20 stories of significant change PMI BUILDS RESILIENCE IN INDONESIA
20 stories of significant change PMI BUILDS RESILIENCE IN INDONESIA 4
Title: 20 Stories of Significant Change: PMI Builds Resilience in Indonesia
Writers: Nasrullah and team
Design & layout: Aulia Imam Ramadhan
Publisher: Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI)
Supported by: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Zurich International
ISBN: XXX XXXXX XXX
Copyright © PMI 2017 All rights reserved.
Cover photo: The Junior Red Cross volunteer is conducting peer campaign on disaster risk reduction Photo: PMI 5 6
Table of contents
7 Foreword 8 Story 1: Proliferating the Spirit of Disaster Resilience through Social Media 15 Story 2: Developing School Based Disaster Preparedness 20 Story 3: The Cash Transfer Program that Inspired Hope in Sinabung 24 Story 4: CBAT’s Experience in Waste Management to Reap Benefits 30 Story 5: The Pioneer of Verticulture in the Dense Communities of Bengawan Solo 36 Story 6: Piloting a Cash-based Aid Model for Water via Mobile Wallet 40 Story 7: Making Money from Waste 44 Story 8: Evacuation Boats for Flooding Affected Communities 50 Story 9: First Aid Training by the Indonesian Red Cross 56 Story 10: WASH Changing the Fate of Thousands of Residents 60 Story 11: 20 Water Tanks for Batu Nampar Selatan Village 64 Story 12: Green Belt of Bengawan Solo 68 Story 13: Flood Prediction at Your Fingertips 72 Story 14: Providing Health Services for Migrant Workers in Nunukan 76 Story 15: CBAT Quick Response during the Sangihe Flash Flood 81 Story 16: Recovering Mangroves, Returning Lives 86 Story 17: Processing Local Food to Face an Emergency 90 Story 18: Firewood Efficient Cookstoves for NTT People 94 Story 19: Sorghum as Food Security for the Community 98 Story 20: Managing Floods with Biopores and Absorption Wells 102 The Seven Fundamental Principles 7
Foreword Greetings! As the largest humanitarian organization in Indonesia, the Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia/PMI) has been a partner of the government for 70 years. It continues to maintain its neutrality, work to provide humanitarian services in 34 provinces through various programs, such as blood donating, health services, disaster response and character education.
As outlined in our policy points, strategic plans and the PMI operational plan 2014-2019, the PMI upholds the mission of becoming the premier humanitarian organization that provides quality services to the public based on the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It also strives to improve the independence of the Red Cross organization through strategic and sustainable partnerships with the government, the private sector, movement partners, communities and other stakeholders at all levels, as well as improving the Red Cross organization’s reputation at the national and international levels.
The book in your hands is a compilation of stories on the initiatives and innovation of PMI’s programs and services, which are based on this mission. The services provided were aimed at providing benefits and changes for a better life and environment of the communities in which PMI works.
Our hope is that by reading these stories, our audiences become inspired to join the Indonesian Red Cross to help build the resilience of communities in Indonesia in disaster management and other social issues. Thank you for taking the time to read.
Headquarters Executive Board, Deputy of Disaster Management Department
Letjend (Purn) H. Sumarsono, SH 8
Proliferating the Spirit of Disaster Resilience through Social Media STORY 1 Website: www.pmi.or.id Youtube: palangmerahindonesia
Facebook: @palangmerah Instagram: palangmerah_indonesia
Twitter: @palangmerah
Social media has gradually become an effective method of communicating messages. This has increasingly become the case as Indonesia has been ranked as the largest social media user in the world. Given this trend, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has jumped on the bandwagon.
They created a fan page on Facebook to proliferate the spirit of disaster resilience. As a result, it has increased the effectiveness of socializing activities and encouraged disaster preparedness in disaster risk reduction efforts. This is demonstrated in an posting by the PMI admin on the fan page on October 13, 2016, which attracted a lot of public attention:
Facebook is one of social media that most accessed by public. photo: Nasrullah for PMI 9
“Good morning disaster risk Zulfa Ramadianata amassed 747 subscribers with a total reduction.. Keep up the spirit for the Youth number of viewers of 198,351 recorded This posting is to remind you all Red Cross in November 2016. Further, PMI began that we should prepare ourselves to use Instagram since 2016 with before a disaster strikes. One of the Ramdhan Breker Den an account name of “palangmerah_ major disasters that have opened Keep up the spirit, PMI indonesia” and currently has 13,600 Indonesia’s paradigm on this issue is followers. the tsunami in 2004. Aside from the On average, most posts on the massive destruction and casualties PMI Facebook page received many With its active involvement in social that it inflicted, it was also the comments from the public. Initially, media, PMI expects that its campaigns starting point of the revival of the “palangmerah” (redcross) account, could reach even more audiences disaster risk reduction paradigm which was verified by Facebook, started compared to traditional print media. in Indonesia. It was realized that out as an ordinary Facebook profile in multi stakeholder cooperation was 2006. Later on, they changed it to an It is true that not all messages could be needed in disaster management, official fan page, so that it would be communicated through social media, especially in developing a disaster more professional. As of November such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. risk reduction culture. #IDDR2016 “ 2016, PMI had recorded 257,145 While these outlets are inexpensive Facebook fans, with a total of 49,000 and are able to spread information This post was accompanied with people having interacted with the page quickly, social media’s weakness lay in photographs of disaster risk reduction in the form of likes, comments, shares, the limited volume of information it is activities, such as mangrove planting, clicks to the post (typically known as able to convey. In order to overcome school disaster preparedness total engagement). this weakness, PMI also built a website socialization, and others. It received that serves as a source of more 1,000 likes and was shared 93 times. In addition to using Facebook, PMI also comprehensive information. Furthermore, it also received a number uses Twitter. They believed that they of comments, like the following: could use this social media to provide To reach the right audience, PMI has short pieces of information to their a structured strategy in deciding the Argo Watsann followers, which must be accompanied contents of their communications Watch out for the leeches! I wish with a link to see more information. through social media. The main you success and health in your PMI’s Twitter handle was set up in function of social media is to convey work. Regards to the Indonesian 2009, named “palangmerah” and has information, as well as a means of Red Cross. since garnered 796,280 followers. periodical publication, campaigning, Furthermore, as of the second week of dissemination, promotion and advocacy. Darmadji Prawirasetia November 2016, it has garnered 696,800 Further, if there is a sudden emergency, A disaster risk management total impressions. such as a disaster, that requires plan must be built, so that the immediate response, social media measures and phases of disaster In addition to the two social media could be a valid and quick source of risk reduction are clear and can be outlets above, PMI has also been active information, both internally within in measured. in using YouTube and Instragram. The PMI and for the general public. Indonesia Red Cross started to use YouTube in 2011 under the account Another information function of name “Palang Merah Indonesia” and has social media is to make periodical 10 announcements of updates on PMI’s activities, such as health socializations, disaster preparedness activities, blood donation events, etc. In terms of the publication functions, examples include publicizing infographics, posters, videos, and others. For campaigning, social media can be used during PMI anniversaries and other international days, such as Red Cross Day (May 8), PMI’s anniversary (September 17), PMI Volunteer Day, Disaster Risk Reduction Day, AIDS Day, etc.
The specialized function of PMI’s social media is to disseminate the seven fundamental principles of the Red Cross to the general public. For example, it can be used to educate the public on how to use the symbols correctly, behaviors consistent with the seven principles of the Red Cross, etc. PMI’s social media is also used as a reminder function, such as to remind all PMI staff on duty about a certain task, or to publicize a guidance letter or circular. For example, during a disaster stakeholders, such as the parliament, issues is an effort to fulfill PMI’s social in Garut, PMI uploaded a message to the Parliament Leader, the President advocacy functions. remind all field officers to be careful, and Vice President. keep healthy, and not to forget to wear In the beginning, when it was under their Red Cross attire. Another example Social media has enabled PMI to be the division of dissemination, PMI’s is during the campaigning season, PMI’s able to directly mention, or address social media was used to maintain internal group uploaded a guidance stakeholder to get an immediate internal relationships in PMI amongst on the sets of ethics that need to be response or attention. Additionally, the volunteers and staff members followed in accordance with the Red through social media, any issue that is across the country. Then, in 2013, Cross princples. being advocated can be turned into a to meet the needs of disseminating trending topic and disseminated to the information, social media was moved The final function of PMI’s social media general public in order to gain support. under the public relationship division. is advocacy. One of the biggest issues Mentioning and tagging public figures, As a result, PMI’s social media became that PMI has continually advocates is such as heads of local government, the more regimented and emphasis was the Red Cross law, which they advocate Regional Disaster Management Agency put on information and external to the general public and relevant and celebrities, on PMI advocacy relation to the wider public. Interaction 11
communications strategy to reach out to the wider public.”
Therefore, PMI needs to address the issue of managing social media within its own organization, both at the branches and regional levels. The PMI offices in the branches and regional levels are also quite keen on using social media in their communications strategies, and they have also started their own accounts. This, in turn, has created new challenges in managing their content and accounts. With so many accounts held by PMI regional and branch offices, it can often be confusing for the public. To address this, Aulia Arriani states, “We created an online media technical guidebook, which outlines how to use social media at PMI. One of the guidelines encourages them to have a uniform account name, so that it would appear to be more corporate. This guideline helps the regional offices to standardize their account names.” with followers was also increased to respond to the inquirer, who will then During a disaster emergency, it is improve interactive communications. follow up directly to the BTU. crucial that PMI’s social media conveys As such, the main focus was to be able valid, accurate and timely information to respond to comments and answer As a whole, PMI’s social media acts as from the field. Field officers can quickly messages through the chat boards as a bridge with its audience. As stated by relay material to the PMI social media well as providing updates on the Red Aulia Arriani, Head of Public Relations administrator, who will then check Cross. at PMI Headquarters, “So far our social the content before uploading the media has three function: first, to information. An example of real interaction is the disseminate information; secondly, to request for blood. Anyone who is in promote out publications; and third, Furthermore, the kind of information need of blood can mention or message to engage with the public. There is that is typically conveyed is the most PMI’s account, and then the admin will also a dissemination and fundraising recent information at the disaster site. respond immediately. The first step is function, although it is still new in Information on what the victims of a to inform the local Blood Transfusion the transparency level. In the future, disaster need can be important for Unit (BTU) and check if the blood stock PMI will try to maximize all of these many different stakeholders and the is sufficient. Second, the admin will functions and its utilization in the general public, who want to know the 12 situation at the disaster site. This will campaigning through social media is the help ensure that humanitarian aid and key. As reflected in the snapshot of a disaster response from the community Facebook post above, PMI’s social media is better targeted. plays the main role in disseminating disaster preparedness information. Although the Public Relations unit PMI continues to post information of PMI stated that the fastest way through infographics, photographs and of monitoring information during a activities. Recently, PMI launched a disaster is through group chats, such disaster preparedness application that as group inbox messaging in Facebook can be accessed for free. or through Whatsapp, social media continues to be the main gateway If the positive response of PMI’s of disseminating information to the followers on social media aptly reflects public. During the post-disaster phase, the public’s enthusiasm, then with information dissemination is more proper content and messaging that is directed at informing the activities that regular and sustainable, PMI’s social PMI is carrying out, the humanitarian media outlets can become a mobilizer aid from the community and updates to realize a disaster prepared society. from the impacted location.
Tri Silvanto, a follower of PMI’s Facabook fanpage and a humanitarian worker at an international NGO, stated that the information on disasters posted on this account provides sufficient information during a disaster. “I usually get information on a disaster from the Agency for for Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysics (BMKG), especially for an earthquake. But if the disaster is larger, then I find more detailed information on PMI’s and BNPB’s (National Agency for Disaster Management) page, such as information on what type of humanitarian assistance is needed and where to channel it,” he said. He added that PMI need to emphasize on conveying information in real time during a disaster.
Nonetheless, in order to improve disaster preparedness in the community, 13 14
The Junior Red Cross volunteer is conducting peer campaign on disaster risk reduction Photo: PMI. 15
Developing School Based Disaster Preparedness
STORY 2 ⎷ Knowledge, skill, attitude ⎷ School policy ⎷ Disaster response plan ⎷ Early warning system ⎷ The Junior Red Cross (PMR) as model, supporter, and peer educator of Risk Reduction Effort
In Indonesia, earthquakes and tsunamis “Okay, everyone turn into a mouse potentially larger losses or impacts. can occur any time, given its geography now!” instructed a teacher to the “Although the school is only a two- that is located in the collision zone Karangturi kindergarten students storey building, we think that it is of three continental plates. These when they felt a vibration and heard important to conduct these kinds of two types of geological disasters are the siren, signaling an earthquake. disaster simulations, whether it is for considered among the deadliest, in The children immediately ducked and an earthquake or a fire. Evacuation addition to volcanic eruptions. Despite crawled underneath their desks. Once simulations and disaster response is this, however, earthquakes, tsunamis, the vibrations subsided, the teacher particularly important, given that we and volcanic eruptions can be mitigated. guided the children out of the classroom live in Semarang—a coastal city that is With preparation and preparedness, the to the safe zone in the school yard. The a disaster prone area. In that way, if number of casualties can be reduced and teacher’s simple instruction was quickly a disasters happens, at least we know avoided. Thus, although earthquakes, understood by the students, which what procedures need to be done,” he tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions are signaled them to take the appropriate explained.1 natural occurrences, the response to action. The teacher’s knowledge these disasters have everything to do and skills was an important factor in In addition to being vulnerable with knowledge and culture. increasing the students’ understanding to geological disasters, Indonesia about emergency preparedness at is also quite vulnerable to hydro- Disaster preparedness is the key to school. meteorological disasters and human- mitigating disasters. People should made disasters such as industrial not only be taught about it, but also Hari Santoso, the Executive Director disasters or fires. Not only do these trained from an early age. This is of Karangturi Semarang Kindergarten disasters cause loss of life and what Kindergarten (TK) Karangturi in and Primary School, said that the psychological impacts for the survivors, Semarang was trying to achieve during disaster simulation was conducted to disasters can also hamper national an earthquake simulation, as reported prepare the school for emergencies development due to loss of property by suaramerdeka.com on March 20, or disasters that could happen at any and halting of economic activities. 2010. time. With increased preparedness, it was expected that they could reduce
1 http://www.suaramerdeka.com/v1/index.php/read/news/2010/03/10/48991/Ribuan-Siswa-TK-dan-SD-Selamatkan-Diridari-Gempa 16
To prevent loss of life and reduce the Facilitators convey knowledge about students. Furthermore, students were impact on the economy, the Ministry of disasters, their impacts and risks using given simple tasks to do at school and National Education (Mendiknas) of the various types of media. Meanwhile, at home. For example, they were asked Republic of Indonesia has asked local students’ skills are improved by doing to convey information about waste leaders to pay attention to disaster simple exercises, such as using sand segregation to their friends and family. prevention by mainstreaming disaster to demonstrate landslides and floods. PMR, which had become an extra- risk reduction in schools as outlined Students are also strongly encouraged curricular activity at school under the in Circular Letter Mendiknas No. 70a / to put trash in trash cans that as guidance of PMI, possess the concepts MPN / SE / 2010. simple but fundamental behaviors to and guidelines for the development help them understand the surrounding of the adolescent character in the At the implementation level, the environment. They are then encouraged humanitarian field. program was carried out in a variety to share their training experiences with of forms, including training of trainers, friends and family. To support these types of national creating guidance material, and setting activities, the PMI in Central Java up schools-based disaster preparedness Meanwhile, to encourage the creation of sought to develop SSB based on pilot projects in the region. Although school policies to support risk mitigation the above parameters. Moreover, a the policy exists at the national and preparedness, the schools issued mapping exercise conducted by the level, program implementation relies regulations on trash and planting trees, National Disaster Management Agency heavily on local government policies, as well as set up the evacuation route (BNPB) in 2011 indicates that out of which interacts directly with schools, instructions. The emergency response 31,438 schools (from kindergarten particularly those located in disaster- plan that was authorized by school to high school) in Central Java, 8,225 prone areas. officials was created by involving all schools are considered vulnerable to elements of the school, including natural disasters. Specifically, this Recognizing that program teachers, employees, students and figure included 1,291 kindergartens, implementation has been very limited, the surrounding community. This plan, 150 special education schools, 1,972 the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) sought which was formalized in the form of an primary schools, 2,923 junior high to promote national mainstreaming SOP (standard operating procedures), schools, 888 senior high schools, and of disaster preparedness in schools by was agreed upon and understood 1,000 vocational schools.2 developing the School-based Disaster collectively by all parties. Preparedness (SSB) program. The SSB As a result, the Central Java PMI chose program uses five parameters, namely An early warning system was created to develop SSB by collaborating with the improvement of knowledge, skills by using available equipment, such as PMRs in 853 primary schools/Islamic and attitudes; the improvement of loudspeakers, a bell, a slit bamboo drum primary schools, 1,492 middle schools/ policies; the creation of emergency and other traditional instruments. A Islamic middle schools, and 1,175 high response plans; creating early warning special officer was assigned to sound the schools/vocational schools/Islamic systems; and utilizing PMR (Youth Red early warning in case of an emergency. high schools. The activities included Cross) as role models, advocates and Students who were PMR members were doing preparedness and risk mitigation peer educators. expected to be role models, advocates exercises that were carried out regularly and peer educators to their fellow every week. The development of SSB in
2 http://geospasial.bnpb.go.id/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/2011-02-10_Peta_Jumlah_Sekolah2.pdf 17
PMI’s facilitator are coaching the students in East Nusa Tenggara how to play Snakes and Ladders game. Photo: PMI
Central Java was done in cooperation In order to improve disaster knowledge In general, the SSB program aimed to with the German Red Cross, Danish of volunteers and teachers, PMI carried improve the resilience of schools in Red Cross, the American Red Cross, out facilitator trainings, socialization facing disaster impacts and risks. In and Zurich Insurance Indonesia. In and routine exercises, distribution particular, this included the creation addition, other organizations that were of media (posters, stickers, pins and of a healthy school environment and involved in the activities included PLAN books), and routine simulations at the disaster preparedness knowledge, Indonesia, the Save the Children, and schools. improving disaster preparedness LIPI. behavior among the school community (students, teachers, principals, 18
The students are learning to create maps of the school environment in order to know where the evacuation path is. Photo: PMI and school boards), and the school and tsunamis, the students learned to The surrounding communities and family community having the capacity and recognize that receding water is the members were given socializations independence to carry out efforts in sign of an impending tsunami. They about disaster preparedness. Nuriyah, disaster risk mitigation and climate were also trained on following the a housewife in Binangun Village, change adaptation. evacuation route that was set up in the Widarapayung, Cilacap who had school or surrounding neighborhood. In previously experienced an earthquake Gradually, the knowledge of students Magelang, Klaten, Boyolali, and Tegal and tsunami, said that the sound of who regularly participated in PMR Districts, which are located in the sirens and shouts reminded her about routine exercises began to increase hazard zone of volcanic eruption, the when all the residents panicked when in terms of disaster prevention. students and the community learned the tsunami hit the beach in the village. For example, students in Kudus to recognize the early warning signs of “But with this training, we will always and Grobogan—two areas that are an impending volcanic eruption, such remember and be alert about the threat often affected by flooding, began to as the emergence of gas and small of a tsunami,” she said, while attending understand the importance of disposing landslides. a simulation in 2010. trash in the right place. In Kebumen and Cilacap, which are prone to earthquakes 19
