CWS appeal: Aceh and Nias (Indonesia) post-tsunami and earthquake rehabilitation
Wednesday, February 11, 2009

In the four-plus years since the catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Church World Service and its partners, working with affected communities in Indonesia, have laid the foundation for recovery efforts in the disaster-affected areas.

Tiadineng lost her husband and her house to the tsunami.  Through CWS support for recovery efforts in her village in Aceh, she, her children and her new husband, Mustafa--who lost his wife in the disaster, have a new home and a boat from which Mustafa fishes.  Tiadineng sells a portion of the day's catch in neighboring villages via her bicycle. Photo: R. Hughes/CWS

Some 150,000 people have benefited from various emergency food and non-food items; seeds, tools, and provision of bicycles, taxis and fishing boats have assisted some 2,400 people to recover their livelihoods; more than 200 permanent houses have been built; some 43,000 people are benefiting from water supplies and the construction/rehabilitation of latrines, wells, and boreholes; some 7,450 people have received nutrition education and help; and early childhood development and the CWS FEAT (Fun and Educational Activities in Tents) program has helped around 5,000 children receive vital psychosocial care to help them heal from the tragedy of the tsunami.

However, Indonesia remains one of the most hazard-prone countries in the world, and a large share of the population remains threatened by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, floods and drought. The high frequency of small- and large-scale disasters constantly erodes local resources. This is particularly true for the poor, rural communities that were affected by the 2004 tsunami. 

CWS Response

Given these ongoing needs, CWS is continuing efforts in Indonesia focusing on water and sanitation, economic empowerment, health nutrition, HIV/AIDS, school-based programs and "mainstreaming" disaster-risk reduction. CWS is also planning to target vulnerable and marginalized groups such as children and the newly disabled, who have not received adequate or appropriate assistance in the long-term aftermath of the 2004 tsunami and earthquake.

The goal of the CWS response is to continue to improve community resilience in Aceh and Nias Island, both in communities where CWS has worked since 2004 and in new communities where there are unmet needs.

The focus of CWS work will be on ongoing and expanded rehabilitation work through June 2010 -- specifically work focused in 24 villages in Aceh and 23 villages in Nias, with 4,200 and 3,500 households, respectively.

CWS work will focus on safe water supply and sanitation facilities, as well as improving the hygiene practices of vulnerable groups. Water and sanitation related activities will include: construction of family or community sanitation facilities in at least 18 villages, including latrines, septic tanks and drainage; and construction of wells and boreholes or other water supply systems.

Parallel to these efforts: health and hygiene promotion activities. Hygiene sanitation promotion will include media development (posters, leaflets and flipcharts) and skill-based promotion focusing on key family practices such as hand washing.  CWS will also facilitate the establishment or strengthening of community water organizations.   Peer education programs on HIV and AIDS are also planned.

Other facets of the program:

• Strengthen livelihood security for vulnerable households, with a continuing focus on supporting small businesses -- for example, local furniture makers as they work to improve products and form cooperatives to assist them in marketing their goods.
• Improve the health and nutritional status of vulnerable groups, particularly in Nias. The CWS-led health and nutrition program will focus on maternal and child health and nutrition through prevention and promotion activities. These will include training for community members and provision of age-appropriate information materials on a variety of health issues. Activities under this objective will be implemented in conjunction with school-based health nutrition, hygiene and sanitation promotion, and homestead food production efforts.
• Improve the capacity of communities to provide a safe and healthy educational environment for their children. The school-based program will focus on improving access of school children to water and sanitation facilities, improving hygiene practices, improving educational access for children and improving their access to health and nutritional services.

Budget

A total of $4 million, which includes direct assistance and programs.  Funding still needed to fully cover these initiatives is $2.2 million. 

HOW TO HELP: Contributions to support Church World Service emergency response and recovery efforts may be made online, by phone (800-297-1516), or sent to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.  

For regular updates on the work of Church World Service, please sign up to receive the weekly CWS Hotline and/or monthly CWS NewsBytes.