INDONESIA

Since 2000, Islamic Relief has been overseeing relief and community development projects throughout Indonesia. In Aceh province itself, IR was providing school equipment for children.

Banda Aceh

The destructive effect of the tsunami on Indonesia was enormous. An estimated 500,000 people were left homeless, around 38,600 students and 2,500 teachers were killed (a third of them were children), and 800,000 people lost their sources of livelihood, most of them fishermen and farmers. Islamic Relief has worked in Aceh since 28 December 2004 following the Boxing Day tsunami and has two offices in the province with over 60 staff. Islamic Relief is continuing its massive rehabilitation projects in the region.

Because of its presence in Aceh, IR was one of the first agencies to respond to the tsunami disaster.

One day after the tsunami, IR aid workers arrived in the stricken city of Banda Aceh and started administering first aid to survivors. A few days later, IR had established an emergency response field office and began providing food, clean water, shelter, and basic hygiene and sanitation facilities. The tsunami destroyed thousands of homes across the north-western coastline of Aceh, in northern Sumatra. Many of those who survived the tsunami were given tents; others were housed in temporary barracks built by the government.

Immediately after the tsunami, Islamic Relief distributed 400 family sized tents among survivors. IR is now building permanent and earthquake resistant structures in Aceh, 100 of these have already been completed. A total 500 permanent homes are planned for the area. IR is also building 100 earthquake resistant homes for staff of Syia Kuala University.

Aceh's public works resource centre which contained by-laws and building codes was destroyed by the tsunami.

The tsunami destroyed more than 1,500 schools in Aceh, and left 1,000 primary schools heavily damaged. The catastrophic damage to education in the region is compounded by the fact that more than 2,500 teachers lost their lives in the disaster. In January 2005, Islamic Relief began work to provide basic education for primary school children in the aftermath of the tsunami. Since then IR has built several schools and trained teachers. So far, 8 schools have been built and furnished. One school also acts as a teacher-training centre where 60 teachers have attended training sessions. IR staff has distributed school uniforms to over 1,000 pupils in schools across Banda Aceh and Nias. The uniforms were made by tailors as part of Islamic Relief's livelihood project. In addition, 10,000 school bags, too, have also been distributed to pupils in the region. Islamic Relief has also begun rebuilding schools in the region and construction work is underway in three schools in Aceh. A total of 10 schools will be rebuilt, while another 10 schools will be rehabilitated. Islamic Relief handed over Labuy School to local authorities in Baitussalam subdistrict in Aceh Besar on the 20th December 2005 in the presence of Governor Azwar Abu Bakar.

Islamic Relief staff distributed school uniforms to over 1,000 pupils in schools across Banda Aceh. The uniforms were made by tailors as part of Islamic Relief's livelihood project. Around 10,000 school bags will also be distributed to pupils in the region. A cargo load of school furniture from Islamic Relief's France office is being prepared for distribution.

In Aceh, healthcare provision was already poor before the tsunami. The effect of the tsunami on costal regions was to completely destroy the existing health system. Islamic Relief has distributed medicines, rehabilitated a hospital, built health clinics and runs mobile health clinics. Around 26,000 people have benefited from IR's health projects

Islamic Relief staff distributed school uniforms to over 1,000 pupils in schools across Banda Aceh. The uniforms were made by tailors as part of Islamic Relief's livelihood project. Around 10,000 school bags will also be distributed to pupils in the region. A cargo load of school furniture from Islamic Relief's France office is being prepared for distribution

In Aceh, healthcare provision was already poor before the tsunami. The effect of the tsunami on costal regions was to completely destroy the existing health system. Islamic Relief has distributed medicines, rehabilitated a hospital, built health clinics and runs mobile health clinics. Around 26,000 people have benefited from IR's health projects.

Without this centre, reconstruction work in the region has been hampered by lack of building codes of practice. IR is rebuilding the resource centre to assist the UN and other international agencies with the reconstruction process in Aceh. Rebuilding the centre will also directly benefit over 10,000 people, including construction workers, brick makers and many others who will provide logistical support during the reconstruction.