Since the program was launched in As a first step, the facilitators, who impact in the future. In addition to 2009, a number of PMI branch offices were alumni of the school, updated the implementing the SSB in Central Java, in Central Java started to work closely training materials and trained the school PMI offices in other provinces have also with the local government through the on the steps towards school-based started to develop SSB, such as inAceh, Regional Disaster Management Agency disaster preparedness and the HVRC Lampung, North Sumatra, Bengkulu, (BPBD) and education departments map for SMAN 1 Gubug. PMR members Kalimantan, Sulawesi, NTB, NTT, to implement disaster risk mitigation were invited to tour the school, Ambon, Jakarta, West Java, East Java, trainings and SSB facilitator trainings. observe, record and hold discussions Yogyakarta, Bali, and Papua. It typically Training sessions for school teachers about the school environment. “From implemented through cooperation with were carried out in Tegal, Banjarnegara, these results, we can map the hazards, non-governmental organizations, the Klaten, Jepara, Purbalingga, and vulnerability, risk and capacity at the government, or coaching local PMRs Semarang. school,” said Ari Arwani, an alumni and independently. member of the Volunteer Corps (KSR) of SSB parameters were developed the Grobogan PMI. according to the needs of each school. For example, the Youth Red Cross (PMR) Ari added that this HVRC map would be at Public High School (SMAN) 1 Gubug, disseminated to the public school and Grobogan District updated their Hazard, printed in large size replace the previous Vulnerability, Risk and Capacity (HVRC) map. The map would be displayed at Map, evacuation routes and safe place strategic places. “As an alumnus of the on February 8, 2015. The school was school, I’m very happy and ready to located in flooding prone area. support this program. SMAN 1 Gubug is a school that has implemented the SSB Karsan, a trainer for the PMR at SMAN program since 2010,” he explained. 1 Grobogan, explained that members of PMR wanted to make their schools safe PMI’s involvement in the SSB program and prepared for disasters. “The PMR was prompted by the mandate given members’ focus now is to make SMAN to them by the government to carry 1 Gubug a pilot school for School-based out disaster management activities, Disaster Preparedness,” he explained. starting from before, during and after a disaster. It was amplified through Farida, a member of the PMR echoed an MOU between PMI and the Minister her trainer’s comments. “We want our of Education and Culture (No. 1 / II / school to become a disaster prepared KB / 2012 - Number: 031 / MOU PMI- school independently and always Kemendikbud / II / 2012) and the coordinate with the PMI in Grobogan. circular letter of Mediknas No. 70.a / For me, disasters are not only caused MPN / SE2010 on Mainstreaming Disaster by natural factors, but also by humans. Risk Reduction in Schools. Little things could become hazards, such as garbage, disease, fires and It was clear that education coupled others,” she said. with preparedness training since an early age at school will have an 20
The Cash Transfer Program that Inspired Hope in Sinabung
STORY 3 ⎷ Beneficiaries: 300 HH ⎷ The effectiveness of aid delivery mechanism ⎷ Local economy empowerment ⎷ The beneficiaries can choose the type of aids based on their needs
One of Mount Sinabung’s survivor receives a voucher from PMI. She can exchange it for woodworking equipment. Photo: PMI
Saturday, May 22, 2016. Mount Sinabung nine villagers who were working in the These casualties added to the hardship in Karo District, North Sumatra erupted field and were unable to escape the that local communities endured due to yet once again. The volcano, which has hot ash in time. Six of them were killed the eruptions of Mt. Sinabung, which an elevation of 2,451 meters above instantly, while one person died in had recently become active in the past sea level, spewed hot clouds and ash, the hospital and two people sustained six months. After having been dormant demolishing already evacuated nearby serious wounds. for over a thousand years, this volcano villages. Unfortunately, there had been abruptly and violently erupted in August 21
2010. Since then, it has been erupting affected villagers, which they could the community what the cash transfer several times. There would be periods then redeemed with carpentry tools to program entailed, including the of time where nothing was happening, rebuild their houses. benefits, goals and mechanisms of the but then it would suddenly erupt program. Once they confirmed that the repeatedly. Each of these episodes This is the first time that a cash transfer community understood the program, ⎷ Beneficiaries: 300 HH forced thousands of local residents scheme was employed in a humanitarian PMI distributed vouchers to each family ⎷ The effectiveness of aid delivery mechanism to evacuate, and eventually relocate mission. And the selected site to pilot that was registered. ⎷ Local economy empowerment permanently. this program was none other than ⎷ The beneficiaries can choose the type of aids based on their needs Sigarang Garang Village, located in “We then created a schedule for Since the first eruption in 2010, the Karo District, North Sumatra. All 397 voucher redemption,” said Junedi. Indonesian Red Cross, or Palang Merah households in this village would benefit Tia Kurniawan, a staff member of Indonesia (PMI), has mobilized its from this program. the disaster response division at PMI teams to provide humanitarian relief. Headquarters who at the time worked In addition to providing response After conducting surveys in January and with the program, explained that the support, PMI also carried out a number March 2014, the team moved forward vouchers could only be redeemed at of programs to help alleviate the plight with implementation during their visit selected shops that sold carpentry of the affected communities from 33 to the village in April. At the time, materials. The Junior Red Cross, or villages in Karo District. One of the Junedi Silalahi, the Coordinator of the Palang Merah Remaja (PMR), which villages that sustained the most damage Karo District Command Post, along with is engaged with students in primary, was Sigarang Garang, which is situated his team, visited the village office to middle and high school, was the one just five kilometers from the volcano. coordinate with village officials. who suggested that the vouchers be redeemed for construction equipment. During the big eruption in November The first step in the program was data The believed that this was an important 2013, Sigarang Garang Village was collection, including data on village need for the community. once again the most severely impacted population, number of households, village. Hot ash demolished hundreds and the names of residents impacted It was not a hard argument to make. The of homes and agricultural fields, which by the eruption. The team collected houses and fields that were the main were the most valuable assets for detailed data on each household in the assets for residents of Sigarang Garang many of these communities. Economic village. “We collected data on each Village had been destroyed. Before they activity essentially came to a grinding individual resident,” said Junedi. The could rebuild the local economy, they halt and was crippled due to the lack process of collecting the community’s would first need to rebuild their homes. of assets and production equipment. personal information was similar to that Moreover, at that time, Mt. Sinabang was As the community’s worldly possessions of obtaining a resident’s identification showing periods inactivity. Therefore, were swept away by the hot clouds and card, including submitting biographic with carpentry tools, the community gas, so were their hopes. data and photos. could start rebuilding their homes and would no longer have to worry about Fortunately, their spirits remained. In Based on data collected from the the capital required to start rebuilding collaboration with Red Cross Australia, community, the team found that their lives. PMI launched a cash transfer program 367 households were registered to to help these communities. Through participate in the program. The “The residents are given some flexibility this program, PMI distributed vouchers next step was program socialization. in choosing what types of tools they with a value of 300,000 Rupiahs to the During this phase, PMI explained to need,” said Tia. “It’s not like they 22 receive a package of tools that cannot best quality and comparable to brand were able to rebuild their homes, by be changed,” she added. The package name tools. This guarantee was echoed fixing their roofs, windows and walls consists of a set of carpentry tools that by the store owner who collaborated that had been damaged and destroyed PMI selected, including a hoe, a shovel, with PMI, whose motto is “a drop of by the carnage of Sinabung. After the a hammer, a machete, a saw, and a your blood, a life for others”. homes were rebuilt, they turned to the crowbar. It also included roofing nails fields with their new farming tools to and standard size nails, each wrapped Telge Bora Sembiring recognized how revive a devastated land. in a one-kilogram pouch. beneficial this cash transfer program has been for him and other residents Moreover, the cash transfer program has When monetized, this set of tools are of Sigarang Garang Village. It is easy to also gradually revitalized the village’s valued at 282,000 Rupiahs, while the see why. The program is quite flexible economy that had been temporarily voucher’s value is 300,000 Rupiahs. for many community members. “We paralyzed. With only a little over 100 Although, PMI cannot provide cash in can choose whatever tools we need, million Rupiahs in their budget, PMI lieu of the package, they also do not pay whether it is a hoe or a machete. It was able to successfully implement this for any extra expense of each family. makes things much easier,” he explained program according to plan and fulfill Recipients may redeem the voucher for after receiving a voucher from PMI. the targets. The success is evident in tools that are over 300,000 Rupiahs in Additionally, he said, there is a wider the appreciation of the villagers who value, but they must pay for the extra variety of choices that they can choose really felt how beneficial the program cost. Therefore, they are encouraged to from, depending on their needs. has been for them. redeem the voucher based on what they really need, which would maximize the “If a machete is my priority, that’s “We thank PMI for the hoe, shovel, benefit. what I will choose. For someone else, nails, and machetes. All of these have it might be a hoe, while others might been very helpful for us,” said Bahteria PMI also designed a convenient voucher need a crowbar,” said Telge. He Upon Sembiring, who was the village secretary redemption process. Beneficiaries are receiving his package, Telge expressed two years ago. He also explained how asked to come to the selected shops his gratitude to PMI, while also the hoe and shovel could be used for at the designated time. Once there, representing the appreciation of the other purposes. “When the ash from they give their vouchers to a PMI staff rest of the villagers of Sigarang Garang Sinabung that covers the house gets too member, who then scans the voucher. who benefited from this program. As thick, we can use the hoe and shovel to They are free to pick out whatever tools they entered the store to trade in their scrape it off,” he added. they need, only within the limits of the vouchers, it was clear that they were voucher’s value of 300,000 Rupiahs. Any excited and happy. They left with a new Subur Tambun, who at the time was extra cost must come out of their own sense of hope. the Head of the Regional Disaster pockets, as every family receives the Management Agency (BPBD) of Karo same voucher value. Albeit quite simple and the cash amount District, is also grateful to PMI. He fairly small at only 300,000 Rupiahs per thanks them not only for the success of Although the cash transfer program household, this cash transfer program the cash transfer program, but for their was implemented in a disaster-stricken was incredibly beneficial and helpful to overall support in the area since the area, PMI was careful to choose the right the recipients. Through this program, volcano began to erupt. He stated that store for it. They guaranteed that each PMI has helped the villagers of Sigarang PMI had been a reliable partner of the tool provided in the store was of the Garang to get back on their feet. They agency. PMI always deployed capable 23
PMI’s volunteer is verifying the beneficiaries’ data. Photo: PMI teams to the field who are not only Garang,” he added. “Then they were experienced in humanitarian missions, given the vouchers to trade in with but also sincere in their work. tools,” he said. All of these have greatly helped the community members to This is evident when PMI was on hand bounce back from the string of disasters to assist residents from nine villagers that affected their area. and one hamlet who had been given permission by the government to return to their homes in March 2014. PMI’s support came in the form of the cash transfer program, which they started in April. “During the initial phase, PMI provided aid to the villagers of Sigarang 24
CBAT’s Experience in Waste Management to Reap Benefits
STORY 4 ⎷ Four Waste Management Units (WMU) ⎷ Campaign of sorting organic and inorganic waste ⎷ River cleaning
Waste disposal has long been a problem youth, religious youth activists, female compost, in amounts of up to 1,000 tons for many countries in Indonesia, community health cadres, heads of of organic waste from 1,000 households. including Ampenan Selatan Village, in community units, and community Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara and leaders. This team was part of the Although the WMU has been Cibinong in Bogor District, West Java. Integrated Community-based Disaster constructed, the PMI CBAT still has a Low awareness leads to littering and Risk Reduction Program or ICBRR, that long way to go to raise the awareness piling up of waste in the rivers. As a was initiated by the Indonesian Red of the community to reduce littering result, the rivers become narrower Cross and American Red Cross. The aim through the 3R program: reduce, reuse and shallower, leading to risk of of this program is to reduce disaster and recycle. The PMI CBAT realized that flooding. Following the formation of the risks caused by climate change by the community has not quite synergized Community-Based Action Team, or CBAT, strengthening the capacities of the with the local government. The WMU is what was previously a big problem in local community. a facility, but whether it is beneficial is Ampenan Selatan and Cibining villages, entirely up to the community. Its success is now beneficial. In Mataram, a pilot project that also depends on the extent to which the was initiated by the ICBRR program community understands the urgency of “In Ampenan Selatan, our problem is municipal waste management this problem that could lead to positive was that people would just throw to reduce flooding risks. The actions. Because they considered that their trash in the river. To raise the Indonesian and American Red Cross, in this awareness was still lacking, the community’s awareness, we employed collaboration with the city government PMI CBAT chose to focus the program a rather different approach, that is and community of Mataram then on raising awareness through a simple by encouraging them to think about constructed a Waste Management Unit action, that is by raising the awareness themselves first, starting from their (WMU). PMI constructed a compost of the individual and smallest unit of own homes and yards,” said Ramdan house facility, procured production community, the family. Nursaman, a member of the CBAT of machines, and trained the community PMI (Indonesian Red Cross) in Ampenan on the production and post-production One of the main obstacles encountered Selatan. processes. The government of in this program was the difficulty in Mataram city contributed to this gathering the community members In early 2016, Ramdan and 30 other effort by allocating 500 m2 in land and at the same time due to their daily community members of Ampenan infrastructure, including fences and a activities. Therefore, the team Selatan were trained to become CBAT studying hut. It is estimated that this conducted the socialization by going members. Most of the members are facility could process organic waste into door to door bringing flipcharts of the 25
Mataram City Sanitation Department officials and PMI’s volunteers are sorting the waste to be recycled into organic fertilizer. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI necessary information. The aim was to properly and what they can do to be It was during these informal meetings did raise awareness to dispose of waste in more effective. They also explained they identify the existing environmental the right way, either by sorting it into that preventing disasters that are problems and try to find the solutions. the different receptacles, or reusing it. caused by waste can begin with a few Some of the identified problems, such The CBAT members tried to visit the simple steps, such as sorting household as clogged drainage system, were then homes at an appropriate time so that trash and using it to produce something followed up by collaborative efforts they can convey the information in new, such as creating compost from to clean up the drainage. “We showed a relaxed setting. They talked about organic waste. the community that solving the issue of the dangers of not disposing of waste waste disposal can begin by picking up a 26 hoe together,” said Ramdan Nursaman. Gradually, the CBAT of Ampenan Selatan was able to raise the understanding and awareness of the community on the importance of sorting and managing household waste to create something useful out of it. Currently, the team has started a community garden that is planted with chilies, tomatoes and other vegetables and taking advantage of the compost that was produced from the organic waste. The next step for them is to encourage residents to start their own vegetable gardens in their yards as well as on communal land.
Success in Cibinong Just like in Ampenan Selatan, a Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation program is currently being implemented in Cibinong, Bogor District. This program was carried out in five villages, namely Sukahati, Pondok Rajeg, Karadenan, Kedung Waringin, and Waringin Jaya. However, it differs from Ampenan Selatan in that implementation was carried out quite quickly. Each month, there were routine activities, namely creating biopores, vertical gardens, sorting trash, preparedness campaigns and community service campaigns.
The PMI CBAT of Cibinong Sub-district Officers of Solid Waste Treatment Unit Mataram Municipal and PMI’s volunteers are using the machine to produce the organic fertilizer. set a target of digging 700 biopore pits in Photo: Nasrullah for PMI each village. It was spurred by the issue of water shortage that the Cibinong 5 biopore machines and 10 hand-held the pooling of water and increasing communities experienced last year. tools for making the biopore pits to the absorption capacity of the soil. The This sub-district, which is considered each village. water absorption capacity is increased an urban area, lacks absorption due by digging a hole in the ground and to heavy concrete around the area. A biopore is a vertical, cylindrical hole filling it up with organic waste to create Because of this, the community decided drilled into the ground as a method of compost. The organic waste will feed to create biopore pits. PMI distributed absorbing water to order to prevent the soil fauna and create pores within 27 the soil. This simple technology is why plants that are successfully cultivated in The waste sorting campaign was not it is called biopore. one garden are spread to other gardens only introduced amongst the CBAT to accelerate the proliferation of plants members, but also to the wider Merry Anggraini, a staff member of the across the area. community. The team also targeted Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Change students and local companies. It was Adaptation (DRR-CCA) program, stated, Another activity that the team expected that these groups would gain “The strategy of the CBAT in Cibinong is implemented was the garbage sorting a better understanding and be able to to create 100 biopore pits in one month. campaign, which they socialized widely properly sort between the different If each household has at least two in the community. This issue was closely types of trash in their environments and biopore pits in their yard, then there related to the flooding in Jakarta, participate in these programs. must 50 houses that have biopore pits.” which is usually caused by issues in the Technically, the CBAT and the RT Ciliwung River in Bogor. Coincidentally, A number of villages also took part in (neighborhood unit) and RW (community the Ciliwung River passes through all the program. A WMU in Sukahati Bogor unit) organized this activity. Most of five of these villages. Therefore, PMI’s Village, which was managed by the PMI the funds were raised from within the flooding prevention program focused on CBAT was designed to process organic community, such as funds to purchase waste management in these five villages waste. This unit was used as a place to the biopore pipes and the cost to cut that are located along the river. produce compost, manure and other the pipes. Moreover, the digging of the planting media, so that it can be sold pits were conducted collectively. Nuraini, a member of the CBAT of to agricultural shops as well as fertilizer Pondok Rajeg village, enthusiastically vendors. Meanwhile, the inorganic Just like the biopore pits were built in explained her team’s efforts in this waste is processed by the PMI CBAT in a short time, the vertical garden was campaign. “First, we must sort out Pondok Rajeg. also carried out swiftly. The team’s between wet and dry trash. The wet target was to be able to create 15 trash is compiled, put into a processer In addition to managing their own vertical gardens in public and social machine and then strained. The strained waste, another activity that the PMI facilities, such as in primary schools, results are mixed with cow or goat CBAT does that is just as important is kindergartens, village offices, and dung. After the mixture is fermented community service to clean that river community health centers. At each for one week, it will turn into fertilizer. banks of Ciliwung. This was done on vertical garden, there were between 20 Meanwhile, we can use the dry trash Sunday, April 23, 2016. This was part of and 30 plants grown inside used plastic to create various crafts, such as hand other activities convened to celebrate bottles that were filled with soil and bags, tablecloths, key chains, and other Earth Day on April 22, 2016. The PMI organic fertilizer, both of which were things,” she said. CBAT of Bogor also held a “Walking Along produced from the community’s waste Ciliwung”, whereby local residents management system. The types of plants The waste is sorted and managed at the cleaned the area, spread 10,000 fish were adjusted according to the needs Kedung Waringin WMU. Organic waste seedlings in the river, and plant trees of that specific locality. For instance, in is processed into compost, which is along the banks. residential areas, they planted chilies, then distributed to the various vertical tomatoes and other vegetables that gardens. Meanwhile, the inorganic Although the CBAT has carried out the local community could consume. waste, such as plastic bottles, are cut real and regular activities, getting Meanwhile, at public facilities, such as in half and poked holes in them to make all elements of the community to schools and offices, they planted more a planting pot. be involved remains to be a great decorative types of plants. The seeds of challenge. The main obstacle is the lack of awareness, as has been experienced 28 by CBAT in other regions. Learning how to properly manage waste in order to prevent disasters has yet to become a widespread culture.
Nonetheless, these obstacles did not deter the PMI CBAT. They continue to promote waste management and its utilization to the community with all their efforts and attention. The main emphasis is to deter the community from littering, continue sorting trash, and develop the ability to utilize it. Each village continues to implement the program’s activities.
