The tanks will allow WMI to set up multiple distribution points and serve more people.

An additional water treatment system is being transported to Pariaman, another city that suffered extensive damage from the quake. The system is expected to arrive early this week, once roads are cleared enough to get through by pick-up truck. This system will provide safe drinking water for up to 5,000 people.

Four more water treatment systems are being flown in from Jakarta and are expected to arrive today, Tuesday, October 6. Once WMI technicians on the ground can complete more assessments, the location of these water systems will be determined.”

Leader of PUSPEM Foundation, Andi Asriadi Rauf , writes:

“We have been carrying out activities to provide assistance for the development of non-formal education for children of earthquake vivtims in West Java. The funds we received from GlobalGiving donors of $ 646.59 we have used to buy school supplies emergency needs such as building our study location, purchase of textbooks, benches, blackboards, etc.

At the time of giving such assistance many students who wish to be granted the same relief, because they are also the average of the families affected by the earthquake, so that the equipment owned schools have all been destroyed and that none could be used.

At the time of the review team to Puspem do some student houses earthquake-stricken, his condition is very sad, because where they lived till now still a lot of sleeping under emergency tents and some schools did not get help repair the school so that children must learn under the tents.

As Anwar, one of which can help students said, "we are very sad and grateful for the assistance provided by the GlobalGiving through Community Development Study Center, to be honest this assistance is very useful for us. But still many of our friends that have not been able to help. We hope they can get help, and this assistance can be continued, because we really need it ".

The describe above shows how the assistance has been given to the children victims of the earthquake was much needed and eagerly awaited by the victims of the earthquake. Therefore, on behalf of earthquake victims in west sumatra hope to GlobalGiving and the donors to continue providing assistance to them.

Finally we would like to thank GlobalGiving donations for relief has been granted, and we hope to provide assistance and support until they can live decent and study as usual.”