It is estimated that around 800,000 people in the most affected regions in Indonesia have lost their sources of income and livelihood. IR has given out loans and grants to help people set up or re-establish businesses, and has begun vocational training schemes and cash for work programmes. Staff are also cleaning up and rehabilitating public facilities damaged by debris from the tsunami.

Under IR’s livelihood – Tailoring Programmes, IR had provided a group of 95 tailors with tools, equipment and material to manufacture school uniforms. The uniforms were distributed to needy school children in Islamic Relief's education programmes.

Under the Fishing Boat Grants, two fishing boats have been provided for fishermen in the village of Lambada Lhok and the Island of Bunta. In both of these locations, the boats are managed by the village, half of the income from fishing is taken by the fishermen, and the other half is pooled into a village fund. The money in the fund is available for all villagers to use. In Bunta Island, Islamic Relief also built a landing-pier and provided for the basic needs of the community.

Islamic Relief teamed up with the Banda Aceh Rickshaw Association to help its members that lost their rickshaws in the tsunami. IR purchased 50 new Honda motorcycle rickshaws and sold them at 50% of cost price to the association as part of a micro-credit programme.

In partnership with a government vocational training centre and the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO), Islamic Relief has funded carpentry training for 42 people in Banda Aceh.

Islamic relief rehabilitated the Permata Hati Hospital in Banda Aceh, including its maternal health department, paediatrics wards and laboratories. IR has completely rebuilt four clinics in Aceh which are now serving the community. Another four Mother and Child clinics are being rebuilt in Aceh, as well as a community health centre. In Lampisang, Islamic Relief is building a health centre which will include a mother and child centre that will provide prenatal and postnatal care. Islamic Relief operated mobile clinics in March and April. IR paid for medical staff and the operational costs of ambulance services. The clinics served 5,000 people in Aceh. Three ambulances have been purchased and donated them to District Health Offices in Aceh, two more ambulances will be purchased for Meulabih and Pidie. On 24th December 2005, IR handed over ten health clinics to the local authorities in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar, Indonesia on 24/12/05. The facilities included one community health centre, two sub-community health centres, four village maternity clinics in Aceh Besar, and three village integrated health posts in Banda Aceh.

Over 15,000 packs of formula milk were distributed to families in camps in Aceh and the island of Nias which suffered a major earthquake on 28th March 2005.

IR teamed up with the Church of Latter Day Saints to distribute 40,000 pounds of medical supplies, 20,000 first aid supplies and 28,000 hygiene kits.

Over 75,000 children were orphaned by the tsunami, most now live in tents or in crammed barracks. Islamic Relief set up an orphan welfare programme in March, 2005. So far, Islamic Relief donors have sponsored 288 orphans on a one-to-one basis, while hundreds of other orphans have benefited from IR's orphan support services.

It is hard to imagine the trauma experienced by a child who survived one the world's worst catastrophes, only to find that his or her parents died. Signs of trauma, such as being unable to speak, are commonplace among children who survived the disaster. Islamic Relief set up art therapy classes which allowed children to express themselves through the medium of art, and the orphans' paintings were put on display in Aceh's museum.

Clean drinking water is difficult to come by in the barracks and crammed tent camps of Aceh that have become home to thousands of tsunami survivors. In partnership with PLAN International, Islamic Relief began trucking water into settlements in January 2005. Five trucks deliver water to 39 camps in Aceh every day. In eight barracks, IR has installed a piping system that feeds water to almost 4,000 people. The tsunami left most wells in the affected area polluted with salt water, so Islamic Relief has began drilling deep wells. One well has been completed in Lamujong, and another is being bored in Lambaro Angan. Islamic Relief has also installed latrines in 20 locations in Banda Aceh, and hygiene training sessions have been organised in the camps. Another hygiene campaign is currently taking place across 10 barracks housing displaced people.