The dangers of litter will exist everywhere. However, as long as the community has awareness of these dangers and develop positive habits to manage waste, not only will they avoid the dangers of litter, but they can also reap the benefits. As the CBAT of Ampenan Selatan has demonstrated, starting small at the family level in the community can lead to big things. 29 30
The Pioneer of Verticulture in the Dense Communities of Bengawan Solo STORY 5 ⎷ Verticulture Organic vegetable garden ⎷ Gardening on limited land
The 48-year-old woman with glasses times,” she said. Ester stated that her her verticulture garden. “It was hot and from Sewu Village in Jebres Sub- fondness of gardening stemmed from dry, so I had to think of a way where district of Surakarta City is named Ester her mother’s influence. She remembers I could continue to plant my garden. Murtinigsih. The surrounding community that when she a child, she and her Finally, I connected with a Facebook knows her better as the pioneer of mother would go to their garden to pick community that was concerned with verticulture, a cultivating agriculture the bok choy for that day’s serving of gardening in limited spaces,” she said. system that is placed vertically in vegetables. From this social media community, Ester a small space. This technique takes learned about ways she could continue to advantage of limited space for planting, “It was exciting to pick the vegetables channel her gardening hobby. Together both indoors and outdoors. from the garden. We planted our own with her 25-year-old son, David, she and ate our own vegetables,” she created a PVC pipe installation for her Ester began using this technique three reminisced happily. She also added garden. “David created all this,” Ester years ago, after participating in a that back then, it was difficult to get said proudly pointing to the terracing program on relocation of settlements on water cress in the market. So, when of pipes that held all sorts of vegetable the Bengawan Solo River banks in 2013. her mother was able to get it from the plants. In addition to her pipe garden, This is a program that the government market, Ester would take a few stems Ester also took advantage of her gate of Surakarta City initiated in 2008 and plant them in small puddles near to place dozens of polybags for other following a severe flooding in 2007. It the river bank. types of vegetables, such as chilies and was only five years after the beginning bok choy. of the program did Ester and her family However, ever since the relocation became interested in it. program started, Ester and thousands of Ester acknowledges that her version other residents had to move to a very of verticulture is not a hydroponic “Gardening had always been my densely populated area with almost no one, since she still uses soil as the hobby since we lived near the river yard space. She and her family now live main medium. Nonetheless, it is her bank. Because there was a lot of land in a narrow alleyway where the houses conviction that this type of vertical available, I was able to grow my plants are located in close proximity to each gardening is very much appropriate directly in the ground,” reminisced this other. Space is so limited that there is for places with limited land space. mother of one. “The only thing was that only a one-meter distance between her “For instance, in a traditional garden, the river bank got flooded frequently, so front door and front gate. Nonetheless, a space with one meter might only I’ve had to replenish my garden many this small space is where Ester developed be able to accommodate five plants, 31
CBAT members of Sewu Village are installing the hydroponic garden of plastic and iron pipe materials. Photo: PMI 32
Ester is posing in front of her vertical hydroponic vegetable gardens. The garden is located in her yard and in her garage. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI. whereas with a vertical system, I could RT (neighborhood community) 05 RW “Initially, the village submitted a plant 20 plants in the same amount of (citizen community) 07. That is a slum proposal to the local military command, space,” she added. area. It is well known in the Solo area,” asking for aid, but they did not hear said Ester, who also volunteers at the back from them. Later on, the village A peek into Ester’s kitchen reveals Setia Hati Terate art center. officials met with a friend of mine, various vegetables that have a short who then asked me to help them,” she shelf life, such as water cress, spinach, Joyotakan District directly borders said. She held a training on October bok choy, chilies, eggplants, green beans with Kali Wingko, which flows into 2, 2016. “By November 6th, they and tomatoes. “Although I’m a big fan the Bengawan Solo River. This village were able to harvest the vegetables,” of vegetables, I’m not a vegetarian. I has the same characteristics as Sewu she said proudly. “We planted water still enjoy a good plate of satay,” she Village, in that it is located at a river cress, tomatoes, bok choy, spinach and chuckled. bank and is adjacent to Bengawan Solo. eggplants,” she added with a smile. In Joyotakan, Ester provides training on Furthermore, Ester did not keep how to garden using the verticulture Ester also provided training to the knowledge she learned about technique, including on how to harvest community members in Danukusuman verticulture to herself. She happily the plants and make liquid organic Village. She also recognizes that shares her skills and knowledge to fertilizer. even in her own community, not too others. “I help others in Joyotakan, in many people have started to use this 33 verticulture technique. “In Sewu participate and contribute,” said Ester, in Sewu who expressed interest,” said Village, I’m the only one who has tried who celebrates her birthday on October Jumadi, who had been a volunteer with verticulture,” said the women who also 31st. PMI for 12 years. works as a tailor. Ester began to share her experiences Ester, who also grows orchids in Involvement in CBAT and knowledge with other members of her vertical garden, never found it Her work in verticulture has led Ester the group. The CBAT then appointed her challenging to get others to get excited to engage with flooding mitigation as the coordinator for vegetable gardens about viticulture. “It’s becoming a programs in her community. Sewu in the Community Flood Resistance trend these days. There is such a Village is no stranger to regular flooding, program in Surakarta City. PMI provided positive response in the community,” as it is located alongside Bengawan funds to initiate a verticulture garden she said “But we shouldn’t focus too Solo River. With a population 8,000 with the CBAT. “With this funding, we much on the theory. Instead, we should people and a population density of were able to purchase 5,000 polybags just dive right in with the practice, like 17.6 thousand people/km2, this village and create an installation with the with the CBAT. That way, they can see is well known for the frequency with PVC pipes,” she said, pointing to the the results,” she added. which it experiences regular flooding. installation of five PVC pipes that Not only is it located directly adjacent were arranged like steps. Each of the However, Ester admits that there had to the longest river in Java, this 46.35 pipes were drilled with 20 holes, 10 been a number of neighbors that had hectare village is also traversed by two centimeters apart. The diameter of some negative comments on her efforts. tributaries of Bengawan Solo; Bronto the holes is as wide as a water bottle. “They would say, ‘Why bother planting River to the north and Pepe River to the The CBAT carried out the verticulture your own vegetables, when you can just south. activities as part of the efforts to buy it the market for 2,000 Rupiahs?’” support the community’s food security she stated. However, she takes the In 2015, with the support of the and healthy lifestyle by independently criticism in stride. “The only thing is International Federation of Red Cross cultivating their own vegetables. that sometimes it is awkward when the and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and vegetable vendors come along,” she Zurich Insurance, the Indonesian Red Jumadi, a volunteer at KSR Headquarters chuckled. Cross (PMI) initiated a project called of PMI in Surakarta City, explained that Community Flood Resilience (CFR). It PMI never provides funding without Ester draws some of her energy and was implemented in three villages that conducting proper socialization with inspiration for gardening from David’s are frequently affected by flooding, the community. “We (together with games. “I used to like to play the namely Semanggi Village and Sangkrah Ester) conducted a socialization with internet game Hay Day, then Plants vs Village, located in Pasar Kliwon Sub- community members, particularly Zombies. And then there was Harvest district, and Sewu Village in Jebres introducing verticulture, in order to Moon,” she reminisced, as she looked Sub-district. This project introduced get their buy-in,” he said. “We trained over to David. It brings her joy to be Ester to CBAT (Community-based Action any interested residents on how to able to grow her own vegetables and Team). “I followed the CBAT Sewu create the planting medium and plant sell them from her front porch. “It Facebook group. Initially, I wasn’t that the seeds,” he added. He recognized makes me happy to do this and also play active, because I didn’t know what I that the community typically does not games every day,” she added. could contribute to the group. Then try anything new until they see with when I saw they were going to plant their own eyes how well it works. “At Nowadays, Ester and the CBAT get vetiver plants, I started to actively the time, there were only 50 villagers together once a week to discuss issues 34 in verticulture and planting seeds. “We gather every Friday, and talk about different topics each time. Sometimes it’s about challenges we find in our gardening, other times we discuss new ideas,” Jumadi added. Jumadi believes that the CFR project not only helps the community better prepare for flooding, but it also builds the community in a positive way, by strengthening the economy and livelihoods. The benefit of having a personal vegetable garden is that there is less expenses required for groceries.
Ester dreams of one day walking through the alleys in her neighborhood and seeing rows of green verticulture gardens. With her continuous enthusiasm to spread her verticulture ideas, this dream may just be within reach.
35 36
Piloting a Cash-based Aid Model for Water via Mobile Wallet
STORY 6 ⎷ Beneficiaries for clean water: 300 HH ⎷ Two sub-villages and one village ⎷ The effectiveness of aid delivery mechanism ⎷ Local economy empowerment ⎷ The beneficiaries can choose the type of aids based on their needs
A child was pictured sitting in front Cibarusah Sub-district is no stranger to Acep stated that the Bekasi District of a 20-liter bucket. He poured water prolonged drought, which is an annual government had built a community into the bucket using a plastic water reoccurrence in this region. Ridomanah cistern in the village in 2011. However, bottle that was cut at the top and and Ridogalih villages are amongst the in 2013, the water pump and water turned into a scooping tool. Water was worst affected by drought. For example, pipes in the cistern were damaged. “No procured from small 30-cm holes from community members of Ridomanah one has fixed them since then,” he said. the bottom of Cihoe River, in Ridogalih Village, which has a population of 3,289 Four other large cisterns have been Village, Cibarusah Sub-District in the people, are forced to dig small holes built, each with a capacity of 5,000 district of Bekasi. This water would be along the river in order to obtain clean liters and would be able to provide water used for daily household needs, such as water, which they would use for bathing to approximately six neighborhoods. bathing, cooking and drinking. or drinking. However, Acep believes that the community are unable to purchase Stories on the challenges of obtaining “Community members that can afford it the required pipes that would be clean water in Ridogalih Village were will purchase water at the kiosks. Others connected to each home. “The village published on the merdeka.com website.3 who can’t must collect water from the cannot afford to buy water to fill up the Similar stories like the one above are Cipamijis River,” said Acep Sabarudin, cisterns,” said Acep, who was born and also found in other areas in Bekasi, 32, a village official in Ridomanah. The raised in Ridomanah village. As a result, near the Cipamijis River, in Ridomanah kiosk that sells clean drinking water is a the cisterns remain empty. Village, also in Cibarusah Sub-district. gallon water distributor, which according Community members in this area must to Acep, does not come regularly. “A Acep explained that most residents walk at least two kilometers to collect gallon of water costs Rp 5,000,” he do not have permanent employment. water from a river that was drying out. added. Acep also stated that during the “Some of them are seasonal labor They would have to make at least three rainy season, the community puts out farmers, while others work in the brick trips, every time carrying two jerry cans buckets to collect the rainwater. “The factory. Most of them make between Rp of 20 liters of water each. wells also get filled up,” he added in his 170,000 and Rp 220,000 per week,” he thick Sundanese accent. stated.
3 Read the articles at: https://www.merdeka.com/peristiwa/parahnya-kemarau-di-bekasi-warga-gali-lubang-di-sungai-cari-air.html. Retrieved on Friday, 4 November 2016. 37
PMI’s volunteers are teaching the procedure of cash-based aid transfers via mobile phones. Photo: PMI
With such a small income, they were to the villages. At least 10,000 liters of Based on this past experience, PMI, in forced to collect water in the dried water were distributed to villages that collaboration with a U.S.-based Red up rivers. The situation is a lot worse previously had no access to clean water. Cross, piloted an IT-based disaster during the dry seasons, such as the Although the water distribution in 2015 response distribution system between one in 2015 when the El Nino caused a was a considered a success, there were July and August 2016. This new shortened rainy season. many challenges that PMI faced in the distribution system was called Cash field, particularly in regards to the Transfer Program via Mobile Wallet, In response to the 2015 drought, the operational cost. Ivan Yuniar, 40, an which also involved working with Indosat, Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) provided HR staff at PMI Bekasi stated that their an Indonesian telecommunication assistance to villages that required it. office actually did not own the water provider, and Mastercard. The project During the height of the drought in July supply trucks. “We had to rent them aimed to increase PMI’s capacity in and August, PMI supplied clean water from PMI HQ or the PMI at the province implementing a cash-based distribution for 10 villages in the Bekasi District level,” explained Ivan, who had been system and testing the Mastercard area for a total of 50 days, including with PMI in Bekasi for 16 years. “The payment platform and mobile wallets. Cibarusah Sub-district. Twice daily, the operational cost for the distribution was Bekasi PMI came in with a water supply also quite high,” he added. In short, community members receive truck with 5,000 liters of clean water a cash transfer directly from PMI to 38 their mobile phones. Then, they could go to a designated minimarket to cash in their aid package. PMI collaborated with supermarket chains Alfamarket, Indomaret and Alfamidi, as well as the official pawn agency, Pegadaian. After they receive their money, they could then spend it on purchasing drinking and clean water.
Meyliany, 41, a volunteer from PMI Bekasi was tasked with coordinating the pilot project in Ridogalih Village. She informed the community that they would receive a SIM card, which they would need to activate in their mobile phones. “They can check on their cell phones to see if the transfer has been The supermarket staff and PMI are explaining Mobile Wallet feature to the beneficiaries in cash transfer program. Photo: PMI made,” stated Meyliany, who starting volunteering for PMI since 1999. time that PMI Bekasi used an IT-based just under two months, the PMI of aid distribution system. They had also Bekasi District and Bekasi City trained In addition to purchasing water, the cash experimented in beneficiary data 15 volunteers and staff members on amount of Rp 880,000 per household can management using an Open Data Kit. how to implement the project, starting also be used to pay for other expenses, This model uses an open source software from socialization, orientation, and such as medicine, school uniforms, that conducts surveying and data distribution of the mobile wallet cards. stationary, and food items, such as rice. collection, which would have previously This was the first time they had done Community members are also given the have to be done manually. With ODK, this training. freedom to spend their money in places collected data can be directly uploaded other than the designated stores, such to the server, where triangulation and M. Sulaeman, 35, an HR staff member as the village kiosk or nearest water data analysis can be done immediately at PMI in Bekasi City, recognizes the refilling depot. to quickly determine the beneficiaries. ease of the CBT model. “It has made Iyang stated that PMI’s capacities in things a lot easier for the community, Meyliany also stated that this project is operating the Cash-based Transfer since they no longer have to stand in the first time that PMI has implemented Distribution model has improved as a line (during the water distribution),” a cash transfer distribution model. “We result of the project. he said. “Additionally, they are able to were trained on the whole process, purchase other things, such as school from data collection to purchase During the pilot project, PMI was able uniforms and rice,” he added. monitoring,” said the woman who also to reach 700 beneficiary households, goes by Iyang. specifically 339 families in Ridogali Moreover, Iyang believes that the model Village, 151 in Ridomanah and 201 in can help increase local incomes. “I saw This cash transfer model for clean Tegal Pucung Sub-district in Bekasi City. that many of the community members water distribution was not the first In a relatively short period of time, were purchasing items at their 39 neighbors’ stores, who were delighted cost them at least Rp 20,000 to pay for that their products were being sold,” a motorcycle taxi to get there,” said she explained. Ivan personally prefers Ivan. a water distribution system using cash transfer, which affords a degree of The main challenge of a cash-based freedom to the community to buy what transfer system is monitoring how they need. “When we arrive with the the funds were used. The aid was water supply truck, we must park it in considered an unconditional aid, in the field. It was difficult for the women that beneficiaries were not obligated to carry heavy buckets or jerry cans to to use the money just to buy water. As the truck,” he stated. such, they were able to purchase other things, such as school uniforms and A villager from Ridogalih and stationary, food items, such as rice, and participant in a discussion following medicine. PMI recognizes the need to the water distribution event expressed make improvements in the model in the satisfaction with the benefits of this future, such as preparing field staff and model. “Without this aid, we would have project evaluation. needed to reduce our expenses for rice, 2 liters daily, in order to buy water,” he Project evaluation results found said. At least 98% of the 140 villagers that the pilot project could be that were surveyed expressed the same potentially expanded, including by sentiment. This is not surprising, given improving coordination and the level that almost the entire village does not of preparedness of all relevant actors, have access to piped water and are such as PMI Headquarters, partner vulnerable to droughts. organizations and field teams. Although this cash-based transfer system using Nonetheless, the system is not without Mobile Wallet cannot replace PMI’s its shortcomings. As a model that traditional mechanisms of distribution is dependent on technology, CBT is clean water and drinking water, it can dependent on the availability of cellular serve as an alternative in slow onset phone signals and partners that are disasters, such as drought, given the available for cashing in the money. Ivan rapid technological advances. PMI and Iyang, who were the coordinators and its partners should continue to of the project at the time, pointed broaden its horizon on the most current out these weaknesses. “Most of the technological innovations in order beneficiaries were elderly, so they did to expand the number of options on not have cell phones,” said Ivan. “So service provision. they would use their grandchildren’s phones,” he added. Additionally, this “The community’s response was quite relatively poor region was far from positive. This aid has been very helpful any minimarket that was designated as and useful for us,” said Acep. places to cash in their money. “It would 40
Making Money from Waste
STORY 7 ⎷ The female member of CBAT converts used plastics into bags, purses, baskets ⎷ Campaign of handicraft from plastic
With creativity and hard work, the These activities in utilizing and recycling crafts from plastic wrap from one of her women of Trucuk Village in Trucuk plastic waste did not go unnoticed by daughters who attends school at SMK 2 District, Bojonegoro, East Java, PMI, who at the time was implementing in Bojonegoro. However, she confessed have been able to transform plastic a program to develop a flood resilient that she was not really interested at waste into money. They recycled and community in the village. first. Only after join the training from converted the plastic wrap of coffee PMI did this smiley and friendly woman bags, instant noodles packaging, and In 2015, a five-day intensive training become more interested. detergent packaging into bags, purses, was held for about 60 members of the and baskets. The Indonesian Red Cross women’s group, or known as PKK. Guided “Well, I could make money from it,” she (PMI) saw the persistence of a group of by a facilitator, the women created a said with a laugh. She claimed that the women who had been accustomed to variety of crafts from plastic wrap, corn some of the homemade crafts she made flooding in developing their creativity. husks and leftover fabric materials. could sell for 20,000 to 50,000 Rupiahs, And as a result, they provided the They transformed the materials into all depending on the type of product. “A women additional training so that their kinds of plastic bags, purses, flowers small wallet is about 20,000 Rupiahs. It business could grow even bigger. (from corn husks or leaves), and brooch requires about 40 packs of used instant (from the fabric). coffee bags,” she said. “That tote bag The women’s efforts started in 2014. is 50,000 Rupiahs,” she added. She During that year, they were invited Sumirah, 46, a participant and mother explained that in order to make one by the Government of Bojonegoro of two daughters, stated that she was tote bag she would need at least 120 to attend an exhibition of featured quite pleased with this activity. “I can used instant coffee bags. products of the PNPM program at the make an assortment of crafts while Bojonegoro Stadium. Later that year, taking care of the children or cleaning The materials are procured from grocery they were invited by PERHUTANI to the house.” She then pointed to a bag stalls and coffee shops around the attend a products exhibition from all measuring approximately 26 x13 cm village. One of the shops was located in over Bojonegoro District. The group made of the plastic wrap of instant front of the village hall. “We don’t buy of women in the PKK group was quite coffee bags. “Look at this bag! It only it. It’s free,” said Sumirah. The stalls proud to show off the bags, purses, and took a day for me to make it,” she said. sell brewed instant coffee. Usually, baskets they made of plastic waste, Sumirah, who also works as a baker and the wrappers are thrown away into the in addition to the other products from takes catering orders, admitted that trash along with other garbage and then their village. she had previously learned how to make they are burned. After learning this 41
The members of CBAT are sorting the waste to be used as the materials to make bags or home decorations. Photo: PMI skill in recycling products for crafts, wrap is typically cleaned first before also add some additional details, such Sumirah then contacted the shop owner being processed into various types of as lining, which they glue and stitch and ask for the used coffee bags or handicrafts, especially tote bags. neatly on the inside. She said that the instant noodles plastic wrap. “I go to fabric, yarn, and adhesives were bought the shops and get the materials once a The bags that Sumirah and her group from the local fabric and sewing store. week. Sometimes I could get a sackful make are fairly neat. Although they are Finally, the PKK group also participated of the used bags,” she said. The plastic woven from plastic wrap, the women in an exhibition of featured products 42
The women of Family Walfare Group in Trucuk Village, Trucuk Sub-district, Bojonegoro District, are making plastic wraps of instant coffee into bags. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI. 43 that took place at the Hall of the Trucuk sea. Furthermore, plastic waste produced Sub-district on December 18, 2016. At by one hundred stores or members of that time, they made about 14 bags APRINDO outlets could produce 10.95 made of recycled plastic wrap. “We million pieces of plastic garbage bags sold four bags,” she said, smiling. “We in one year. This was equivalent to 65.7 sold the ones that were priced at 30,000 hectares of plastic bags or 60 times the Rupiahs and 50,000 Ruliahs,” she added size of a football field. Moreover, the with a proud expression. Ministry of Environment and Forestry estimated that the total amount of This waste utilization activity was part plastic waste in Indonesia in would reach of the Community Flood Resilience (CFR) 9.52 million tons by 2019. program that the PMI in Bojonegoro was implementing, with the support This group of women, who are also of the International Federation of Red involved in the CBAT, have been able Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to contribute towards the management and the Zurich Insurance Group. This of plastic waste in their region. They program not only targeted disaster risk claimed that they no longer view plastic mitigation, but also carried out activities waste as useless, but rather a potential that contribute to the economy of the source of money. community, especially in relation to the use of waste. So far, the women had During the regular monthly meetings that been able to demonstrate their role in the women in her village attend, Sumirah overcoming the problem of plastic waste and members of her group always try to on a household scale. promote their recycled waste handicrafts. They also encourage children and young The government of Bojonegoro District people in the village to participate in actually has in place a good system in these activities so that they do not spend overcoming the waste problem in the all their time just playing with electronic district with 1.3 million inhabitants. For devices. Not only is this a campaign to example, at the landfills, plastic waste protect the environment, but recycling is processed into diesel. Twenty-two waste can also help earn more income kilograms of plastic waste can produce for the women. ten liters of diesel.
