The Bumi Sehat Midwifery Initiative

Other expectant mothers and newborns on the devastated west coast of Aceh are often not so lucky as Nuraini.  Many doctors, nurses and midwives were lost in the disaster, and many pregnant women are forced to give birth alone in extremely unsanitary conditions. Women in the final months of pregnancy are traumatized, malnourished and many have lost both immediate family and their community support networks. Some have sustained injuries during the tsunami for which they have received no or insufficient medical treatment.

AAAI is supporting a dynamic team of 2 international midwives and other volunteers who arrived at the isolated refugee community of Samatiga on February 8 to deliver pre and post natal care. They have established a safe birthing facility for expectant mothers in the area. The center is providing midwifery and medical support and compassionate loving care for women and babies throughout the area.

Team leader Robin Lim, from Yayasan Bumi Sehat in Ubud, made some strategic contacts in Medan and Meulaboh en route to the field. The Red Cross flew the team of seven from Medan to Meulaboh and helped to organize a workshop on safe birthing techniques for about 38 surviving midwives in the area. This workshop was facilitated by a local community leader from Anisa a far reaching local women’s community group. A representative from UNICEF attended the workshop, and as a result is looking at revising their initial strategy so that they can start delivering tools and supplies directly to these local midwives.

“ There are thought to be about 8,000 internally displaced people at Samatiga,” Robin reports.  “Only one other NGO there is focusing on the needs of women. We will be providing pre and post natal care to all the women we can reach, with our teams of midwives rotating out every three weeks.”

Reconstruction at Samatiga

The stage for Bumi Sehat’s successful initiative was set, thanks to support from another AAAI supported initiative. On January 26, members of IDEP, WALHI Bali & WALHI Sumut with a team of Balinese construction workers left Bali to help the survivors at Samatiga begin the huge task of reconstruction. The road between Samatiga and Meulaboh has been washed out in many places, and supplies must be taken in one box at a time on the back of dirt bikes.

To date, this excellent initiative has established a modest, culturally appropriate community centre which provides informal trauma counseling with private space for women and children.  Volunteers have also established six pit latrines while teaching surrounding villages techniques for establishing basic sanitation facilities. The project’s water programs are currently delivering 42,500 liters of clean water each day for distribution. The Samatiga team have also distributed over 700 kitchen sets to families as well as food aid from their own initiative as well as donations from other organizations on the ground. The project is also collecting data on local IDPs (Internally Displaced People) and establishing a system to ensure more fair aid distribution in the area.
 
The team has also constructed a basic clinic which, thanks to support from the Bumi Sehat team is now treating up to 60 patients every day. Both of these AAAI supported projects carried in high protein foods, water purification equipment and medicines as well as food, water and shelter for their own needs.

AAAI Partner Programs Overview

As well as our direct response initiative already completed, AAAI currently has 15 projects in the field thanks to incredible donor support. These projects are small initiatives by non-governmental organizations and individuals that are successfully delivering appropriate aid directly to communities in need. More details and slide shows about these initiatives are being prepared as photos arrive from the field. Our website will see some new development and stories by next week. Please see www.idepfoundation.org/aceh_aid.html

An AAAI field assessment team is now in Aceh visiting our partner projects by sea and land, networking with government and non-government organizations and researching a possible field post. They report their findings and impressions by hand phone and, as they move into areas without hand phone reception, by satellite phone. They are evaluating project results, assisting with ongoing needs and identifying groups on the ground that are also delivering support successfully.

Aid by Sea through Yayasan Andaru Selaras – a new boat initiative
Some of the crew from the initial aid by boat programs are now working through Yayasan Andaru Selaras to continue the delivery of urgently needed aid  to the isolated communities off the west coast of Aceh and outlying islands. They are now preparing a new vessel “The Endless Sun” which has been commissioned for a year. This project will require support from professionals (engineers, small boat handlers, medical teams, logisticians etc) who wish to volunteer during its mission. Those interested should apply on line at www.idepfoundation.org/idep_volunteer.html

Plans for this boat include provision of goods and transportation for NGOs and community on the ground, supplying tools for reconstruction and for the establishment of cottage industries to reestablish the local economies. This project is currently seeking an Indonesian speaking nurse and ongoing support for this excellent initiative. The project already has enough funds to outfit the boat and supply the 250 ton cargo capacity for one trip only. If you are interested in supporting this initiative please contact donate@idepfoundation.org

INFORMATION-EDUCATION
 
COMMUNITY BASED CRISIS RESPONSE (CBCR) manual – IDEP’s CBCR manual includes guidelines for the three phases of disaster management: Mitigation, Response and Recovery. It includes simple and culturally appropriate tools for rapid needs assessment, and guidelines for delivery of appropriate aid that are now being used on the ground in Aceh.  On January 1st IDEP began distributing copies of the draft version (in Indonesian) to various organizations operating on the ground in Aceh.
   
An addition, IDEP quickly produced simple fact sheets outlining key issues of post-disaster health and sanitation, and a booklet which covers information about tsunamis, sanitation, nutrition, women's issues and tips for post traumatic stress self help. 10,000 copies of both of these publications has been printed and is being distributed in Aceh through IDEP’s partner organizations. You can see these publications at: www.idepfoundation.org/aceh_pubs.html

New publications currently being prepared by IDEP:
A new culturally appropriate booklet about Tsunamis is being prepared now to help reduce fear in the field and create more understanding about how tsunamis happen and what communities can do to protect themselves in the future. It includes information for communities about basic reconstruction and redevelopment planning.

IDEP has also begun distributing its Seed Saving Information Fact Sheets to partners in the field to begin the long process of establishing some community based food security.