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| Emergency Response project following the Bengkulu earthquake of September 2007 to assist affected communities in North Bengkulu. |
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Background
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Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is on the southwest coast of the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of West Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra and Lampung. The capital and largest city of the province is Bengkulu city. Bengkulu lies near the Sunda Fault and is prone to earthquakes and Tsunamis. In June of 2000 a quake caused a large degree of damage and the loss of at least 100 people.
On September 12, 2007 an earthquake measuring 8.4 on the Richter scale devastated several parts of Bengkulu. Several aftershocks measuring around 6 to 7 on the Richter scale further impacted the area. Most of the survivors sought refuge in high land to avoid subsequent tsunami. Most of these survivors were existing in very basic emergency shelter, or even tents. Due to geographic isolation and poor communication infrastructure many of these displaced people had not received any assistance at the time that BAHARI reached their camps. |
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| Program objective |
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| The main goal of this project was to assist in the emergency response following the September earthquake in Bengkulu. Our team focused particularly on vulnerable rural communities that were most isolated in North Bengkulu District and were not receiving any aid. Aside from initial search and rescue work, our objective was to assist these communities re-build their villages and re-establish safe water supplies. Food, water and educational support were provided to displace families throughout the reconstruction period. |
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| Program activities conducted to achieve this objective |
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Assessment
The IDEP/BAHARI team conducted a rapid assessment of the situation immediately after the earthquake in order to identify a target beneficiary group. The target group were isolated communities that had not received any other support from emergency teams. North Bengkulu in particular was chosen as an area of focus, as there are a lot of remote villages that were difficult to access and that were not receiving any assistance.
The area known as Lais and Air Sebakul sub district were the area wost hit by the earthquake. IDEP/Bahari team decided to work in Batiknau sub districts (a new sub-district which was used to be part of Lais) and Katahun sub district that were identified as highly vulnerable communities due to their remoteness. IDEP/Bahari decided to make Serangai village in Ketahun, which was devastated by the tsunami caused by the earthquake, the base camp for the project operation in the field. Following the assessment and community consultation IDEP/Bahari team found that besides food and shelter, the area was in dire need of clean water. The power of the earthquake had substantial damaged the public facilities and private dwellings. The tsunami which was followed the earthquake had destroyed the community water supply infrastructure. Most of the water resources in the area were contaminated with salt water, making the communities depended solely on water provision from outside for their daily consumption.
Detailed description of activities
Based on the needs assessment conducted by the BAHARI team, a multi faceted program was developed in order to to address the priorities of the affected communities. A team of 20 BAHARI volunteers assisted by 44 community volunteers was assembled to deliver the following aid:
- Emergency food rations distributed to 2000 families for a period of one month. Target areas included 3 villages in Ketahun Sub district (Serangai, Air Lakok, and Air Simpang), and 2 villages in Batiknau Sub district (Giri Kencana and Urai)
- High protein and nutritious food distributed to children under 5 and pregnant women, reaching more to 1000 families in the same villages listed above.
- Provision of 20 water tanks in 3 sub districts (Ketahun, Batiknau and Lais)
- Provision of clean water at 10 water points ( 600-700 liters) across Ketahun and Batiknau Sub district to communities whose water resource contaminated with salt water. Approximately 250 families or 1500 people benefited from this assistance.
- Distribution of 1700 Tarpaulins in 3 sub district for emergency shelter in 3 sub districts (Ketahun, Batiknau and Lais).
- Public kitchen service provided food to approximately 150 families or 1000 people during the first 10 days of the project while villages were rebuilt.
- Mobile medical treatment for some 3 000 people in remote areas of Batiknau and Ketahun Sub districts over the period of 1 month.
- Re-established 50 community wells which had been contaminated with salt water and flood waste in Serangai village (Batiknau) benefiting more than 100 families.
- Distribution of tools (shovels, wood saws, iron saws, axes, crow bars, pliers, etc) for cleaning up the earthquake rubble. Packages of tools were given to community representatives from 10 villages in Ketahun Sub-district (Serangai, Air Lakok, Air Simpang,) , in Batiknau Sub-district (Giri Kencana, Urai, Bintunan), and in Lais Sub-district (Durian Daun, Dusun Raja, Kota Agung) and in Air Napak Sub-district (Pasar Palok).
- Distribution of School Kits for children in 8 primary schools in Ketahun Sub-district along with provision of temporary tents for class rooms . These activities benefited more than 900 children in the area. The beneficiary schools were as follows:
- SDN 06 Serangai
- SDN 13 Ketahun
- SDN 06 Ketahun
- SDN 07 Ketahun
- SDN 08 Ketahun
- SDN 11 Ketahun
- SDN 22 Ketahun
Pondok Darun Najah, Desa Air Simpang 1, Ketahun
- Trauma healing activities in 7 primary schools benefiting 500 children .
- To fill the time of the children at night, the team also organised night school program for children at the IDP camps providing basic math, english, arts, singing and playing activities. Approximately 500 children involved in the activities.
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| Project Donors |
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IDEP wishes to express its sincere thanks to these project donors:
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The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF)
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Trocaire
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BCA Finance
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Individual donors
To everyone that made this important relief effort possible, we express our most sincere thanks.
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A story from the field
A story from Ibu Indah
Ibu Indah is a midwive and a nurse in Pustu (Puskesmas Pembantu). She was assisted by two local doctors in giving medical aid to earthquake victims in IDP camps. She was grateful for the medical and supply support from BAHARI after the earthquake: “Many of the medical equipment and supplies in stock before the earthquake were damaged and could not be used anymore. With the support from BAHARI, I can now help to treat others that are wounded.”
Ibu Indah’s children also participated in the BAHARI trauma healing program; “Through singing and drawing, the children prepared to return to school without trauma feeling. In this program, they also taught about possibilities of high tide after the earthquake.”
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A story from a BAHARI team member
“Following earthquake and mini tsunami, which saw the sea, encroach several hundred meters into the mainland all the wells in this area were contaminated by the sea water. Bahari program cleaned all the wells in this area meaning that residents had access to fresh water. In areas where refugees were gathered wells were supplemented by the construction of simple bathing areas to ensure hygiene standards were maintained and risk of disease minimized.
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