At the national level, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry noted that Indonesia ranks second after China in countries that dump plastic waste into the 44
Evacuation Boats for Flooding Affected Communities
STORY 8 ⎷ Six engine boats for three villages ⎷ One temporary evacuation site in Tulungrejo Village, Trucuk Sub-district
CBAT members are using boats to distribute food during the floods in Trucuk Sub-district, Bojonegoro District. Photo: PMI
Flooding has long been a frequent end of November 2016. It is not an easy reducing the number of casualties from occurrence for the people in task to address, especially as it requires a flooding event. Bojonegoro, East Java, particularly a comprehensive strategy starting from those living along the river banks of upstream of the river. Nonetheless, These three villages, namely Trucuk, Bengawan Solo. During almost every communities in three villages in Trucuk Tulungrejo, and Sumbangtimun, now rainy season, flooding will strike this Sub-district of Bojonegoro can now each have two motor boats that they community, such as the one towards the rest a little bit easier when it comes to can use to evacuate the village during 45 a flood. Each of the motorboats are evacuating to a higher elevation (village belongings, which can also be used as powered using a 6.5 HP engine and borders), we also delivered boxed a temporary shelter for the inhabitants. measures 11 m in length and 1.9 m meals to those who needed it. The CBAT An anjab can also be made from lining in width. They were donated by the had set up a public kitchen to prepare up two-by-fours to store heavier things. Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) of Bojonegoro these meals,” he said. “Additionally, “Some people even put their goats on District. The idea to procure these boats we also distributed aid packages from this thing before anything else,” he came from a vulnerability analysis that external sources, such as from the local explained. was conducted in the villages, as they university,” he added. are frequently affected by flooding due That morning, the trip to the village to the overflow of Bengawan Solo River. According to him, the motorboats were from the district capital took about 35- The analyses were then translated into used for four straight days. Meanwhile 45 minutes. The sky was clear and the a village disaster risk reduction action in Tulungrejo Village, the motorboats weather sunny. The road connecting plan. were also used to shuttle school children the districts that had been paved with to their schools. “It was finals season at asphalt is winded, but flat, and is the Suyono, 49, a resident of Trucuk the time,” said Dwi Pujo Wuriyanto, 43, only one used to reach these three Village describes the benefits of the head of the CBAT in his village. villages. This same road is the one motorboats. “We used one yesterday to used to distribute aid to the villages. transport some community members to These three villages are considered However, the road conditions change the big boat,” said the man who is part ‘regulars’ of overflowing from Bengawan drastically as soon as one enters of the village government. The big boat Solo. Flood waters rushed in through Trucuk Sub-district. For example, the he was referring to is the boat used to the tributaries that pass through the road to Tulungrejo Village is made of cross the river, which many villagers villages and drain into Bengawan Solo. block paving with shallow gutters on are accustomed of using to cross to In Trucuk Village, for example, it is each side. A similar situation is found Bojonegoro City. surrounded by three tributaries. “It in Sumbangtimun village. There is flows through neighborhood unit (RT) evidence of the flood that struck the He also explained how the motorboats 08, 03, and 04,” said Imam Mukharom, village on November 27, 2016, which were useful during the flooding on Head of CBAT in his village. demolished the crops in the field, such November 27, 2016. Overflowing water as cassavas and rice. One could see the from the Bengawan Solo River inundated With most houses located only 150 mud line left by the flood on the outer most of the village for almost five days. meters from the river banks, flood walls of the residents’ houses. The white and orange motorboat went waters could reach up to three meters. around the village to help evacuate “The biggest one we experienced was For villagers living near the river banks, residents to a higher elevation or to get the one in 2007,” recalled Suyono. boats are an essential part of their them to the crossing port to Bojonegoro daily lives, most of whom earn a living City. According to him, before PMI donated as farmers and construction laborers. the motorboats, the community would They use boats to cross the Bengawan Abdul Halim, 28, a member of the CBAT evacuate using a makeshift raft made Solo River, which spans 157 m in width. in Sumbangtimun Village conveyed out of banana tree branches. “For those This saves them much time if they need a similar story. He and another CBAT unable to evacuate, they would just stay to go to the district capital. The boat member were canvassing the village on their anjab,” he added. An anjab is trip takes five minutes and costs 500 to check if there was anyone else that a woven bamboo mat that people put Rupiahs per passenger and 500 more for needed evacuation. “In addition to on their attics to store their valuable a moped or bicycle. In addition to being 46 a mode of transportation, these boats also function as a means of finding sand in the river.
Rahman, a boat maker from Sumbangtimun Village, explains that it took him a month to build two boats for evacuation purposes. “I used 3mm galvanized steel plates,” he said. “They weighed about 800 kg, including the engines,” he added. The boat was designed to be able to carry 25 passengers at any given time. It is claimed that this boat, which measured 11 x 1.9 m, could maneuver in between the narrow alleys.
Dwi Pujo further explained that these motorboats can only be operated by the Evacuation boat is ready to use in case of flooding. CBAT. “Although the boats are relatively Photo: Nasrullah for PMI safe, we want to be careful, just in case,” said the man who works as a Nur Hamid, a staff member of the villagers and the PMI team during a farmer. Bojonegoro District PMI stated that PMI vulnerability assessment, which was only provided the motorboats, while the later put into an action plan. “The All three villages store their motorboats each of the village governments were benchmark for how high the platform in their own ways. In Sumbangtimun, expected to take responsibility for their should be was gathered from previous for instance, the boats are stored maintenance, upkeep and utilization. flooding experiences,” said Dwi Pujo, separately, according to their usage. 43, head of the CBAT of Tulungrejo “There is one at RT 16, because it is Temporary Shelter Village. at the lowest elevation and is the first In addition to the motorboats, the PMI community to be inundated,” explained at Bojonegoro also supported structural This temporary shelter is located Abdul Halim. “The other one is kept in mitigation to flood management by approximately 150 meters from the RT 1,” he added. There is a canal in RT constructing a temporary shelter for river banks of Bengawan Solo. It is not 16 that is connected with Bengawan affected populations. This structure is a located too far away. Dwi Pujo, who Solo, enabling the overflow to enter the platform 150 cm above the ground, with works as a farmer, says there is a reason canal. In Tulungrejo, both motorboats a width of 19 meters and a length of 24 behind this. “It is also closer to the are stored at the Village Meeting meters. The front part of the platform Bojonegoro major roads,” explained the Hall, which also functions as the CBAT is equipped with a ladder. calm and collected man. Commando Post. It was designed this was to facilitated better monitoring and The idea to construct this platform Nur Hamid, a staff member of Bojonegoro maintenance. came out of a meeting between the PMI added that this temporary shelter 47
cross the river,” he added.
Using a GPS, it can be estimated that the width of Bengawan Solo is between 157 and 187 meters. It takes between five to eight minutes to cross ona motorboat. These motorboats can carry up to 10 mopeds and 20 passengers at one time. During a flood, residents choose to take this fast, but risky path than take the 45-60 minute trip to the evacuation site, which the government constructed on a hectare of land. It is located approximately seven kilometers from Tulungrejo village.
“But even that is sometimes risky. I experienced that myself,” said Dwi
The boats are located in the locations that are high risk of flooding. Pujo. He recounted the time during a Photo: Nasrullah for PMI big flood in 2007-2008, he and a few other residents took the motorboat is used while they wait for the Search standards,” said the man who works as to the Ebaga (happy evacuation and Rescue teams to arrive through the an HR staff at the Bojonegoro PMI. place), which was constructed by the main roads and cross Bengawan Solo. “It local government. On the way, their takes between five and eight minutes,” Although he is grateful for the motorboat was blown to a different he added. “Additionally, the land construction, Dwi Pujo actually wishes place. “We got stranded in Banjarsari. where we have the platform belongs that they would add tents or permanent It was so far. And the trip was a difficult to the village, not privately held,” he roofs. “Our priority is the elderly one,” he recalled. Due to the far distance said. “Therefore, it is not a long-term and children, so since the shelter is and rough waves, many residents are shelter, just temporary,” he said. open without a proper cover, it is not more comfortable with just crossing the adequate if it is rainy or windy, there river. Suyono explained that once they The temporary shelter is equipped with are no walls,” he said. are across the river, there were several two bathrooms and one bathroom for government buildings that had been people with disabilities. The water is Furthermore, he said that before there converted into temporary shelters, such sourced from the local well and water was the shelter, community members as the Water Company and the village pump. There is also a faucet in an open would surely be reluctant to evacuate office. space. According to Nur Khamid, the during a flood. “As long as they think temporary shelter can take up to 300 they can still inhabit their homes, During non-emergency times, the people. “The design and construction they won’t leave it,” he explained. temporary shelter is used by the was done by the Public Works team, Protecting their valuables, especially community to dry their corn or as a so as to conform with government their cattle, is the main priority. “When playing space for children. “They may the water levels get higher, they instead 48 also use it for wedding receptions as well,” added Dwi Pujo as he laughed.
The construction of the temporary shelter and procurement of the motorboats are part of the structural mitigation efforts of the Community Flood Resilience project, which is a collaborative effort between PMI, IFRC, and Zurich Insurance. The program, which started in 2015 will conclude at the end of 2017, is expected to have increased the endurance and resilience of the community, improve the effectiveness of disaster risk reduction solutions, and garnered support from policy makers. 49 50
First Aid Training by the Indonesian Red Cross
STORY 9 ⎷ First Aid Training for PMI members, corporations, humanitarian agencies, schools, and public ⎷ Increasing the capacity of PMI trainers ⎷ Development of First Aid PMI application
The participants of first aid training are practicing the theory they got during the training. Photo: PMI “This is the story of Budi, the responsive of “Si Budi Tanggap (Responsive Budi)”, In everyday life, it is very important to boy. When the person standing next to a song about an animation character have the basic capabilities to save a life him started to gasp for air, Budi quickly named Budi who quickly gave CPR to a in an emergency such as shown in the responded to perform first aid. Budi is bus passenger who suddenly collapsed video campaign. Fatkhur Rahman, 36, a so great!” while holding his left chest. At the end first aid trainer from the Indonesian Red of the three-minute video, he was saved Cross (PMI) in Semarang District, had The above phrase is a part of the lyrics from dying. once experienced this situation himself. 51
protective measure. Then he checked Delivering the First Aid Training her ankles that were on top of each First aid is a trademark service of other and saw that there was a lot of Red Cross organizations all over the First Aid Training by the Indonesian Red Cross blood flowing. “As it turns out, there world. In Indonesia, the first record was an open fracture on the left ankle, of first aid activities was during the which was nearly completely broken. It one-month commemoration of the had been covered by the right leg,” he country’s independence at the Ikada said. He then bound that ankle with a Field, in Jakarta on September 19, raffia string that he found at the scene 1945. At that time, the Indonesian Red to stop the bleeding and used his hat Cross set up a First Aid Station behind as a splint. He administered all of this the youth ranks. Junior doctors from first aid by himself and waited until the the Medical Academy were recruited police came and evacuated the victims as medical workers, who then trained to the nearest hospital. the volunteers to help the victims in battlefield. Fatkhur, who works as a volunteer and staff of The Youth Red Cross, stated Also at these times of battle, PMI that learning first aid is an essential formed the First Relief Troops (mobiele life skill. “There are many disasters colonne) that consisted of students and accidents around us that cause from high and junior high school. PMI casualties, and without a quick and doctors continued to train the youth Galogat Nainggolan, an employee of a private sector proper basic medical treatment, it can from nobility as well as the youth from company in Jakarta, is showing his first respondent card as cause death,” said the man who has the villages to help at the front line as a graduation token from the first aid training he attended. Photo: Nasrullah from PMI been a First Aid trainer for six years. well as at the hospital. In 1946, PMI “I used to see a lot of accident victims gathered 60 women in the Chr. H.B.S “It was drizzling, and I was on the road that were moved immediately to the building, in Salemba to be trained as after picking up my mother from work. side of the road or being loaded into a an auxiliary nurses, who were then There had been an accident between a car without being checked first. There dispatched to different battlegrounds motorcycle and a car,” he said. “I saw are even victims that were just being around Jakarta, Purwakarta and that there were three people lying on ignored because people didn’t know how Bandung. After the war times, first aid the ground and convulsing. I checked to help,” said the man who has trained training for PMI volunteers continued them and found no broken bones, only a variety of people like villagers, the to be held so the volunteers will be moderate bleeding on the forehead, youth program, mosques youth, hospital ready when they are sent to locations elbow and legs,” he recounted calmly. staff, companies, schools, universities of disaster or responding to accidents. Then he asked the crowd of people who and district/city PMI staff members. were watching to evacuate to the side “To have the capabilities to perform In providing the first aid training, PMI of the road. first aid means that we have a chance emphasizes on basic materials such as to save a life, prevent disabilities, give introduction to first aid, basic anatomy Fathkur, so he often called, then comfort to the victims and aid in the and physiology, situation assessment, focused his attention to an old lady healing process,” he said. basic life support, shock and bleeding, who was bleeding through her mouth injury, burns, and moving/lifting and nose. He used a plastic bag as a techniques. Training is given in order to 52 equip the participants with knowledge about heart lung resuscitation, victim finally get a certification from PMI. and individual skills in first aid evacuation (procedures & victims Additionally, PMI also sends their trainers techniques. transportation), First Aid in special to enrol in trainings abroad to enhance situations (first aid in enclosed/limited their knowledge, skills and insights, The materials that are presented are space and first aid for electrical shock). like to Australia, the Philippines and based on the guidance from International The training methods include lecturing, Switzerland. In order to improve the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent discussions, Q & A, and First Aid trainers’ competencies, they can also Societies. In implementation, materials practice and simulation. At the end of be recommended to get certified by and practices will adjust to the needs of the training, participants will complete the Professional Certification National each participant. “Before we begin the a test and a competency evaluation. Agency (BNSP). training, our team will assess the profile When PMI holds a First Aid training at of the candidates,” said Adelia, a staff companies, they always work with the Aside from training the volunteers, member of the Education & Training local Department of Manpower. the First Aid Trainers of PMI also train Unit of PMI Headquarters, a unit that employees from the private sector, such supervises the trainings. “For example, As the unit that responsible for all as VFS Global. VFS Global specializes when talking about the character of a different kinds of trainings, both inside in outsourcing and is a supplier of working accident in company A or the and outside of the Indonesian Red Cross, technology services for government training requirements in company B, the Education & Training Unit always and diplomatic mission all over the the materials maybe the same but ensures the quality of the trainers/ world. With headquarters in India, the the methods could be different,” she instructors. The trainers are sourced company asked PMI to carry out a first added. from PMI and is competent in First Aid. aid training for its employees. The team is also skilled at performing Generally speaking, the materials first aid and provides health service as Galogat FH Nainggolan, Corporate provided covers laws and regulations an ambulance team. Manager Security at VFS Global, said related to First Aid, basic employment that his company preferred to use the health, basic First Aid, anatomy It is a long process to become a first services of PMI based on his consultation and physiology of the human body, aid instructor or trainer. To start off, a with other VFS offices in Australia, guidelines on providing First Aid volunteer must enrol in the volunteer Malaysia and Thailand. These offices facilities, First Aid kit and equipment, corps basic training. “From there, had recommended that PMI be the and general countermeasures and we will do a screening to proceed to provider of the training service. “After emergency handling. Additionally, the specialization,” said Norman, a staff reading and reviewing, comparing with materials also discuss basic life support at the Education & Training Unit at other first aid training providers, we and medical emergency, the dangers the PMI Headquarters. Following the felt comfortable with the Indonesian of heat stroke and how to handle specialization, the prospective trainers Red Cross,” said the man who had been it, poisoning, chemical exposure, will be selected again to proceed to working for the company since 2009. seizures, local injuries (wounds, training for trainers. “When they pass bleeding, burns, broken bones) and the training for trainers, they are still The training, which was carried out on the treatment, unconsciousness and its just an assistant of the trainer, and August 20 – 21, 2016, took place not treatment, respiratory problem and the are not yet allowed to train directly,” only at the office on Jl. Dr. Satrio, South treatments, and circulatory disorders he added. While being an assistant, a Jakarta, but also simultaneously at their and its treatment. prospective trainer will gain experience offices in Bali and Surabaya. “A total Moreover, trainees are also taught and knowledge in training, until they of 36 persons were trained in Jakarta, 53
The participants of first aid training are practicing the procedure to lift an injured person. Photo: PMI
Bali and Surabaya,” said Galogat, who He then expressed his appreciation to said that he would enrol in the second also attended the training program. PMI for the quality of the trainers that batch of trainings if it were ever to be “In Jakarta there were 24 people were deployed. “My boss is a Filipino held,” he added with a smile. trained, consisting of staff members who doesn’t speak Indonesian, I told the and managers,” he added while proudly Indonesian Red Cross. Apparently the Based on data from the Workers Social showing his first aid certification. instructor spoke English and was able Security Agency, until the end of 2015, to explain everything clearly,” he said there were 105,182 work-related enthusiastically. “My Country Manager accident cases from incidents like fires, 54 explosions or collapsed cranes. A likely As a trainer of a skill set plays an cause is the low level of awareness important role in saving people lives, about the importance of implementing Fatkhur realised the importance Occupational Health & Safety in the of constantly updating his first aid industry and society. The low level of knowledge, by reading books or finding awareness is possibly caused by the information from the internet. “[The assumption that such implementation is most important thing] is to learn from a financial burden, instead of as an act your seniors or people with more of prevention/ investment. experiences,” said Fatkhur, who was born in Semarang. In 2016 alone, PMI has trained at least 10 companies or organisations in first Non-stop Innovation aid. As this number is based on trainings In keeping with the trend of using apps, coordinated by PMI Headquarters, it PMI developed a first aid app called PMI does not includes the ones conducted First Aid. This application, which can at the province or district levels. For be downloaded for free in Android or example, the PMI of Lampung Province iOS-based smartphones, contains first held a first aid training for 19 employees aid information for conditions such as of PT Traba Engineering on November allergies, asthma, bleeding, broken 14, 2016. The materials covered bones, burns, diabetes emergencies, First Aid application that can be downloaded on mobile phones with Android or iOS operating systems. included CPR, soft tissue injury, injuries choking, hysteria panic attacks, heart Photo: Hannadini Nur Wahyu for PMI on the motoric system, skeleton injury, attacks, heat stroke, head injuries, shock and poisoning. hypothermia, poisoning, epileptic hand under running water to cool it,” seizures, shock, meningitis, insect she said. Previously, before she had The high number of companies asking for stings, pain from muscle sprain, read about burn treatment on the app, PMI to train them is closely related with a stroke, dengue fever, influenza, acute she would have put toothpaste on the regulation from the Indonesian Minister diarrhoea, and unconsciousness and burn, which is what many other people of Manpower and Transmigration No. stopped breathing. would do. This is actually not the right PER15/MEN/VIII/2008 about First Aid in treatment. the workplace that requires there to be The app, which was launched on a licensed First Aid Officer with first aid November 21, 2014, also contains “The app is good, it’s user friendly, the knowledge and skills. information on theories, practices and information is really helpful, especially evaluations, like for burn treatment. for people with no medical background,” In addition to providing training After reading the theory and Q & A, she said. “The application’s language is domestically, PMI also deploys their we can test our knowledge of burns. easy to understand and since I truly felt instructors abroad, such as to the Hannadini Nur Wahyu, 36, a Human that it’s very useful, I shared it with Democratic Republic of Timor Leste, Resources (HR) practitioner at an oil my co-workers during a safety moment where they trained the staff of Cruz and gas company in Senayan area, sharing session at my office,” added the Velmelha de Timor Leste (CVTL) or Sudirman, Central Jakarta, shared woman who has been working in HR for Timor Leste Red Cross during its initial a story about this app. “While I was 9 years. However, even though it was formation. cooking, my hand got burnt on the really helpful, she hopes this app could hot frying pan. Immediately, I put my be equipped with emergency phone 55
Couple of staff from a private company are showing the First Aid application on one of their phones. Photo: Hannadini Nur Wahyu for PMI numbers. Therefore after receiving or performing first aid, one could immediately get further help. Since its launch on November 2014, this application has been downloaded at least 10,000 times in the Play Store and got the average ratings of 4.7.
