Sixth
months have gone by since the devastating earthquake, which
rocked the ancient Indonesian city of Yogyakarta on 27 May,
killing almost 6,000 people and injuring more than 38,000. The
quake caused widespread destruction and left over a million
people homeless but thanks to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI)
and the International Federation, the reconstruction of homes
has begun, including earthquake-resistant bamboo shelters.
Since the disaster, PMI and the International Federation have
provided assistance, including sleeping mats, food, tarpaulins,
and hygiene items, to almost 120,000 families and relief goods
continue to be distributed to vulnerable people threatened by
monsoon rains and flooding.
As part of the International Federation’s early recovery
programme, more than 4,000 bamboo shelters have already been
completed in the areas of Gantiwarno and Dlingo, and the programme
is expanding into other districts, where up to 6,000 of the
homes are expected to soon be built.
“Our early recovery approach in Yogyakarta has proven
to be very effective,” said Oeystein Larsen, Head of the
International Federation’s sub-delegation in the quake-affected
zone. “From the very start of the emergency operation,
we knew that we needed to get survivors directly involved in
rebuilding their lives and communities.”
The approach, which involved consulting survivors and enabling
them to take direct responsibility for the distribution of funds
and reconstruction materials, has allowed people like Sukismanto
and his family, to have a roof over their heads sooner than
expected.
Nothing left
Sukismanto’s home was reduced to rubble by the quake and
his family wound up sleeping under a plastic tarpaulin for a
month and a half. His wife, Rupbinem, and two children were
rescued by neighbours after being covered by debris. Rupbinem,
who had a fractured leg, was taken to a nearby health centre
but it, too, was destroyed by the earthquake.
Sukismanto recalls thinking that he had nothing left. His belongings,
buried in the dusty rubble, were hardly usable when recovered.
The income he earned by doing manual labour and weaving bamboo
mats was severely disrupted. He had an injured wife to look
after and the whole family to feed, with nothing left at home.
He could not even go out to work because it would have meant
leaving his wife and small boys alone. “The first few
days were very hard,” he says.
The family received relief support from PMI, in addition to
some help from the government. A Red Cross mobile medical team
took care of injured Rupbinem, attending to her regularly, while
PMI and the International Federation have helped put a solid
roof over the family’s heads by supporting them in rebuilding
a bamboo house. And they did it with the help of a movie.
Bamboo and rope
Thousands of families living in tents and broken buildings have
been shown a Red Cross video in recent weeks which teaches survivors
how to build a traditional-style shelter, strong enough to withstand
another earthquake.
The shelter is made entirely out of inexpensive local materials,
such as bamboo and rope, and costs the equivalent of around
185 Swiss francs ($150 USD/ €118).
The secret of the quakeproof design lies in eliminating the
use of nails. Instead, holes are drilled in the bamboo and wooden
pins are hammered into the joints. They are then bound tightly
with rope. It means the building is flexible but the bamboo
will not split and break.
It is estimated that shelter-supported families are using their
own money to invest 30 to 100 per cent above the construction
amount to make modifications to fit their individual needs,
such as partitions, electrical wiring, balconies and kitchens.
Forty-five-year-old Bu Narni, of Towangasan village in Klaten
district, says she is very happy to have a bamboo house. A widow,
with two school-age daughters and a newly married son, she plans
to invest any money she earns towards her daughters’ education.
When asked about her plan to construct a permanent brick house,
she says her bamboo home is “good enough for now”.
“This bamboo house will be a safe place for my family,”
adds her neighbour, Jawar Di, as he leans on his crutch in front
of his new home.
Skills and preparedness
Meanwhile, Sukismanto and his family face many challenges ahead.
The two boys, aged five and eight, need school uniforms and
books to go to school. They also need to pay school fees to
get admission and Sukismanto says he simply can’t do it
all.
But now that they have a shelter to live in, he hopes he will
be able to go back to work and earn money for his family.
“I have no worry about the house anymore,” says
Sukismanto. “I can move around more easily to get a job.”
Sukismanto believes the training he’s received from the
Indonesian Red Cross to build his shelter will also serve him
well in his line of work and he’s already begun to weave
bamboo mats again.
“It is essential to support the affected people in returning
to their regular income-generating activities as soon as possible,”
says Oeystein Larsen.
In addition to reconstruction assistance, the International
Federation and PMI have also been providing thousands of survivors
with psychosocial support to help them come to terms with the
loss of their loved ones and the reality of losing their homes
and livelihoods.
Over 1,500 wells, contaminated by bacteria and debris during
the quake, have since been cleaned and tens of thousands of
quake survivors have been vaccinated for tetanus and measles.
PMI volunteers have also been raising awareness about bird flu
among villagers and a weekly Red Cross radio show targeting
500,000 people is being used to address health issues, such
as the risks of building with asbestos and preparing for the
rainy season.
“Our goal is very simple,” says Larsen. “The
healthier and safer a community is, the more resilient it will
become to future disasters… so our aim is not only to
improve people’s lives but also to make their lives better.
I think Yogyakarta is a very good example of how the right kind
of support, combined with the simple act of trusting communities
and individuals to know what they want and really need, helps
them become stronger and better off in the long run,”
he adds.
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Thousands
of families living in tents and broken buildings have
been shown a Red Cross video in recent weeks which teaches
survivors how to build a traditional-style shelter, strong
enough to withstand another earthquake. (p15103)
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The
shelter is made entirely out of inexpensive local materials,
such as bamboo and rope, and costs the equivalent of around
185 Swiss francs ($150 USD/ €118). (p15102)
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| The
secret of the quakeproof design lies in eliminating the
use of nails. (p15101) |
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have no worry about the house anymore,” says Sukismanto.
“I can move around more easily to get a job.”
(p15104) |
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