Indonesia
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583 families have returned home through UMCOR’s reconstruction program |
Background
In response to the December 2004 earthquake and tsunami that struck the coast of Sumatra, UMCOR established offices in Indonesia and is working with local communities to rebuild. UMCOR Indonesia works in shelter and infrastructure reconstruction, water and sanitation, income generation, health and nutrition, education and community development. Additionally, emergency relief programs have been implemented in coordination with the Methodist Church of Indonesia (MCI). Through these efforts, UMCOR Indonesia has assisted well over 40,000 direct beneficiaries.
UMCOR's strategy for 2007-2009 is to build on its successes and continue to help revitalize communities in Bireuen, Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar. This will be achieved by rebuilding homes for those who are still without, providing them income generation assistance—the second highest priority for most tsunami-affected families after homes. UMCOR continues to rebuild communities so they are better than they were before the tsunami through improved schools, health, community infrastructure and other elements that make a community complete and viable in the longer-term.
RECONSTRUCTION
Aceh Housing and Infrastructure (HIRTAC)
UMCOR is expanding the impact of previously awarded funds by combining savings with new funding to implement a housing and infrastructure project in Banda Aceh municipality and the Aceh Besar district. This project will allow at least 60 tsunami-affected families to move out of temporary living centers into high quality permanent houses connected to basic public services that were built by UMCOR. Currently, 36 completed houses are now occupied and the remaining 24 are under construction. UMCOR has also reconstructed a community center serving the residents of Banda Baru village in Banda Aceh. The center will be used by many groups including youth, girls, women, and cooking groups.
Revitalization of Aceh Communities (RAC)
UMCOR has built 44 new permanent houses and completed two road rehabilitation projects in two neighboring villages in the Gandapura sub-district of Bireuen. In addition to housing reconstruction and rehabilitation, the villagers are in need of income generation assistance to start new businesses or to further grow existing businesses.
The city of Banda Aceh and neighboring Aceh Besar District were some of the worst-hit areas by the earthquake and tsunami. For example, one village had 470 people out of a total population of 971 killed in the tsunami and the entire village was heavily damaged or destroyed. Significant reconstruction work has been completed or is now underway, but many communities are still in need of multi-faceted assistance in order to be renewed. UMCOR is building 40 new permanent houses in Aceh Besar District for residents of Temporary Living Centers in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar.
UMCOR is also constructing a bridge in Aceh Besar’s Ingin Jaya sub-district and rehabilitating a recreational field in Banda Aceh that recently hosted barracks for families displaced by the tsunami.
Reconstruction and Development for Aceh & Nias (RADAN)This integrated, multi-sector project addresses several aspects of reconstruction and development needs in the targeted communities in Aceh and contributes to improving community development in Nias. The RADAN project work will take place in Aceh Besar, Banda Aceh and Bireuen, Aceh Province as well as a small research and infrastructure project in South Nias, North Sumatra Province. UMCOR staff are assessing locations for construction of 105 houses and eight community infrastructure projects and contracting of an engineering consulting firm to perform the water research activity.
EDUCATION
Revitalization of Aceh Communities (RAC)
Almuslim University is the second largest university in Aceh and the only university in Bireuen. Since the current library has far too few books for the size of the university population (some 9,471 students), UMCOR has provided more than 1,200 library books in accordance with the priorities of university lecturers, including dictionaries and encyclopedias, and English language anthropology, economics, mathematics, biology, computer science, database processing, accounting, economics, management, physics, architecture, calculus, business, psychology, medicine, and many more.
INCOME GENERATION
Revitalization of Aceh Communities (RAC)
UMCOR staff is working with communities in Gandapura, Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar to improve residents’ business skill knowledge and to enable them to re-establish their pre-tsunami businesses (or develop new small businesses). Once business training needs are identified, and based on UMCOR-Indonesia’s previous experience implementing business skills training and income generation assistance, sessions are developed with technical consultants for conducting a business skills course that is tailored to the specific needs of the participants and includes training on how to develop a business plan. More than 400 beneficiaries have received business skills training through these sessions. As a result of these trainings, interested entrepreneurs in the target villages were better able to develop a business plan for business start-up inputs. One important requirement for the business plan is a commitment to repay 50% of the value of the assistance received (whether in cash or services or in-kind materials) for the benefit of the community. More than 150 successful business plans are being funded with start-up business packages that reflect business interests and entrepreneurs are receiving follow-up technical guidance.