An app cannot eliminate the role of trainers. Adelia stated that training participants still feel the differences. “Of course they feel more comfortable learning directly from the trainer than through an app,” she said. In January 2017, PMI will be updating its First Aid Guidance Book. Fatkhur hopes this book can help other PMI members to increase their knowledge and skills in keeping with current developments. 56
WASH Changing the Fate of Thousands of Residents
STORY 10 ⎷ Constructing wells ⎷ Building a 14 km long water pipe
For those accustomed to having access At the beginning of 2015, the program PMI recognized that these communities to an abundance of clean water, two known as WASH, was implemented needed immediate access to clean showers a day is no big deal. Whenever in three regions experiencing water water, since the need for clean water they need it, they can easily scoop up shortages in East Kalimantan. Data is something that cannot and should not water from the tub or open the faucet. compiled by PMI indicated that prior to be delayed. Furthermore, Rusliansyah This is not the case for residents in the program being implemented, only Abdul Gani stated that the shortage of villages who experience water shortage. 32.5% of communities in the province clean water had caused many health Residents of Kadungan Jaya Village had access to clean water. issues in the communities. and Pengadan Baru Village in Kaubun Sub-district, Sambaliung District, Rusliansyah Abdul Ghani, the WASH Field That is why then the WASH campaign East Kalimantan Province; community Coordinator for PMI in East Kalimantan, was introduced and disseminated members in Sukan Tengah Village, stated that communities in these four throughout the country, Abdul and his Sambaliun Sub-district; and residents of villages had always struggled to get colleagues began to prepare themselves Tumbit Melayu Village, Teluk Bayur Sub- access to clean water. The distance for the program. They visited the target district are examples of those who face between a water spring and the village locations, conducted field assessments this water difficulty. These communities was quite far. Additionally, they also and verified that the communities were struggle to save every drop of water had to travel some distance to reach in real need of aid. that they can for drinking and cooking— their district capitals, which can be as never mind for showers. far as 38 kilometers. For many of them, In the target locations, almost all this could mean a three-hour trip on residents bought their water from clean Communities in these areas experienced public transportation. water vendors. Although the price was water shortages until 2015, when the relatively affordable, in a place where Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) introduced Nonetheless, distance was rarely an many of the residents are farmers, every a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) obstacle when it came to being able to cent required to buy water becomes program. They collaborated with the get clean water. Considering that most extremely previous. With the provision PT. Samsung Electronics Indonesia residents of Sukan Tengah Village are of aid for clean water, they would be (SEIN) company and the Republic of transmigrants, it is the obligation of the able to use their hard-earned money Korea National Red Cross and the government to provide them with their for other needs. “These communities International Federation of Red Cross basic needs, including clean water. need clean water to cook and drink and Red Crescent Societies. with,” said Abdul. Meanwhile, for other household needs that require water, 57 such as washing, the communities rely program continues to run for the next two amongst many other villages in on rainwater that they collect through two to three years and it reaches the the province that are in dire need of cisterns. However, this becomes a point where the community no longer access to clean water. Therefore, PMI problem during the dry season where needs PMI’s guidance, but is able to decided to implement a WASH program rainwater becomes scarce. They are sustain the program on their own. in these areas with the hope that the forced to be extra careful with their 40,000 residents there can be relieved water usage. At its core, the WASH program is a from the struggles that they face from community-based program, in that the water shortage. Additionally, it is PMI believes that a long-term solution is it is implemented for the community expected that this program will enable required to solve this issue of access to and involves their participation. The the communities to enjoy access to clean water. Thus, WASH is an appropriate communities were involved in many clean water as much as the rest of East program for this problem, particularly of the program’s activities, such as Java communities. as it is implemented sustainably. It is construction of the piping system expected that the government will also connecting the water source to the In implementing the WASH program play a role in this program. Even if the community and drilling the all-year in Blitar and Lumajang districts, PMI government does not continue PMI’s boreholes. As a result, many potential used two treatments, which were program in these particular areas, they obstacles were addressed, such as the adjusted to the local conditions. Adris, can always replicate the program to be far distance to the water sources and the WASH Field Coordinator for the implemented elsewhere. shortage of volunteers. East Java PMI, explained that in these areas, PMI provided access to clean “From the few conversations we’ve had Starting in the second year of the water by digging a borehole. The goal with the district government, we are program, the communities began to was to obtain the best quality of clean confident that the WASH program will enjoy access to clean water, which was water available. The results were quite become a pilot program,” explained piped in to the village using the piping satisfactory. Upon sinking the drilling Abdul. This comes as a relief to system they built with PMI. As a result, rig, clean water began to immediately him, albeit with cautious optimism. the residents now have increase access gush out from the borehole. There have been many government to clean water and the money that projects in the past that have become they would have used to buy water can PMI data shows that there was only a mere ‘monuments’, in that after now be allocated for other needs. Most three-meter distance between the implementation, there was no one to importantly, the availability of clean water source and the ground surface. look after the structures. In fact, many water has improved their quality of life. “The water level came up as high as of these structures did not turn out as A similar case can also be seen in a 97 meters,” said Adris. As a result, the expected and began to deteriorate due number of communities in East Java water pump attached to the water tank to neglect. PMI hopes that the WASH that were also experiencing a shortage did not need to work as hard. “With program does not end up like these past of clean water. PMI data indicates that just standard power from the pump, we projects. This is why the program has at the onset of the WASH campaign, were able to get a good amount of clean been strictly monitored and facilitated 42.5% of the population in East Java water in the water tanks. We would throughout the second year and Abdul had little or no access to clean water. then pipe the water to the residents’ hesitates to claim that WASH has a These include communities in Sidodadi homes,” explained Adris. 100% success rate. “I would say it is Village, Panggungrejo Sub-district, currently 70%,” he said. To him, a 100% Blitar District and Gusti Alit Village, Although it looked simple, PMI’s work success rate would mean that the WASH Lumajang District. These are only in channeling clean water to the 58 community’s homes was actually a long skin problems as a result of only being with licenses,” said Adris. Fortunately, process. After the initial assessments, able to take showers once every three the problem was settled quickly. they visited and re-visited several days. Other health issues have also The offices of the tea company, the locations before they found the right become a problem for them as a result national park and the forest enterprise location to drill the borehole. Sidodadi of the lack of clean water. all allowed the piping system to pass Village is located on the highlands and through their territory. As of December mountainous areas, so the team had to Given this situation, Adris worked hard 2016, the pipe construction has been be extra careful of where they drilled to ensure that the WASH program was completed, a full two years since the the borehole, especially if it reached well--implemented. The program’s main WASH program started in Lumajang depths of 100 meters. Clearly, a lot of challenge, finding the water source, was District. Residents of Gusti Alit Village work was put into making it possible overcome. “We had actually found one can now enjoy access to clean water. to get clean water that is accessible to that was only four kilometers away, but communities in these villages. we ended up not using it,” he recalled. Communities that previously did not There was no way that PMI could use have adequate access to bathing, For Adris and his colleagues at the it, since there was a big chance that it washing and toilet facilities with clean PMI in East Java, the WASH program is would be affected by drought. In order water have now been sufficiently an accomplishment that they can all to ensure that water flow was constant, supported. Indeed, they are now even be proud of. Through this program, they had to find a water source that encouraged to improve the quality of communities have come to know was resistant to droughts. They were their well-being by adopting a clean PMI much better. “At the beginning, finally able to zero in on a water source and healthy lifestyle. All this thanks to however, the communities expressed that was 14 kilometers away from the PMI’s contribution through a consistent some doubt in our program due to a village. With a strong commitment and determined implementation of the delay in funding,” he added. However, to their cause, PMI built a 14-km pipe WASH program. the communities’ doubts vanished after system from the borehole to the village. the initial drilling began and clean Residents of the village helped out water was piped to their homes. At that enthusiastically. Working together with point, Adris and his team had a question PMI, the community members realized of their own: ‘Would the community be their dream of having adequate clean able to manage the facilities that PMI water for their village. provided them?’ Time will tell, as the program is still being closely monitored Adris recognizes that there were a and guided by the PMI team. number of challenges during the piping construction proses. One of these Adris will also be implementing a similar included the fact that the pipe path program in Gusti Alit Village. Located in passed through a tea plantation owned Lumajang District, this village is also in by the National Plantation XII company, dire need of clean water. Not only do the Bromo Tengger Semeru National the community members have been Park, and a forest under the supervision using their valuable money to purchase of Perum Perhutani – the state-owned clean water, they also have to endure forest enterprise. “We ran into issues 59 60
20 Water Tanks for Batu Nampar Selatan Village
STORY 11 ⎷ 20 water towers, total capacity 24 thousand liters of water ⎷ Distribution of 225 thousand liters of water in year 2016
A Google search for the words “Batu Batu Nampar Selatan Village, Jerowaru The water tank construction activities Nampar” will result in texts and District. were conducted between November photographs that depict the beautiful and December 2015. A total of 20 water coastal scenery of East Lombok, West After years of experiencing this water tanks were built in three hamlets in Nusa Tenggara. However, behind this shortage, the villagers’ thirst was finally Batu Nampar Selatan, namely in Batu beauty are the difficulties of life of fullfilled in 2014 to 2016. During these Nampar Lauk, Batu Nampa Daye, and the local villagers to fulfill the daily two years, the Indonesian Red Cross Temayang. One water tank can contain requirements for clean water, especially along with the Hong Kong Red Cross 1,200 liters of water, so when all the during the dry season. implemented the Community Based tanks are filled, there will be 24,000 Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction liters of water available to meet the “It’s easier for us to ask for food (to the program in this village that is located needs of the village’s 2,280 inhabitants. neighbors) than for water,” said Bukhari, about thirty-five kilometers from In addition to building the tanks, the Chairman of the Community-based Selong, the capital of East Lombok. Indonesia Red Cross also helped supply Disaster Preparedness of the Indonesian clean water to fill the tanks throughout Red Cross in Batu Nampar Selatan In order to meet the water needs of 2016. “We sent a total of about 45 Village. Although he said it in a joking the residents, the Indonesian Red Cross water tanks,” said Ahyanto, who has manner, Bukhari was not exaggerating. built twenty large capacity water tanks. been Indonesian Red Cross staff since Every year, these villagers that live on These water tanks were built on the 1991. The amount was equivalent to the coast of East Lombok have to face cement foundations with the height of 225,000 liters of water. the issue about the difficulty of meeting 0.5 meters and equipped with two taps. their daily requirements for clean The villagers, who largely work as Not all of the distributed water was from water. fishermen, did not just stand by waiting the PMI. A number of companies through for the construction of these water their corporate social responsibility The dug wells they use as a source of reservoir. They also participated in the (CSR) initiatives as well as the Regional clean water needs is unreliable when construction by providing manpower Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) there is less rainfall due to a prolonged and constructing the foundation. “We contributed to this effort. Water dry season. Other clean water reserves provide the materials and paint the tanks donations also came from the Mataram in the form of small ponds usually dry up white,” said Ahyanto, an Indonesian Red University Alumni Association (IKA in the dry season. “Every year we have Cross staff of East Lombok District. UNRAM) in September 2016, which sent to buy water,” said Mahani, a resident of four water tankers. 61
CBAT members are draining the water from the water truck to the shelter in Batu Nampar Selatan Village. Photo: PMI 62
The people of the village are queueing to fetch water from the water tank provided by PMI. Photo: PMI 63
With the availability of these water While waiting for the results of this tanks, community members can also survey—at least for now—the 20 water buy water from trucks that have a reservoirs constructed by PMI will 5,000-liter capacity. “Usually the price continue to be the main support for is about 150,000 to 200,000 Rupiahs villagers, whose village borders Awang per truck,” said Ahyanto. The village Bay, which connects Lombok Island and head typically coordinates the water Sumbawa Island. purchasing process.
The existence of these water tanks has not yet fully solved the need for clean water in the village. This is because the villagers still rely on external groups for their water, either from other parties’ assistance or buy the water themselves. Nonetheless, these water tanks are the best solutions at the moment, for which the residents of Batu Nampar Selatan are grateful.
According to Ahyanto, the East Lombok BPBD and the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) conducted a geoelectric survey in 2016 to find water points that could potentially be drilled for a bore well. Geoelectric is a method used to determine the existence of ground water by finding out where the aquifers are located. By combining data from geoelectric and hydrological data, land use and population, the potential of ground water or ground water reserves can be detected. The BPBD and ITB team surveyed 19 points. “We hope to find an area that can be used to drill bore wells,” he added. 64
Green Belt of Bengawan Solo
STORY 12 ⎷ Three regions: Wonogiri District, Surakarta City, and Bojonegoro District
Type and number of plants: 6,400 aren, 4,000 fragrant roots, 100 bamboo, 500 guava, 300 crystal shackles
525 perennials in Trucuk Village, Trucuk Sub-district, Bojonegoro District: 250 tamarind seedlings, 150 mahogany seedlings, 100 gamelia seedlings, and 25 gayam seedlings along the road and borders of Trucuk Village.
In late November 2016, the upstream of Ngadipiro, Jumadi, 32, a member areas of Bengawan Solo overflowed of PMI Surakarta Volunteer Corps (TSR) and flooded many areas traversed pointed to areas near the Bengawan by its streams, including Wonogiri, Solo river bank in Sangkrah Village, Surakarta, and Bojonegoro. The water Pasar Kliwon Sub-district, Surakarta, flooded village roads and washed away which were full of vetivers plants as thousands of plants on the riverbanks. tall as 50 centimeters. The leaves were However, some plants managed to bent because of the floods, but the survive the flood—giving hope for trunks were still intact. environment improvement along the river. In Bojonegoro, Evi Roshianawati, a member of CBAT in Trucuk Village, “Although the sugar palm trees had just Trucuk Sub-district, showed dozens of been planted, they survived the floods,” 1-meter tall crystal guava and red guava said Warjo, as he pointed at rows of seedlings on the riverbank, which were palm trees that had been planted in also still standing after the flooding. Ngadipiro Village, Nguntoronadi Sub- district, Wonogiri in March of that year. Sugar Palms, vetivers, and crystal Rows of 50-centimeter saplings were guavas are among the plants that PMI planted about 10 meters from Kaduang and local communities planted as riverbanks, which is brown in color. part of the Community-based Flood Kaduang River is one of the rivers that Resilience Program. This program was flow into the Gajah Mungkur Reservoir, initiated by PMI with support from which is considered the upstream of the International Federation of Red Bengawan Solo River. Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Zurich Insurance. Other plants that also Along the downstream of Bengawan survived the flood were rough bamboos Solo, about 55 kilometers northwest (bambu petung), which were planted in 65
the green belt area of Bengawan Solo in causes rain to fall directly into the For this reason, in 2008, the government three villages in Bojonegoro. river without any barriers. Endang of Surakarta City initiated a relocation Green Belt of Bengawan Solo Savitri, a researcher from the Institute program for thousands of people living For people who live in the river basin for Research and Development of in areas along the river that were areas at the intersection of the river Watershed Management Technology designated for green open space that between Wonogiri, Central Java and (Balitek DAS) Bengawan Solo, said meant to be reforested. This decision Gresik, East Java meet, flooding that reforesting the absorption area is was taken after in the previous year, as due to the overflowing river is an a more permanent solution than any many as 1,571 Surakarta residents were annual occurrence. The damage in other technical civil activity. The main affected by big floods from Bengawan the absorption areas in the upstream benefits of reforesting the absorption Solo River. as well as heavy rains are the main areas are that there will be more green causes of this flooding. The shrinking open spaces and the rivers will function Even though this initiative started of forest zone in this absorption area naturally as they should. several years ago, efforts in replanting the riverbanks progressed rather slowly. Then in 2015, PMI finally incorporated activities of planting in the green open space areas (RTH) into the Community- based Flood Resilience Program in Wonogiri, Surakarta, and Bojonegoro.
Green Belt of Bengawan Solo The Community-based Flood Resilience Program was carried out in three villages located along the river all the way from upstream to downstream. In Wonogiri, the planting was executed in Ngadipiro Village in Nguntoronadi Sub- district, Gedong Vilage in Ngadirojo Sub-district and Gumiwang Lor Village in Wuryantoro Sub-district. Each village planted at least two thousand seedlings of sugar palm trees along the Kaduang riverbank that passed through these villages. The plant, which also known as enau in the local language, was chosen for its conservation, production, and economic functions.
The fibrous roots of the sugar palm are useful in preventing soil erosion due to Members of CBAT in Wonogiri District are planting the palm trees on the banks of the Kaduang River to reduce the risk of soil erosion. This its strength and they could reach up to river is one of the rivers that flow into Gajah Mungkur reservoir, it is also considered as the Bengawan Solo River upstream. six meters deep. The leaves are dense Photo: PMI 66
CIBAT members and the communities are planting palm trees in riverbank of Kaduang River, The direction of board to the fragrant root garden in Sewu Village, Surakarta City. Bojonegoro District. Kaduang River is the upstream of the Bengawan Solo River. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI Photo: PMI and the stems were covered by fibers, investment. “This planting effort is for Similar to sugar palms, vetivers also have effective in preventing torrential rain the future of the next generation,” said conservation and economic functions. water to fall directly into the ground. the man who is also the head of the PMI Its fibrous roots, that can reach up to Moreover, other parts of the plant could in Wonogiri. 15 meters deep are strong enough to also be advantageous. For example, hold off soil erosion. Vetivers, which its seeds can be consumed as sweets, It was a different situation in Surakarta. are considered a grass, are able to grow the inside part of the trunk (sago) is a According to Jumadi, a volunteer at the in soil contaminated with heavy metals source of carbohydrate, the flowers are PMI in Surakarta, they prioritized to such as in abandoned mining sites or oil used as the ingredients of palm sugar plant vetivers in land line areas of the fields. The Soil Research Institute of the and leaves’ spines can be utilized as right and left sides of Bengawan Solo, Ministry of Agriculture stated that the broomsticks. based on the recommendation from the arsenic (As) levels in the soil could be Major River Basin Organization (BBWS) reduced from 500 mg/kg to 214 mg/kg The height of the sugar palm seedlings of Bengawan Solo and the Institute after six months of having these vetivers is typically about 50 centimeters, and for Research and Community Services grow in the ground. they are planted with a spacing of of Sebelas Maret University (LPPM 7x7 meters. The planting was carried UNS). The man who had served as a In addition, vetivers have a high out from February to July 2016. This PMI volunteer for 14 years pointed to economic value, because its roots could plant could reach 25 meters high with the leaves of the plant that has Latin be processed into essential oil that is diameter of up to 65 centimeters. name of Vetivera zizonioides that had widely used as ingredients for perfume, been twisted and bent by the force of cosmetics, and soap fragrances. The Warjo, the coordinator for the the overflowing waters during the flood dried roots can be woven to make Community-based Flood Resilience at end of November 2016. The plants various handicrafts such as bags, Program in Wonogiri said that PMI remained firmly intact despite the large tablecloths, coasters, belts, wallets, encouraged the communities to view amount of debris that got caught in the shoes or sandals, mats, and dolls. this mitigation effort as a long-term branches. Jumadi said that between May 2016 and 67
January 2017, at least 4,000 vetiver No.10 through No.12 if Tulungrejo 600 kilometers in length can continue seedlings had been planted in 2.2 Village. The communities also planted to function as agriculture forest to hectares of land along the river. “About another 525 trees seedlings, namely 250 conserve the absorption areas. 0.9 hectares in Semanggi Sub-district, tamarind tree seedlings, 150 seedlings 0.5 hectares in Sangkrah Village and of mahogany trees, 100 white teak 0.8 hectares in Sewu Village,” said seedlings and 25 tahitian chestnut trees Jumadi, who has been a Volunteer seedlings along the roads and borders of Corps commander since college. In Trucuk village. addition to the planting activities, PMI also provided trainings for the three Evi Roshianawati said that the villagers communities on how to process vetivers also planted guava trees that have high by inviting facilitators from Wonogiri. economic value and flood resistant. “Trucuk Village used to be famous for Moving along the Bengawan Solo River its guava, but it was depleted. Now, towards the east of Surakarta, into we can make them famous again,” said the area of East Java, planting efforts the woman who is a CBAT activist in her in the green belt was encouraged village. Evi said that about 800 guava in Bojonegoro. The program was seedlings consisting of 500 crystal guava implemented in three villages in Trucuk seedlings and 300 red guava seedlings Sub-district, namely Trucuk, Tulungrejo, had been planted on a one-hectare and Sumbangtimun. In these areas the area. “Even though they were flooded, communities planted three types of the guava saplings are still standing,” plants: rough bamboos (bambu petung), she said in reference to the Bengawan sugar palms and guava trees. The three Solo floods in late November 2016, types of plants were chosen due to their while cleaning some leaves of a guava conservation and economic functions. tree that had just been planted at the end of July earlier that year. With its strong fibrous roots, rough bamboos may prevent soil erosion caused At present, the planting activities by shallowing of the river. Seedlings in green belt area has yet to show of the bamboo, whose Latin name is any significant changes in preventing Dendrocalamus Asper, were planted this annual flood. However, these across 3.5 kilometers along the river efforts need to be appreciated and bank that passes through Trucuk Village. became a long-term investment in the As many as 100 bamboo seedlings were environment. Moreover, the important planted across two kilometers along point of this activity is to develop the the riverbank in Tulungrejo, each just communities’ mindsets in managing the three meters from the riverbank. riverbank areas as green open spaces.
