Nasir found himself in the media spotlight in December 2007, when he became the recipient of the 100,000th house built in Aceh province three years after the tsunami had left around half a million people homeless.
The 14-year-old orphan was interviewed on local television at the ceremony to hand over the keys to his new pale green home in Tanoh Manyang village in the Teunom region of western Aceh.
He may be the star of the community but, a few months on, the media circus has moved on and he’s still facing life without his parents, who died in the disaster.
Parents
“After the earthquake, I went closer to the beach. Then I saw a big wave that dragged me away. Although I was only half conscious, I was able to swim, but I never saw my parents again,” he explains haltingly.
Nasir now lives with his older sister in a settlement of 140 houses, which were constructed from scratch by the British Red Cross for tsunami survivors who lost their land in the disaster. Some of them had previously inhabited a tiny island in the middle of an estuary, which was swallowed by up the waves.
Today there is a lively coffee shop and brightly-coloured flowers grow in the front yards lining the main street. People are slowly furnishing their new homes, although few have enough money to replace everything they lost in the disaster.
Financial
Nasir must wait until he reaches the age of 17 before he becomes the legal owner of his house. Until then, his financial affairs will be managed by Nourdin, his uncle, who has been declared Nasir’s official guardian by the local sharia court.
There, Nourdin signed a declaration confirming his responsibility to manage the assets given to his nephew by the British Red Cross until Nasir becomes an adult. The same process was repeated for the 348 orphans who received homes and cash grants under the Red Cross policy of providing extra support to groups left particularly vulnerable by the tsunami.
Nasir recently received a lump sum payment of around 520 Swiss francs to help with his education. Some of the money has been spent on books, pens and other stationery, and he has also enjoyed a bit of extra pocket money.
|
 |
 |
|
|
Nasir, a 14-year-old orphan, found himself in the media spotlight in December 2007, when he became the recipient of the 100,000th house built in Aceh province three years after the tsunami had left around half a million people homeless. (p18113)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Nasir now lives with his older sister in a settlement of 140 houses, which were constructed from scratch by the British Red Cross for tsunami survivors who lost their land in the disaster. (p18114)
|
|
News