Sustainable Income Generation in Aceh (SIGA)UMCOR is enabling tsunami survivors in two villages of Aceh Province to operate successful, sustainable business and to support themselves and their families through aprogram funded by the American Baptist Churches, USA. This project is benefiting entrepreneurs in Kuala Raja and Cot Batee villages of Bireuen District, providing more than 120 people with business skills training for fishery management, livestock husbandry and agricultural production and over 200 families with inputs to launch successful businesses. UMCOR Indonesia is also building the capacity of local community groups so that the gift of livelihoods assistance can be multiplied to help additional people beyond the life of this project.
Reconstruction and Development for Aceh & Nias (RADAN)In addition to the shelter and infrastructure activities notes above, through this project UMCOR will also foster community development and economic development through trainings in three districts of Aceh (Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar and Bireuen) and provision of income generation packages/grants to approximately 118 Acehnese families.
Livelihoods for Affected Communities in Bireuen, Ache (LABA)
With support from the American Red Cross, UMCOR is working to improve incomes, increase knowledge and enable sustainable livelihood recovery in 10 tsunami-affected villages in Bireuen District. Under this project, UMCOR intends to provide business plan, business skills and livelihood trainings and productive assets in the form income generation packages to 700 families in the targeted villages. UMCOR has established Community Development Committees in all 10 villages and is working with them to identify and rehabilitate community-owned infrastructure and build their capacity to play an active role in the economic development of their communities.
HEALTH
In collaboration with UNICEF, UMCOR is implementing a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project to rehabilitate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and improve good hygiene and medical waste disposal practices at 31 schools in Aceh and the Bireuen District Hospital Project.
The project is contributing to important initiatives underway worldwide to improve water, sanitation and hygiene in schools and health facilities as well as contribute to UNICEF's priorities for Aceh and Indonesia.
The WASH Project will improve the overall health of those attending the 31 schools and the health of hospital occupants at Bireuen District Hospital RSU Dr. Fauziah. This is being achieved by providing greater access to improved water and sanitation facilities at 21 schools and the hospital; improving the water supply at 21 schools and the hospital; hygiene education, training and capacity building of students and teachers at all 31 schools and the hospital; and waste disposal education, training and capacity building of nurses, doctors, cleaners, and administrators at the hospital.
The creation of sustainable committees to address water, sanitation, hygiene and medical waste issues—particularly long-term budgeting and maintenance needs—in the 31 schools and the hospital, and the close cooperation and support of local government agencies and communities, will enable the improvements made through this project to continue to benefit the Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar and Bireuen population long after the project finishes.
Approximately 72,227 persons will benefit directly from thisproject, specifically 6,380 students, 495 teachers and other staff, about 65,000 hospital patients (inpatients and outpatients), and 352 hospital staff.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community mobilization and active participation have contributed to UMCOR's success and beneficiary satisfaction. Before houses or infrastructure are delivered, UMCOR works closely with beneficiaries to form Community Development Committees (CDCs). These village-led committees take ownership of infrastructure and agree to maintain facilities in the future. By creating CDCs and allowing community members to make important decisions, the facilities become an integral part of the community and are well-utilized. CDCs consist of 8-10 village leaders, and UMCOR encourages and requires female participation in CDCs. CDCs can serve as a springboard for long-term development, as committees lobby for government services or support for local small businesses. UMCOR has helped establish nine CDCs to date as well as 31 committees in Acehnese schools and two representative committees in one Acehnese hospital. Working closely with local communities is an integral part of all UMCOR Indonesia projects.
PARTNERS IN OUR WORK
UMCOR Indonesia works with a variety of partners to make our work possible. In addition to the private funds we receive through the United Methodist Church we also receive support from the following:
The American Baptist Churches, USA
The United Nations Children's Fund
The American Red Cross