In addition, 400 sugar palms were also PMI will continue to encourage the planted on the banks of the river that local communities to ensure that the passes through Community Unit (RT) lands along the riverbanks of nearly 68
Flood Prediction at Your Fingertips
STORY 13 Weather monitoring application for early warning system in Bengawan Solo River (http://feweas.jasatirta1.co.id/en/index.php#popup )
⎷ 1,000 downloads on Android operating system
When a big flood paralyzed Surakarta, flood came. “It was usual rain, but it and Bojonegoro. The project, which Central Java in 2007, Ian Bima Ramadhan went on a little longer than normal, began in 2015, was planned to last was still in high school. His house, in from 2:00 PM until midnight,” said the until 2017. One of the activities utilized community unit No. 03/ Ward No. 04, man who works in the printing industry. information technology innovation Sewu Urban Village, Jebres Sub-district, through an application called FEWEAS was inundated to the rooftops. He had The memory of the big flood that or Flood Early Warning Early Action to stack some chairs on the ceilings to struck without warning left quite a System. a bed while he was guarding the house. powerful mark in Ian’s mind. So, when “I was told to guard the house by my ten years later he became involved in Early Warning System parents,” he recalled. He had to break disaster management issues through the In order to develop this flooding early some parts of his house’s plasterboards Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Surakarta, he warning system, PMI cooperated with and roofs so he could move more was so excited. The contact happened Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) freely. Meanwhile, the rest of his family when PMI came to his village by and Perum Jasa Tirta 1. FEWEAS is evacuated and stayed in a shelter. facilitating the establishment of disaster actually a website-based early warning preparedness groups called CBAT, which and early action information system Sewu Hamlet, which is now Sewu was a way to develop the ICBRR concept application. This application could Urban Village, suffers from flood quite (Integrated Community Based Risk be downloaded in android/iOS based regularly. This situation is inevitable, Reduction). Ian then became a member phones. The goal was to inform about because the area is divided by the of the CBAT in his community, which is impending disasters, especially floods, Bengawan Solo River that passes through involved in the Flood Disaster Resilient in certain areas with a high resolution it. “Usually, the water will not reach my Communities project. The project was (3 km) and high accuracy. house, it only floods the alley in front of initiated by PMI with support from the my house,” told Ian. International Federation of Red Cross The FEWEAS Guidebook for Bengawan and Red Crescent Societies and Zurich Solo explains some features in this However, the flood that occurred on Insurance. application, such as the short-term and December 27, 2007 was different. medium-term prediction information Water inundated almost all villages Activities of the project included and observation. Short-term information with an average height of 1.5 meters, conducting a series of flood disaster consists of information about flood forcing more than 25,000 people to be prevention activities in three districts/ alert status, pooling, water levels and displaced. Ian said he did not see any cities traversed by Bengawan Solo weather predictions in intervals of one specific signs or warnings before the River, namely Wonogiri, Surakarta, or two hours for the next three days. 69
Flood Prediction at Your Fingertips
The FEWEAS application on the mobile phone. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI
Medium-term information includes flood stations. It also contains water levels disaster mitigation and climate change vulnerability prediction in the interval information from observation stations adaptation proposals could also be of 10 days for the next five years. spread across the coverage area. The found in the application. The sources monitoring tools at each station are of the displayed information utilizes Meanwhile, observation information designed to automatically provide instruments from Perum Jasa Tirta 1. includes real time conditions from reports on the current situation. In several weather observation addition, recommended actions for For the rainfall feature, FEWEAS uses 70 rainfall data from 26 rain observation In an interview with rappler.com , the Perum Jasa Tirta 1 installed 35 flooding stations in the Bengawan Solo river Head of the Surakarta Regional Disaster early warning instruments along basin. Information on the condition of Management Agency (BPBD), Gatot Bengawan Solo that is equipped with the river water level is taken from 35 Sutanto, said that FEWEAS serves as a rotary lights and sirens. The instrument monitoring points spreading not only guide to the handling of the floods in consists of metal pipes and cables that in the main stream of Bengawan Solo, the Bengawan Solo river basin. “Before extends to the edge of the river. On the but also its tributaries, such as Kaduang using FEWEAS, our officers must check outside of the iron pipes, which also River in Wonogiri. the condition of the water level at each serves as a pole for the instrument, monitoring station via radio, HT, or are marked with red, yellow, and green Ian and his team admitted that they telephone. The process takes time, and colors to correspond with the water mostly uses the rainfall feature. “If we sometimes the connection is bad, but it level. Sirens would roar when the want to hold an event, we check the is now much easier,” said Gatot. river flow reached dangerous levels or FEWEAS first to see whether it will rain reaches the red mark on the siren pole. or not,” he said. Partnership with Technical Institutions Meanwhile, if the water level reached The Indonesian Red Cross worked the green mark (standby) and yellow Jum, a member of the Volunteer Corps together with technical institutions in mark (alert), only the rotary lamp would (KSR) of PMI Surakarta, differs in his developing this application, considering be flashed. Ian and the CBAT admitted usage of FEWEAS from Ian. He utilizes that inter-sectoral cooperation is needed that when a big flood in Surakarta FEWEAS not only for dealing with flood in disaster management. The developer occurred at the end of November 2016, disaster management, but also in his of the app that had been downloaded the red light flashing and sirens rang daily life. “If I want to go anywhere, 1,000 times since its launching on March loudly. I check it [FEWEAS] first,” he said, 30, 2016 in Surakarta City Hall is a team smiling while showing the app’s display led by Armi Susandi from the Bandung As a member of CBAT and Bengawan on the screen of his iOS smart phone. Institute of Technology. Armi also served Solo River Basin Community, Ian and his The app’s weather prediction feature, as the Chairman of the Department of friends welcomed the presence of an according to Ian, is also useful for Meteorology and Geophysics at ITB. application that could be downloaded farmers. “Since the predictions are for free. When Ian saw this application for five years, maybe it is suitable Meanwhile, Jasa Tirta 1 is a state-owned demo for the first time, he felt for predicting the planting season,” company that is a public utility company, pessimistic because the phone he used said the man who is now known as which provides water services for did not support the FEWEAS application. “Mbah FEWEAS” by his peers due to drinking, industry, agriculture, flushing, “At that time, I was thinking I could not his enthusiasm with this application. ports, power plants and electricity use this app,” he said laughing. He then This weather prediction app was providers, and several other business changed his phone to an Android smart adopted from the Smart Climate Model sectors related to water management. phone so he could download and use the that was developed by ITB. Besides The Company is based in Malang, East FEWEAS. providing weather prediction, the “Info Java. They also engage in activities Anda” (Information for You) feature related to flooding early warning system Then in October 2016, Ian and could function like citizen journalism, in Brantas River—a 320-km long river in representatives from several where users share information about East Java, and Bengawan Solo. institutions, such as BMKG, BPBD, Jasa the weather or reported floods in the Tirta 1, ITB, and PMI met in Semarang for Bengawan Solo river basin. one day to get an introduction, learn, and get training on how to operate 71 this application. From that event, Ian became more interested to master this application that had obtained good reviews on Google Playstore from its all users.
Having been successfully developed in the pilot villages in three cities/ districts, PMI thought it was necessary to disseminate information about this app for the entire population of the river basin that is nearly 600 km long. It is expected that the communities living in flood-prone areas of Bengawan Solo could utilize this application so that the disaster risk could be reduced. Given the high appreciation from the community, in the future, there is a possibility that FEWEAS would be an important reference for stakeholders in developing disaster plans in other areas that are also at risk. 72
Providing Health Services for Migrant Workers in Nunukan
STORY 14 ⎷ Training of 21 staff and PMI volunteers in North Kalimantan ⎷ Provision of ambulances and health services, HIV/AIDS counseling, and PSP ⎷ Assisting deported migrant workers (returning home or returning to Malaysia) ⎷ Assisting migrant workers who had lost contact with her/his family
“They lived as though they were One of the major problems was health refugees, although most of these foreign issues. migrant workers have spent thousands of Ringgits to pay the Indonesian Migrant Between August and September Worker Recruitment Agency (PJTKI) to 2002, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) process their immigration documents became involved for the very first in Nunukan. The workers had to wait at time to provide health services for the least a month to obtain their passports deported migrant workers in Nunukan to return to Malaysia. Furthermore, District. This involvement was part of they were forced to live in squalor the emergency response team formed conditions and overcrowded housing by the Government of Indonesia. provided by PJTKI. Some of them were The team focused on responding to even sleeping on the sidewalks in front various problems, including inadequate of houses or stores in Nunukan.” - sanitation at the camp, food and Kompas, Friday, 30 August, 2002 medicine supplies, and the lack of health professionals to serve the This dire picture of the repatriation thousands of migrant workers. of migrant workers from Malaysia 14 One of migrant workers is filling the Red Cross message form so the PMI can send the message to her family. years ago was the biggest headline at At the time, the Nunukan District Photo: PMI the time. At least 160,000 Indonesian PMI had not yet been established. migrant workers who sought to work in Nonetheless, PMI still had to deploy stages of response in August 2002, along Malaysia – most of them illegally – were its team, most of which were from the with two specialists and one general deported and forced to temporarily Tarakan branch. “The PMI at Nunukan practitioner from the Department of live in Nunukan, a district with a District was established later in 2005,” Health of East Kalimantan Province population of nearly 39,000 people. reminisced Ashar Azis, Head of PMI and a medical team from the Disaster With a total area of under 15,000 km2 Headquarters of Nunukan District. At Response Brigade (BSB) of Makassar City. and very minimal public facilities, that time, the PMI team comprised of the government faced a catastrophic one physician and eight nurses. The situation in this repatriation process. team was deployed during the early 73
In a joint operation, PMI opened their health post to provide services for the deported migrant workers in 2002. Source: Saving the Migrant Workers in Nunukan (Menyelamatkan TKI di Nunukan), Department of Health, 2003. During this humanitarian operation, PMI and other health organizations were positioned at Line 1, where a group of general practitioners provided general health services in ten health posts spread at several points in the area. Other agencies working together with PMI included staff members of the Department of Health of Nunukan District and Tarakan District, Department of Health of East Kalimantan Province and the local military health post, Kesdam VI/Tanjungpura. Patients that needed to see specialists were referred to the field hospital that were included in Line 2. Patient evacuation and transportation were carried out by the PMI team and other health organizations, such as BSB from Makassar.
Seeing how much PMI was needed during this operation, it was recommended that a PMI branch office be established One of PMI volunteers is assisting the migrant workers in the shelter. in this district—which itself was also Photo: PMI considered relatively new as it just became an independent administrative region in 1999. “Preparations for the Under the new structure, the PMI of health services using a mobile clinic new office was carried out between 2002 Nunukan District, in collaboration and visit 20 homes that were hosting and 2004,” said Ashar. This turned out with PMI Headquarters, carried out the migrant workers. “It was PJTKI to be a good decision considering that a response operation focusing on that assigned the workers to these three years after this mass deportation health issues, logistics distribution and homes,” explained Ashar, who was born humanitarian disaster in 2002, Nunukan disinfectant fogging. in Makassar. “Many of them had acute District again experienced another upper respiratory infections (URI), while migrant worker humanitarian situation At that time, Ashar served as the Health many others had dermatitis,” he added. in 2005. Coordinator. The PMI team provided Ashar also mentioned that PMI provided 74 services to at least 68 thousand migrant health center or hospital. Additionally, Indonesia and Malaysia on a daily basis. workers in a period of three months. “I PMI also conducted disinfectant spraying don’t exactly remember which months in the compounds and distributed Following the coordination between they were,” he said, as he tried to around 60 mats to the migrant workers. the two PMIs in Nunukan and North recall his first operation as the Head of However, this service experienced some Kalimantan, a training on Restoring Nunukan District PMI. interruptions during this period. Ashar Family Links (RFL) was conducted for stated that it was caused by BP3TKI the staff and volunteers of the North In addition to providing health services, not being able to accommodate all of Kalimantan PMI. This training was PMI also supported the distribution of the deported migrant workers. Once held in May 2016 and attended by 21 logistics items, such as mats, tarps, and they arrived in the harbour, they were participants. They learned how to hygiene kits. “I recall that some of these interviewed by BP3TKI officials and prevent families from being separated were items allocated for Aceh,” said offered them with the options either of and missing, how to reunite and maintain the 36-year-old man, who is referring staying in Nunukan, going back to their relationships among family members, to the earthquake and tsunami that hit home towns or returning to Malaysia for and clarify locations of family members Aceh at the end of 2004. “Some of those work. reported to be missing. This RFL activity items were diverted here [Nunukan],” is a signature activity of the Red Cross he added. During the three-month Reuniting the Migrant Workers with and Red Crescent Movement worldwide. response, the PMI team visited the their Families compound once a week to monitor the Ashar added that the district of Nunukan Andreanne Tampubolon, the Head of the health of the migrant workers. now has an official migrant worker RFL Sub-Division at PMI HQ stated that recruitment agency, PJTKI, as well PMI has helped reunite refugees with These days, 14 years after the large- as a migrant worker compound. PMI their families since the 1970s. Recently, scale deportation, Ashar still sees many contacted the agency and discovered the International Committee of the Red migrant workers come to Nunukan. that roughly between one and three Cross was able to pass along a message The Kingdom of Malaysia still regularly percent of the compound residents from an Indonesian citizen detained in deports illegal migrant workers on a have lost contact with their families. Kuala Lumpur to their mother in Banten weekly basis. He added that when they Province. This message is called an RCM, are deported, migrant workers are As a result, PMI conducted an assessment or a Red Cross Message. PMI also has detained in three possible Temporary and gathered secondary data from the another program called Saya Selamat Detention Centers in Sabah, Malaysia, Nunukan BP3TKI office and the Office (I am Safe), which enables people who namely Kimanis, Papar, and Manggatal. of the Ministry of Health at the Harbor have been affected by a disaster to The Tunon Taka harbor serves as the as well as coordinated with the PMI of notify their family members of their gateway to Indonesia. North Kalimantan Province. “Based on safety. “We usually use this during the information obtained from the Office disaster response phase,” she added. From May to June of 2016, the PMI team of the Ministry of Health at the Harbor Ashar and his team at the Nunukan of Nunukan District, which comprised of and the Nunukan BP3TKI office, there PMI will develop a similar program for both staff and volunteers, returned to were more than 6,000 migrant workers the displaced migrant workers living the field to provide health services of deported in 2015,” he stated. Moreover, in the compounds. In addition to the deported migrant workers. This service between January and September 2016, Saya Selamat program, Nunukan PMI included provision of an ambulance to Malaysia deported 3,622 illegal migrant will also develop an HIV/AIDS campaign evacuate ill migrant workers and those workers through the harbor, which and psycho-social program (PSP) for the who required a referral to the nearest services over 500 passengers between migrant workers. 75
The name Nunukan comes from the word Nunuk, which in the Tidung language, means banyan tree. According to the local folklore, this area was once full of banyan trees, as well as many springs that became the water source for fishermen going out to see. It was also a land of rest for the tired fishermen. Nowadays, Nunukan is the place of rest for the migrant workers before returning abroad. 76
CBAT Quick Response during the Sangihe Flash Flood STORY 15
That morning on Tuesday, June 21, “About 200 residents were isolated a Decision Letter on Determination of 2016, some residents in Sangihe, North because of landslides in West Tahuna,” Emergency Status of Flood, Landslide Sulawesi, were just getting ready to said Tommy Sampelan, the Head of and Tidal Wave in Sangihe Islands for 14 start their day. Others were still asleep. Disaster Management Division of North days from 21 June to 4 July 2016,” said The rain that had fallen since the night Sulawesi PMI. According to PMI’s data, Tommy. before had not abated. In fact, toward eight sub-districts in Sangihe were hit 07:00 a.m., it was as if water was just by flash floods, including West Tahuna, In this situation, the presence of pouring out from the sky. Rain was even Tahuna, Manganito, Tatowareng, South Community-Based Disaster Preparedness getting heavier. Manganito, Kendahe, Tabukan North, and (CBRR) volunteers became very Tamako. Kolongan Beha and Kolongan important. While waiting for the joint The heavy rain that lasted for 15 hours Akembawi sub-districts were badly search and rescue team that moved to caused rivers to overflow and landslides shattered because of the landslides and the location, CBAT volunteers, whose occurred in several locations. Flash flash floods. In Kolongan Beha, dozens members were local people, became floods hit this small island, sweeping of houses were wiped by flash floods. a hope for the victims in the disaster houses mostly located in foothills and Meanwhile, in the Akembawi region, areas. Despite their limitations, the bounded by the coast. The National flash floods swept dozens of houses and CBAT moved quickly to help evacuate Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) buried them in mud. the victims, goods, and provides reported that floods and landslides guidance so that people would avoid struck 9 districts, including 7 sub- The suffering of the impacted disaster-prone areas. districts and 5 villages. Stones, sand, communities were exacerbated, mud and logs buried dozens of houses because the flash flood cut off land The threat of hypothermia and being and schools, cut off roads and bridges. access, especially to Akembawi areas swept away became the main challenges Five people were reported dead, four that suffered the most damage. Three for these volunteers while evacuating missing and three were seriously injured roads leading into this area were the flood victims. In fact, in order in the incident. Meanwhile, it was also buried, evacuation and aids were to save the flood victims, the CBAT reported that 133 houses were heavily hard to be delivered, especially when volunteers had to brave risks that could damaged, 23 moderately damaged and the seas were also not very friendly. threaten their lives. “Preparedness and 69 slightly damaged. Not to mention The port in Tahuna was also closed emergency response is effective when dozens of public facilities and offices. temporarily, because of high waves that its empowerment efforts reach the Losses were estimated at Rp 57 billion. reached six meters in height. “The local communities. So they (CBAT) were able government through The Regent issued to come first to evacuate,” said Morgan 77
Glend, a staff member of the Manado and rescue, they also carried out other The people of Sangihe Islands mostly PMI. duties, such as monitoring the source of working as fishermen, especially those disaster in hazardous locations. living in smaller islands. Meanwhile, The CBAT consisted of community others who live in larger islands, members who were ready to be Red Meanwhile, the CBAT volunteers helped usually cultivate coconuts, nutmegs, Cross volunteers and were willing to in the social and humanitarian areas. and cloves. Mostly the crops were sold devote their time, energy, and thoughts. They assisted the local community in to Manado, some were even sold to They motivated and mobilized people in the evacuation post and delivered basic the Philippines. From Tahuna, Sangihe their neighborhood so they were able to needs required in the soup kitchens. district capital to Manado, capital city conduct preparedness and emergency Although they only had a basic knowledge of North Sulawesi, we could choose two response in their villages/wards. The of disaster response, they turned out modes of transportation, airplanes for CBAT volunteers also served as liaisons to be able to function optimally. Their 50 minutes or boats for 7-8 hours. On between the team to Sangihe Islands roles were also very important, they the big wave season, travel by the sea PMI and and North Sulawesi PMI in took care of refugees, which is also were very hard. coordinating further action. included in PMI’s fundamental duties. “With the knowledge and skills of “Because of the topography and Based on reports from the CBAT disaster preparedness and emergency geographic condition, then PMI opted volunteers, the team from the North response given by PMI through CBAT, the local community empowerment Sulawesi PMI and the Sangihe Islands communities can play direct role as “the strategy, especially the most vulnerable PMI were able to take action more first responders” who are able to help community groups which lived in effectively in evacuating victims of or rescue themselves, their families, disaster prone areas. This empowerment floods and landslides. The next step was and other community members,” Glend actions was initiated with recruitment to set up a preparedness post and design explained. and establishment of CBAT,” mentioned strategies to help heal the grief of the Glend. Sangihe people. PMI teams also supplied Considering its hilly topography, Sangihe logistics to the islands bordered by the was quite prone to be affected by flash According to Glend, the CBAT program Philippines. “Of course as the prioritized floods and landslides. Moreover, it was was started in Sangihe at the end of actions to respond to this disaster, PMI also threatened by other disasters such 2010. At first, PMI cooperated with the and the joint rescue team will evacuate as earthquakes, tsunamis, abrasion, Danish Red Cross in holding trainings for the victims of landslides,” said Glend. and extreme weather that causes volunteers from across North Sulawesi high waves. Districts bordering South and West Sulawesi. The training CBAT volunteers who had been trained Mindanao, in the Philippines, is also was conducted to prepare trained on rescue and evacuation then joined an archipelago with ocean that often volunteers in Community Based Health in the rescue and evacuation of victims had high waves that made the islands and First Aid (CBHFA). The training was efforts together with the SAR team. isolated. Overall, there are 112 islands held in Minahasa Prima Resort, Mokupa, Tirelessly, the CBAT volunteers traversed in Sangihe, 82 of which are inhabited Minahasa, for six days from December a sea of mud to search for and rescue islands and 30 uninhabited islands. The 13 to 18, 2010 and was attended by the victims. From morning until sunset, total area of Sangihe is up to 20,258.60 37 volunteers with varied educational they were worked with the joint SAR km2, consisting of 1,012.94 km2 of land backgrounds. team to do the search in asea of mud and 1,9245.67 km2 of sea. filled with debris. Although they were “The volunteers were given an already have the basic skills of search understanding of health promotion 78 activities and community-based first Currently, there are five sub-districts aid, which had become one of the PMI that were appointed as disaster resilient service programs in the community,” sub-districts. Sub-districts with a high said Glend level of vulnerability to flooding, fires, and storm hazards were chosen to be After this training, the North Sulawesi disaster resilient sub-districts, since PMI developed the CBAT program in trainings for their communities could Sangihe Islands. Next, a CBAT was be held at any time, and did not have to established at the sub-district level wait for a specific time. “So, if disasters in Sangihe, in collaboration with the or calamities occur, the people know Danish Red Cross through the Integrated what to do,” Glend added. Community Based Risk Reduction (ICBBR). The main objective of this According to Glend, since CBAT was program was to increase community established, Sangihe community’s capacity in disaster prone sub-districts sensitivity to disaster has improved. to reduce the risks. Hopefully, with this This was proven when several disasters capacity strengthening, the community struck. For example, when a fire would be able to help themselves and occurred, many people were responsive other people around them without to delivering aid instead of just having to wait for help from outside watching. “That behaviour, we think, is their areas. much better than before,” Glend said.
CBAT members were selected from Glend added that in the future, the and by local communities. They who CBAT in Sangihe would be developed were chosen had the responsibility to so they could have more human carry out the CBHFA program, including resources. If possible, there would be holding trainings, raising awareness and representatives recruited to be team empowerment of community capacity in members in every community group. the field of disaster preparedness, and disaster emergency response actions.
The CBAT usually consisted of representations from every community unit (RW) with around 30 people in each team. This team received special trainings from PMI on various disasters specialities, including disaster area mapping, first aid for victims, disaster handling coordination, evacuation and transportation during a disaster, and how to manage soup kitchens. 79 80
Mangrove plant in Cemare Sub-village, Lembar Village, Lombok Barat District. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI 81
Recovering Mangroves, Returning Lives
STORY 16 ⎷ Three provinces (Aceh, Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara) are prone to natural disasters in coastal areas ⎷ Planting more than 500 thousand mangrove seeds and 30 thousand coastal plants (sea pine, ketapang, and coconut)
“In the past, there was one big cemare unit (RT) No. 03 of Cemare Hamlet, heavy rains that lasted from morning tree, which could be seen from a added that he had participated in the until the evening, causing overflow distance of 10 km,” said Solikin, mangrove training organized by the of the estuary of Dodokan River that describing the origins of the hamlet government of West Lombok District. “A passes through the village and damaging he led: Cemare Hamlet. This hamlet lot of trucks containing mangrove seeds five houses. is located in Lembar Selatan Village, were delivered. We grew them in RT No. Lembar Sub-district, West Lombok 01 through RT No. 04,” he reminisced. According to Solikin, after the tsunami District. The word Cemare was what the “Many of them grew well. The fruits fell in Aceh in 2004, sea water overflowed Sasak people called beach pine trees. to the ground and then grew on their and submerged resident settlements own,” said the man who was born in in his village for seven days. “All the “In the 50s, this place was full of bako Jembatan Kembar Village, Lembar Sub- people of Cemare Hamlet fled to the (mangroves). Just in Gili Sulat,” he district, West Lombok District. Bulog building, which is now a village added. Gili Sulat is a 5 kilometer-long hall,” recalled the man whose house was island in East Lombok that is famous Lembar Selatan Village borders the inundated up to 40 cm in flood water. for its mangrove tourism. The location Lombok Strait. As of 2013, the village “We still use boats, there was no bridge is about 85 kilometers from Mataram that consists of 11 hamlets were yet at the time,” he added. He was City to Labuan Pandan Village by road. registered as having 13,794 inhabitants, referring to the bridge that connects the However, in contrast to Gili Sulat, the with a total area of 789,875 hectares. mainland with the hamlet. This bridge mangrove forests in Cemare Hamlet Water was obtained from taps and bore passes Dodokan kokok (river in Sasak were disappearing, because the people wells. Cemare Hamlet is located in a language). “The bridge was named were clearing the forests for settlements coastal area that is vulnerable to high Tsunami Bridge since it was constructed and shrimp or milkfish farming. tides. after the disaster,” he said. Joko, the head of West Lombok PMI added that “In 1993, the forest was desolated,” Based on a vulnerability and capacity PMI also conducted an emergency recalled Solikin who was still in high assessment using participatory village response operation by sending rescue school at the time. “People used the appraisal methods, it was revealed that teams as well as establishing a soup wood for firewood and cleared the land disasters had occured several times kitchen. “We opened a soup kitchen for for fishponds,” he added. In the same in the village that is located about 21 seven days,” said the man who has been year, he recalled, the government began kilometers from the headquarters of with PMI since 1981. a reforestation program in the village. the PMI in West Lombok District. In Sahlan , 51, a resident of neighborhood 1997, tidal waves struck because of 82
Solikin added that people had begun to know PMI since 1999. “They carried out a reforestation effort in collaboration with the Department of Plantations. That result was the rows of coconut trees along the beach,” he said. He explained that in this 210-hectare village, people still make fishponds, but the shape is diferent. “They plant mangroves In the middle of the pond. But people rarely making ponds nowadays. It is not very profitable,” he said. “If the tide comes in, the pond will overflow, the fish flow out of ponds, and the owner will lose,” he said, smiling.
Mangrove Ecosystems in Indonesia With 3 million hectares of mangrove forests growing along 95,000 kilometers along the coastal area, Indonesia One of Cemare Sub-village residents is showing his pine seed in his yard. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI currently has 23% of the total area of mangrove ecosystems in the world. as traditional pattern of agriculture the energy of tidal waves that pass At first glance, this seems like a large developed into massive business. The mangrove forests. Dense mangrove number, but actually in 1999, the total website of IFAD (International Fund for ecosystems also act as a natural fortress area of mangrove in Indonesia was much Agricultural Development) stated that and habitat for shrimps, eels, clams, larger, reaching 8.6 million hectares. mangrove ecosystems in West Lombok crabs, sea snails, and a variety of fish Land clearing or deforestation in coastal District shrank from 606.81 hectares to species. areas that occur massively until 2005, 484.98 hectares. While the restoration resulting in 5.58 million hectares of land and rehabilitation efforts just reached Therefore, mangroves destruction and sea connector ecosystems quickly 195.1 hectares. becomes a huge loss that has affected disappearing. This deforestation was a the villagers in West Lombok. consequence of the “blue revolution” Mangroves destruction has been proven of shrimp farming, logging and land to cause large spillovers. Mangrove ICBRR Program in Coastal Area conversion for agriculture or salt fields ecosystem serves as a support for the Damage to the mangroves environment and the degradation of oil spills and ecosystem to supply and regenerate that affected the community became a pollution. nutrients, recycle pollutants, control concern to PMI, which actually had been the water cycle, and maintain water working in disaster-prone locations In the West Lombok area, the damage quality. Mangrove roots bind the soil, since 1995 by promoting disaster to the mangrove ecosystem began with thereby reducing coastal erosion preparedness. This concept later cutting down of trees for firewood, and prevent sediment loss from the evolved into the Integrated Community followed by clearing of forests for shrimp shoreline. Mangrove forests help reduce Based Risk Reduction (ICBRR) project and milkfish farming. What started the impact of storma, huge waves that started in 2006 and lasted until and strong winds. Lush trees reduce now. In 2012, with the support of 83
These are sea pine trees which were planted by PMI and the communities in 2013. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI the American Red Cross and USAID In Aceh, the project was implemented in located in the southern coast of Java (United States Agency for International Aceh Jaya District, located in the west Island and directly adjacent to Indian Development), PMI started the ICBRR coast of Aceh, which is directly adjacent Ocean. The program was conducted in project on coastal areas in three to the Indian Ocean. PMI worked in five two villages, the Tegal Kamulyan Sub- provinces, namely Aceh, Central Java, villages namely Crak Mong, Lhok Kruet, district and Karang Benda Village. and West Nusa Tenggara. The project Jeumpeuk, Lhok Timun, and Gampong was implemented between October Baro. Meanwhile, in Central Java, it was In West Nusa Tenggara, the ICBRR 2012 and September 2014. carried out in Cilacap District, which is project was implemented in the coastal 84 areas of West Lombok District; in the Continuing the success of phase 1, PMI village of Labuan Tereng, Lembar and the American Red Cross resumed Selatan, and Kuranji Dalang to be the ICBRR project and added planting exact. In the Mataram City area that is on the coastal green belt at stage 2 directly adjacent to Lombok Strait, the that was implemented between July project was implemented in Tanjung 2015 and December 2017. In Aceh Jaya, Karang, Jempong Baru, and Bintaro at least 225,000 mangrove seedlings Sub-districts. and 6,000 she-oaks were ready for planting in villages prone to this tidal To establish the ICBRR concept in wave. In West Lombok District, PMI and these Coastal Zones, PMI emphasized communities set up 225,000 mangrove the strategy of forming the CBAT seedlings and 4,000 she-oak trees (Community Based Action Team), seedlings ready for planting in January vulnerability and capacity assessments, and February 2017. increasing the capacity in emergency response, public awareness campaigns Gradually, the damaged mangroves on the environment and disaster issues, recovered. The quality of the public health, coastal environment environment was improved and the management in the form of mangroves shrimps, eels, clams, crabs, sea snails, and coastal plant green belts, school and the various species of fish also came disaster preparedness campaigns, and back. building networking/collaboration. For the management of coastal Tourism and Livelihoods environment, PMI and communities Solikin could see the changes that conducted seeding and planting of occured because of mangrove planting hundreds thousands of mangroves and activities. “It was obvious that the areas coastal plants. for mangroves areas have expanded,” he said. “there was once a villager who For example in Aceh Jaya District during made 80,000 to 100,000 Rupiahs from the first phase of the ICBRR project, selling shrimps that he found using a PMI planted at least 109,670 types of flashlight around the mangrove forests mangrove plants such as rhizophora, at night when the water receded,” he carioptagal, bruguera, and avicenia and added. 7,562 coastal vegetations such as she- oaks, sea-almonds, seashore pandans Sahlan has also felt a real change. “The and 6,119 coconuts as productive plants that we planted in 2013 still exist, plants. All plant seeds were from the that big she-oak trees, that sea almonds nursery in the assisted villages. While in also grew bigger,” he said loudly. resources in PMI. Abdul Madjid, the Field the West Lombok District, West Lombok Coordinator of Coastal ICBRR Program PMI and the communities planted at For PMI, the coastal green belt said that the capacity of the volunteers least 63,500 mangroves and 8,300 program not only have an impact to have increased, in both technical and coastal vegetation. the community, but also for the human project management skills. “PMI’s 85
Lembar Selatan” (Lembar Selatan Village) or “Dusun Cemare Lembar Selatan” (Cemare Hamlet, Lembar Selatan) in Google, there would appear various images of lush and dense mangrove forest ecosystems. Some media coverages or blogs of some people from outside the village described their experience in enjoying tours of the beach or boating along rivers and estuaries, which are now full of mangroves. In fact, the Cemare Beach, which is located in the Cemare Hamlet, has already become famous as a tourist attraction in West Lombok District. In this beach, visitors can enjoy views of the Lombok Strait or rent a boat to cross to Gili Nanggu. Behind the lush she-oak trees or sea almond trees that are used as shade by visitors are the efforts of PMI and the communities to revive the coastal areas and restore their function as part of a natural ecosystem.
One of the Lombok Barat District PMI’s volunteers perform is cleaning the mangrove nursery in Cemare Sub-village. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI exposure is also no longer just a blood learned more about the management donor organization,” said the man who of coastal areas, especially mangrove had been with the West Lombok PMI for nursery and other coastal vegetations. more than a decade. As for Muslimatul Jannah, or commonly called Atun, she Nowadays, if you type the word “Desa 86
Processing Local Food to Face an Emergency
STORY 17 ⎷ Diversification of processed products based on local food of East Lombok (cassava, corn, banana) ⎷ New economic opportunities
Stemming from their experience of shining, the blowing breeze cooled the boredom from having been given instant air. The atmosphere was calm and quiet, noodles and canned fish every day when misleading anyone from believing that they became refugees as a result of the village had been repeatedly struck several flash floods, the villagers of by flash floods. Kunci Village, in Sambelia Sub-district of East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara Eleven years ago—on Saturday, January now equip themselves with skills to 21, 2006, to be exact—this village that process various of local food. This is is located approximately 120 kilometers done not only to anticipate emergency from Mataram, the capital of West Nusa situations, but also to provide new Tenggara, was hit by a flash flood for economic opportunities for some the first time. Flood water mixed with villagers. mud and wooden logs from the forest passed through the Patek River, which It takes about one hour and forty five flows through the area of Sambelia Sub- minutes to reach Dara Kunci Village district. At that time, Dara Kunci Village from Selong, the capital of East Lombok. was still a part of Belanting Village. The During the trip across the smooth flash flood killed two people, destroyed asphalt road, we are spoiled with the hundreds of houses and forced two typical scenery of a coastal area, the thousand residents to evacuate. rows of palm trees along the beach. East Lombok District is indeed directly Six years later, Sambelia Sub-district was adjacent to the Java Sea. There is also a hit again by a flash flood. Three villages crossing port to Sumbawa Island, where were affected, namely Belanting, Dara the Tambora Volcano is located. Kunci and Sugian. At least 700 people had to evacuate. “It was around March As we entered the Dara Kunci area, 2012,” recalled Abdul Rakhman, a Dara we could see rows of lush teak trees Kunci village official. “Batu Sela Village growing on either side of the road, was the first to be one hit and also the alternating with cashew trees. Despite most severely impacted,” he added. the sunny weather and the sun brightly “But the worst was the one in 2006. It 87
Food products from cassava. Photo: PMI 88 swept away houses and cattle,” said the In fact, during the first few hours after shredded coconut and shaped to look man who has been a village officer since the flooding, what the refugees really like meatballs. Then, they put brown August 2015. needed was food. “They need to cook sugar inside the balls and fry them. to feed themselves,” he said in a They can also be steamed wrapped in Data from the 2013 Disaster Risk thick Sasak region accent. From that banana leaves. “It cooks quickly,” said Index in Indonesia, which is issued experience of waiting for hours for food Muh Kasimin, who also joined in the by the National Agency for Disaster aid, the Community-based Action Team CBAT of Dara Kunci Village. This snack is Management, showed that East Lombok (CBAT) proposed to create a local food well known by the public as local food. District is ranked at 113 with category processing activities that can be easily Muh Kasimin said that it takes less than of high risk (out of a score of 180) with and quickly done at the refugee camps. two hours to cook 500 pieces of tigapo, hazards such as flash floods, tornados, from the ingredients preparation until droughts and volcanic eruptions. Local food for Displacement Camps ready to serving. “This could be made Dara Kunci Village expanded from while in the refugee camps so people no During the flash floods in 2006 and 2012, Belanting village in 2010. With a total longer would rely on instant noodle or the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) was one area of 1,237 hectares, this village canned fish,” he said, smiling. of the first organisations at the location. is divided into seven small hamlets, It took them at least four hours to reach namelyWest Sandongan, Sandongan, The villagers also agreed that in the disaster site. “Four hours was the Dara Kunci, East Menangan Reak, Koloh disaster condition, anyone could take best we could do. To get here (from Sepang, Menangan Reak, and Batu Sela. the crops without permission. “In fact, the East Lombok PMI headquarters to The majority of the population earns in everyday life, we had always shared Dara Kunci Village), it took at least their income as paddy farmer, field each other’s crops to eat, as long as it’s two hours. Not to mention the time to workers and fishermen. The east side not for sale,” explained Abdul Rachman. prepare the team and aid,” explained of this 2,953-resident village directly Ahyanto and Muh Kasimin mentioned Ahyanto, the Head of Administration of borders the Java sea. that during a flooding simulation, the East Lombok PMI, who has been with Public Kitchen Team tried to prepare them since 1991. “It is most likely that This village has been long known as a this food and proved they could make it took more than 4 hours,” he added. producer of crops, such as bananas, it quickly. At that time, PMI brought food aid in cassava, yellow pumpkins, corn and the form of rice, biscuits and instant taro. “There are stocks available every This villagers’ self-reliance in preparing noodles. “We also mobilised a rapid day,” Abdul Rakhman said. “There are food for the refugees eventually assessment team and inflatable boats even varieties of bananas, like kepok, caught the attention of the PMI in East as well,” said this man who often act susu and cemare,” he added. Usually Lombok District and the Hong Kong Red as a commander in disaster emergency there are traders who came to the Cross when they were organizing the response operations. village to buy the villagers’ crops. Integrated Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction (ICBRR) project in Muh Kasimin, 41, the Head of the He added that the crops are usually Belanting Village, Sambelia Sub-district Public Welfare of Dara Kunci Village just boiled or fried. “Most of the time, and Pemongkong Village, Jerowaru Sub- explained that from the time of the they made them into tigapo,” said district between 2014 and 2016. These disaster, most of the people just wait the man who loves to smile. Tigapo two villages had been selected for this for help from outside the village, which is a unique snack that Sasak people project because they were considered could take hours to reach the village. make from grated cassava mixed with prone to flash floods and tidal waves. 89
Various disaster management activities “They can turn corn into corn sticks, could be used during an emergency or to were conducted, such as forming a or even donuts. They also make yellow obtain additional income for families. CBAT, disaster response training, and pumpkin into cakes,” she added. Before preparation documents on village level the training, these various type of local disaster risk reduction. food would usually be just boiled.
The first stage of this project had In implementing this program, PMI actually been initiated by PMI and the also provided seven sets of baking Hong Kong Red Cross between 2009 and equipment to each of the hamlets. “One 2012. But it was only during the second set was given to one hamelt, aside from project, which began in 2014, that this equipment for the public kitchen,” said issue of local food for the refugees was Ahyanto. Besides aiming to increase finally included in the activities. The knowledge about various processed two villages that were supported during products with local ingredients, this second project were Dara Kunci Ahyanto also sees that this knowledge Village in Sambelia Sub-district and and skills in baking cakes could be South Batu Nampar Village in Jerowaru used to increase the community’s daily Sub-district. With regards to the local incomes. food processing activities, in particular, after seeing how abundant the local Take Muh Kasimin for example. Muh, food was, PMI decided to conduct the who is a SIBAT Team member and staff pilot project in Dara Kunci Village. at the village administrative office, said that he and his wife are now To develop this local food potential, selling cakes. His wife learnt these the PMI in East Lombok District, in baking skills from the training that collaboration with the local Department PMI held. “We sell tygapo cake, pastel of Industry, delivered a four-day (stuffed with noodles, yellow pumpkin training, on December 22 to 26, 2015. and carrots) and other cakes,” he said This training was attended by thirty proudly. “I personally send the cakes participants, where the majority of to three elementary schools and one them were women, mostly wives of middle schools in this area, including the CBAT members. From that training, to Belanting and Sugian Villages,” he the participants gained knowledge on a added. wide range of processed products based on their local ingredients. Abdul Rakhman sees that PMI has helped the village administration in “With trainings from PMI, now the raising public awareness on flash floods women were able to process different through various program activities. Not kind of foods,” explained Sesoliwati, only have they been trained in disaster chairman of the Family Welfare management, but they were also Empowerment of Dara Kunci Village. provided skills to process local food that 90 STORY
Firewood Efficient Cookstoves for NTT People STORY 18 170 firewood efficient cookstoves for eight villages in East NusaTenggara
⎷ Reduce the use of firewood up to 50 percent
In the past, the Indonesian Red Cross cement, sand, and water, and measures According to Van Paji, who is also active (PMI) was better known for being the about 90 cm in length, 40 cm in width in another humanitarian organization in basic first aid response organization and 25 cm tall. There is a hole to insert Sikka, the villagers usually use a simple after a road accident or an emergency. firewood on the side, a hole on the top form of cookstove made of stacked However, PMI gradually transformed by of the stove with a diameter about bricks or cobblestones. They would broadening its scope. The organization 10 cm, and two small holes about the then place the pot or frying pan on top implemented many programs related size of an adult fist that functions as a of these bricks, while the woodpile is to disaster prevention and mitigation, chimney in the back. underneath the pan. Using this method, such as the ones in Sikka District and heat energy and smoke generated from Lembata District, East Nusa Tenggara Van Paji Pesa, a PMI volunteer from the fire is not being used optimally. (NTT). Sikka District, said that most people “There are some villagers who have in this region still use firewood as used this type of stove, but the design In these two districts, PMI provided cooking fuel. They obtain the firewood is still open so it doesn’t retain heat. assistance in the form of 170 firewood by cutting down trees, collecting dried And the smoke is still everywhere,” he efficient cookstoves, specifically to the wood/twigs in the forest, or buying continued. four villages in Sikka District and four them from loggers. “In a week, the villages in Lembata District. A total villagers go into the woods at least Similar to the community in Sikka, of 120 cookstoves were distributed in twice. One bunch of firewood per trip. residents of Lembata District also Sikka District, covering Loke Village in That’s about 20 pieces of wood of one still rely on firewood from the forest Tanawawo Sub-district, and Talibura, meter long,” he added. People in the and apply the same cooking stove Bangkoor and Waimulang villages in village still practice shifting cultivation, technique. Donatus Roni Ruing for Talibura Sub-district. Meanwhile, 50 which is an agriculture system where example, a resident who lives with his cookstoves were distributed to four farmers clear the forest land and live wife in Lerahinga Village of Lebatukan villages in Lembata District. These in the area for about two years before Sub-district, Lembata District explains cookstoves were distributed as a moving and finding a new location. The his dependence on firewood. “For campaign to promote the reduction of large demand for firewood was mainly cooking and drinking, needs we always firewood use in the area. triggered by inefficient use of existing use firewood from the woods,” said cookstoves. Donatus, who is also a CBAT member The cookstove is a permanent in his village. He added that he had rectangular installation made of brick, to go to the forest at least once week 91
CIBAT members are making firewood cookstoves in one of the villages in the NTT Province. Photo: PMI 92
Approximately 170 stoves have been available for 170 poor families in the NTT Province. Photo: PMI to collect firewood consisting of 20-30 the fruit and flowers of palm trees, and capacity assessment in the area, branches with a length of 2-3 meters. it takes five hours of cooking and a as well as having consultation with His monthly firewood requirements large quantity of firewood. Van Pesa the residents. The study revealed the ranges between 80 and 120 logs. explained that they also need very enormous amount of firewood the good quality hardwood to make this community needed, which typically In addition to cooking their daily meals, traditional drink. was met by cutting down the trees. community members also use a stove The results of those discussions were to make moke, their traditional drink. PMI found out about this issue after reflected in the action plan, whereby In fact, to make moke, which requires they conducted a hazards, vulnerability one of the action points was to have 93 firewood efficient cookstoves. “The sand, and water. It took about 2-3 hours In Lembata, the Village Chief of next step was to do a socialization in to build the stove. It was designed for Lerahinga, Yohanes Ruing, was also the community about the specifications permanent use and to last a long time. satisfied with this cookstove program. and criteria for the cookstove He added that in monetary terms, the “We use this fuel efficient cookstove beneficiaries,” said Van Pesa. “PMI cookstove was worth less than 100,000 to cook the water and rice at the procured the cookstoves between July Rupiahs. same time. The smoke does not go and August 2015,” he added. everywhere. The kitchen becomes After discussions with the community, cleaner. With the old stoves, you have This cookstove distribution was actually it was agreed that the criteria for the to always be around to maintain the part of the Partners for Resilience recipients of this cookstove are those fire,” he said. program that was initiated by a who had been fully dependent on consortium of humanitarian agencies in firewood for cooking fuel, the poor and Van believes that distributing these Indonesia in 2011. The Indonesian Red vulnerable groups such as the elderly firewood efficient cookstoves has Cross as a partner of Netherlands Red and widows. On other hand, residents helped PMI’s efforts to promote the Cross, along with CARE International who use kerosene stoves were not mindset of disaster risk mitigation to Indonesia, PIKUL Society, Wetlands considered a priority. Van acknowledged the public. For villagers in East Nusa International Indonesia Program, Bina that community had some questions Tenggara, the use of firewood for Swadaya Consultant, The Indonesian about this aid, but these were answered cooking is unavoidable. Ideally, there Society for Social Transformation with a satisfactory explanation. should be an alternative fuel for daily (Insist), Karina KWI, Caitas Maumere, cooking needs, but it is not yet possible and Rural Technology Development Van Pesa said the beneficiaries really for many reasons. These include the Organization (LPTP) were given a appreciated these cookstoves, since lack of electricity infrastructure and mandate to implement a program they saved them a lot of firewood. They inaccessibility to a gas supply. At least in mitigating the impact of natural could now cook double the amount of for the moment, providing firewood disasters on vulnerable groups. This food with the same amount of wood. efficient stoves will be able to slow the project was implemented between The time required was also much faster. rate of environmental damage caused 2011 and 2015. The need for cookstoves They only require two logs of wood to by excessive tree cutting. was conveyed to the PMI networks in cook the rice and water. “The moke also the consortium and LPTP provided its tastes better with this cookstove,” he support by facilitating the community. said and laughed. The PMI team went on to design an energy-efficient cookstove according to According to Van, this firewood efficient the community’s needs. cookstove drew the attention of a number of people, including the Sub- The team designed two cookstoves, one district Head, the Head of the Police for cooking everyday meals and another Post (Kapospol), and teachers from one specifically for making moke. “For several schools in the Talibura District. making moke, the stove was designed They asked the CBAT of Talibura Village with one opening for a pot, while for to provide training and build these general cooking, the stove was designed stoves for other villagers in Talibura with two openings,” said Van Pesa. The Sub-district. required materials were cement, bricks, 94
Sorghum as Food Security for the Community
STORY 19 ⎷ Food security campaign in NTT ⎷ Pilot gardens
East Nusa Tenggara is known as the The PMI of Lembata District used the In collaboration with a non- driest region in Indonesia. This situation prize money for education activities governmental organization, Larantuka has led to a high vulnerability of famine in five elementary schools between Economic Social Development for the people in this province. However, September and October 2016. At Foundation (YASPENSEL), PMI Lembata by choosing the right crop cultivation, least 100 students were given about opened a 5,000 m2 sorghum plantation such as sorghum, food insecurity could processing of sorghum as an alternative in Waigarang Village, Lubakulen Sub- be overcome. Sorghum (Sorghum sp) ingredient for food. district, Lembata District. They also can survive in dry weather conditions started a new plantation in Wuakerong making it suitable to be developed PMI Lembata’s involvement in activities Village, Nagawutung District, with an in East Nusa Tenggara. However, its related to the local food staple, sorghum, area of approximately seven hectares popularity is far behind compared to began with the implementation of the (70,000 m2), in cooperation with the other crops, mainly rice. One of the Partner for Resilience (PFR) project, KEHATI Foundation and YASPENSEL. reasons being is that not many people which was a disaster management Furthermore, the Indonesian Red Cross know how to process them. program, aimed at reducing the impact volunteer groups have joined forces of disasters in vulnerable groups. This with the Flores Association of Local Thus, the idea from the Disaster program was initiated by a consortium of Food Farmers in Lembata. Mitigation and Disaster Management humanitarian agencies in Indonesia, such of Adaptation to Climate Change as the Indonesian Red Cross partnering Going further than Lembata, the PFR Unit of the Indonesian Red Cross with the Dutch Red Cross, along with project then developed activities in (PMI) at Lembata District to cultivate CARE International Indonesia, PIKUL sorghum planting in Sikka District, sorghum as a nutritious local food and Association, Wetlands International East Nusa Tenggara. In Sikka, sorghum disseminate it among teenagers and Indonesia Programme, Bina Swadaya was planted in an area of 2 hectares in children is a particularly relevant one. Consultant, The Indonesian Society for the village of Loke, Tanawawo District, Not surprisingly, their idea won the Social Transformation (Insist), Karina which is often hit by strong winds. The Small Grant Project 2016 competition KWI, Caitas Maumeter, and Rural PMI in Sikka District planted two types as Biodiversity Warriors, which was Technology Development Organization. of sorghum, white and red sorghum. held by the KEHATI Foundation. They The project was implemented between The color difference in these two types won a Rp 10 million prize money. 2011 and 2015. of sorghum is due to the differences in the tannin content of its skin. White 95
Two months Sorghum. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI sorghum is sweeter and suitable to rows. Additionally, PMI Lembata also Priority Action 3 a call for Investment in process into flours as an ingredient to collaborated with a vocational high Disaster Risk Reduction for Resistance. make bread, while the red or brownish school in Maumere to create a milling It was mentioned that the public and one is more bitter. PMI planted these two machine that could separate the private investment in structural and types of seedlings, because YASPENSEL sorghum’s skin and grain so that post- non-structural measures are very Foundation provided it to them. harvest processing could be more important to support the economic efficient. resilience, social, health and culture of In the fields, one hole is filled with 2-3 each individual, society, the state and grains of sorghum seeds with a distance A Solution for Food Security its assets, as well as the environment. of 40 cm between each hole and a The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Within this framework, efforts to distance of 70 cm between the planting Reduction 2015 - 2030 had listed in improve the resilience are also expected 96
Sorghum seeds are ready to be processed into food. Sorghum are ground into powder. Photo: Nasrullah for PMI Photo: Nasrullah for PMI
to encourage innovation, growth, and end of the plant. The seeds are the size be utilized. Grain sorghum could be job creation. Such actions include of a pepper. processed into flour and starch as raw encouraging cost and infrastructure ingredients for processed products such efficiency to save lives, preventing Sorghum can thrive despite a long as porridge or cakes. The roots and and reducing loss and ensuring more drought or in a dry, sandy, even rocky leaves could be used as herbs, crafts, effective recovery and rehabilitation. area like most areas in East Nusa and biomass (manure/biogas). While Tenggara. Sorghum also has wide the stems and seed stalks could be With this framework, disaster risk adaptability, a high genetic diversity, used as nira raw materials (bioethanol reduction efforts are no longer limited is easy to cultivate, has a small risk and syrup/sugar) and biomass (manure, to the making of risk maps, evacuation of failure during harvesting, and has animal feed, biogas). Sorghum could routes, or simulation activities. But the potential as an export commodity. be harvested in 110-115 days after furthermore organizing activities This plant, which at a glance resembles planting. Within a year, a sorghum plant relates to economy and livelihood a corn stalk, also does not require could be harvested up to three times. improvement. Finding and developing fertilizer, so they could save the cost of local food sources that are capable of maintenance and is safe for nutrients in Even though it has many advantages growing in extreme weather conditions, the soil. Sorghum also has higher levels over other staple crops, the selling such as now is one of those efforts. of protein and iron than rice and corn. price of sorghum in the market is Sorghum is a solution for areas like East In fact, this plant, which can reach two very low. For example, in Larantuka, Nusa Tenggara. meters in height, is low in gluten, so it sorghum prices are very cheap at is good to be consumed by people who 5,000 Rupiahs per kilogram. Although Sorghum or Sorghum bicolor is truly are gluten intolerant. there were no official data from the a seasonal crop that is tolerant to government regarding the selling price drought, with the plant shaped like a Not only does it hold great potential as of sorghum, Maria Loretha, a sorghum corn stalk. To harvest it, one must take a staple food source to replace rice or food activist from East Nusa Tenggara, the seed that grows in a cluster at the corn, the whole part of this plant can said in an interview with a local media 97 outlet that the price was set low under the rice so that people were interested in buying. As a result, farmers were not completely interested in switching to this plant, which has a layer of wax on the leaves to prevent water from evaporating too soon. The Research and Development Section of the Ministry of Agriculture noted in 2011 that the sorghum harvest area in Indonesia only reached 3,600 hectares.
The existing gap between the potential and reality of the production and consumption of sorghum has spurred PMI to reintroduce the benefits of sorghum to the public, particularly in the eastern region of Indonesia that has high food insecurity. As one of the largest humanitarian organizations in Indonesia, PMI never ceases to innovate in disaster risk reduction programs, including educating the public related to food security in the region affected by prolonged drought. 98
Managing Floods with Biopores and Absorption Wells
STORY 20 ⎷ 41 recharge wells and 3,300 biopore pits ⎷ Three urban villages prone to flood in Surakarta City
“A biopore pit is an appropriate and environmentally friendly technology to accelerate the absorption of rain water as well as addressing the issue of organic waste. An absorption well can help prevent flooding, landslides and erosion, increase the supply of clean water reserves and form compost and fertilize the soil”
Ir. Kamir R. Brata, MSc –A researcher and staff of the Department of Soil Sciences and Land Resources, Bogor Agricultural University, inventor of the Biopore Absorption Pit
The village of Sangkrah, located in Pasar Kliwon Sub-district, City of Surakarta is surrounded by four rivers. On the east, it borders Bengawan Solo River, while on the north it borders Pepe River and Tegalkonas River on the south. Additionally, the Jenes River passes this village, which has a total area of 0.45 km2. The geographic condition of the village with 12,765 residents or 3,963 households (based on November 2016 data) makes it quite prone to flooding. The most vulnerable area is the east side of the village, which is directly CBAT members are making biopori hole using a drilling machine to make it faster. Photo: PMI adjacent to the Bengawan Solo River. 99
Meanwhile, the northern and eastern unit) 03 and RW (community unit) 04 Biopore and Absorption Wells areas are prone to stagnant flooding, that borders the Solokita train station. Based on the results of the baseline due to narrow drainage channels, The wall itself measure 120 cm tall. survey, a regional mapping and which is further exacerbated by a lower “After the dam was built, the intensity the Hazard Vulnerability Capacity elevation to the Bengawan Solo River of the flooding decreased. Before Assessment (HVCA) that the PMI and and shallowing of the rivers due to the that, though, every time we get a CBAT (Community-based Action Team) piling of garbage in the river beds. heavy rainfall, the rivers would surely conducted in Sangkrah, there emerged overflow,” said the father of three. an idea of reducing the flow of water on “The name Sangkrah comes from the The Gajah Mungkur dam is located in the surface of such a densely populated portmanteau of sampah mangkrah,” said Wonogiri district and is the upstream of area by creating Biopore absorption Rusjamaluddin, 52, a longtime resident Bengawan Solo River. fields and Absorption Wells. The CBAT of the village. Rusjamaluddin, who was is a group of community members that appointed the Head of RT (neighborhood As far as Rus can remember, there had was formed by the PMI to mobilize the unit) 03, happily explained the history been two major floodings where the community in disaster management of his village’s name. Sampah mangkrah flood water exceeded one meter in activities. in the Javanese language means ‘piled height and inundated the village for up garbage’. This village, which is more than a day. Once in 1966 and Quoting from the website www.biopori. traversed by tributaries of the Bengawan another time in 2007. “During the one in com, biopore is a vertical, cylindrical Solo River, often receives garbage that 2007, the water was up to our waists,” hole drilled into the ground, with flowed in the river from other villages, he said as he demonstrated. “We were a diameter of 10 cm and depth of such as from Pasar Gede. The piles of inundated for over three days,” he approximately 100 cm. If the ground garbage often blocks the flow of water added. water level is shallow, the depth of at the Demangan floodgate of Pepe the hole does not exceed the depth of River. Rus and his neighbors evacuated to the the ground water level. This pit is then yard at Solokita train station for three filled with organic waste to trigger the In addition to solid waste, these rivers days. “People around here usually formation of biopore, which are natural also carry with them liquid waste from don’t evacuate their homes unless it is pores in the soil that are created by the textile, printing, paint, and batik completely uninhabitable,” he said in a the soil fauna that feeds on it as well making industries as well as other thick Javanese accent. as roots of plants. These pores serve household waste. As such, the water as water channels to absorb the water flowing in the rivers around Sangkrah With a fairly high population density of into the ground. It is expected that village looks more like a sewage system 28,366/km2, Sangkrah Village looks like these biopores can help prevent water than river water. The water is smelly the overpopulated areas of cities near inundation during rain. It is this biopore and black in color. large rivers such as the Ciliwung River design that the PMI applied in Sangkrah. that passes through Bogor and Jakarta According to Rus, there have been “Before the Gajah Mungkur dam was or the Citarum River that passes through at least 1,300 biopore pits and built, the river water would overflow Bandung and Karawang. Furthermore, 13 absorption wells across the 13 every year. This flood water could go the alleys are only two meters wide community units (RW) in the village. In as high as that yellow wall,” recounted and are at a higher elevation than the the alley in front of his house, which Rusjamaluddin, who also goes by Rus. houses. All the roads and pathways are borders with the back wall of the He was pointing to the wall in the alley either concrete or asphalt, leaving very Solokita train station, there are at least in front of his home in RT (neighborhood little opportunity for water absorption. 10 biopore pits and one absorption well. 100
The team members of Sewu Village CBAT, Surakarta, are preparing a concrete ring as a material for making absorption wells. Photo: PMI
“The others are spread across the other well rings with a diameter of 100 cm, wells were constructed in August 2016. alleys,” said the main who has been a width of 50 cm and 10 cm thick. Each Jumadi, 32, a member of the Volunteers the head of the neighborhood unit (RT) well is reinforced with three well rings. Corps of the PMI headquarters in since 2009. They filled the first bottom of the well Surakarta City, stated that the biopore with split pebbles, then with coconut and absorption wells were part of the As for the absorption wells, PMI dug fibers for the middle well ring, and Community Flood Resilience (CFR) holes measuring 100 cm in diameter and finally more split pebbles for the last program that was being implemented 150 cm in depth. To reinforce the wall third. The concrete cover had five small by the Surakarta City PMI, with support of the well, they placed in concrete holes for water flow. Rus states that the from the International Federation of 101
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies was the head of the CBAT, was often (IFRC) and the Zurich Insurance Group. the subject of gossip, even by his own “Through this project, 41 absorption neighbors. “What on earth is that pit wells and 3,300 biopore pits were dug for? There’s no water in the well,” he in 2016,” said Jumadi, who had been a said with a chuckle, recounting the member of the Volunteer Corps at the remarks he often heard from his fellow Suarkarta PMI for 12 years. villagers. But he realized that the community would need to see the proof The biopore pits and absorption wells with their own eyes before they were were built in three pilot villagers, convinced. namely Sewu, Semanggi, dan Sangkrah. These three villages were selected due Despite the negative comments, Rus to their high levels of vulnerability to persisted in his campaign to promote flooding. Jumadi said that the cost for the benefits of activities that build the one biopore pit is approximately 35,000 community’s resilience to flooding, Rupiahs. “It’s equivalent to a cup of including the benefits of the biopore coffee at the mall,” he added. pits and absorption wells. “At every monthly RT meeting, I always talk Rus stated that since the biopore pits about PMI’s programs,” he explained in and absorption wells were built, the a serious tone. water that typically pools after rainfall has now receded much quicker. “It In addition, he said that PMI’s service drains into there,” he said, pointing to in Surakarta City is better known for one a biopore pit just about two meters its other community services, such from the absorption well. One example as ambulance services, 24-hour free that he gave was a heavy rainfall in hearse services, and blood donations. September 2016, where the water “Nowadays, they call me if anyone did not pool, because the water was needs an ambulance,” he said with a absorbed into the biopores. laugh. Rus believes that the CFR program has also broadened the community’s Jumadi, who at the time was going knowledge of PMI’s other activities. around marking the biopors and “Before this program, all I know about absorption wells with GPS in Sangkrah, PMI was that it was the place to donate happen to record the event on his blood,” he admitted. cell phone. Proudly, he showed us the footage. Rus added that nowadays, it is the community who proposes for the Convincing the Community construction of biopores and absorption Although the merits and advantages wells by submitting their proposals to of the biopores and absorption wells the village government. “Hopefully have been well-demonstrated, it was they will get some funding from the easily accepted at the outset. Rus, who village,” he hopes. 102
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