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People of Nias work hard for their future a year after the tsunami and earthquake

By Abdi R. Tarigan, ACT International

Gunung Sitoli, Nias, March 27, 2006—One year has passed since a powerful earthquake struck Nias, a small, tropical island off the southwest coast of Indonesia’s Sumatera island, on March 28, 2005. Barely three months before, the December 26, 2004, tsunami had also devastated some parts of the island.

The needs of survivors of these disasters are enormous, and while non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Indonesian government, and others are working with individuals and communities in trying to meet these needs, the people of Nias who were affected by these two disasters are also working hard to create a better future for themselves. Those who lost their way of making a living are finding new ways of earning an income; others are dealing with the trauma they have experienced.

However, Nias residents working toward recovery face a variety of external challenges. Nias is very underdeveloped compared to the rest of Indonesia. Approximately 697,600 people, the majority of them Christian, live on this 9,000-square-kilometer island. Illiteracy rates are high, access to the health care system is poor, and resources for earning an income are poor.

For members of the global alliance Action by Churches Together (ACT) International in Indonesia - Yayasan Tanggul Benkana Indonesia (YTBI), YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU) and Church World Service Indonesia (CWS) – the participation of individuals and communities in the assistance they provide is key. Sharing in people’s hope for a better future, these members are working in the livelihood, psychosocial, education, shelter, water and sanitation, and health sectors in the Mandrehe, Sirombu and Lahusa sub-districts.

Returning to work

“Now I have my own stall. Every day I sell the needs for daily life and fertilizer to farmers,” said Ina Rima Gulo, a 30-year-old married woman, speaking through a translator. “I get some money to fulfill my daily needs from my daily selling.”

Rima lost both her parents and her twin sons when the earthquake and tsunami swept through her village. Only she and her husband survived. Now they live in a timber house, built with the help of the Baptist Church. Part of the house is used as her stall. Rima’s husband supplies the stall from Gunung Sitoli, the capital of Nias, riding his motorcycle back and forth, a four- to five-hour drive.

While feeding her newborn son, Rima said she did not have earnings for a long time and depended on relief supplies from NGOs. A year has been a long time for her to wait. But in January this year, an opportunity to become an entrepreneur finally presented itself. Rima opened her stall with the help of a Rp. 5 million (US$50) loan from BPB PGI-D Nias, an implementing partner of YTBI, as part of its community-based livelihood initiative.

“Selling also helps me not to linger on too long at the loss of my family, and I can earn some money, she said, adding that she is grateful for the access to capital she has received to start her own business.

The tsunami and earthquake destroyed people’s livelihoods and left people traumatized. Mida Waruwu, a 19-year-old woman living in Sisarhili II sub-village, has been jobless since the tsunami swept away her home. She lost everything and has been experiencing flashbacks from the traumatic events. BPB PGI-D has tried to meet both set of needs by conducting a sewing course at which she and others can share their traumatic feelings and find hope for the future.

For four hours every afternoon, Mida attends the sewing course with 13 of her friends from Onolimbu Raya dan Sisarhili II village. The participants work on four sewing machines and are guided by a 26-year-old volunteer instructor, Suryati Hia.

“I am very happy to have this sewing group here. If I can sew, at least I can sew my own clothes so I don’t have to buy any more. I believe that in the future I can earn money by sewing,” said Mida, who joined the group in early February this year. She takes the sewing exercises seriously but is happy with this opportunity, she said.

“In our program, we have targeted people who can gain their dignity again and become independent so they don’t have to depend on aid from NGOs or the government,” said Budiaman Gea, program manager for BPB PGI-D.

Waiting for the second harvest

At 6:00 on a recent evening, after working the whole day, a group of farmers in the village of Lasarabagawu rested in a hut belonging to the Sejahtera Bersama (“collective prosperity”) farmer group, consisting of 13 families, which are part of the CWS livelihood program.

“Our first yield was rather successful. We collected four tons [of rice]. From the profits, we contribute 10 percent to our farming group to help our group grow in the future. Now we are waiting for the second harvest,” said Ama T’ae, the 30-year-old treasurer of the Sejahtera Bersama farming group.

The tsunami destroyed many rice paddies in Lasarabagau sub-village, Sirombu sub-district on Nias. CWS has distributed paddy seeds, a water pump and tools to assist the farmers there. Ama explained that CWS also trained farmers on how to apply fertilizer and how to use a hand tractor.

Ama said that although the first harvest was a success, the farmers still hoped that the second harvest would be bigger. They hoped that by working together in the farmers group they could achieve this.

“The first harvest reached four tons. Compared to the area of 10 hectares, the production should have been more than four tons. This happened because of a crop disease and the wet season. But we are happy with the yield because we have gotten some money when we sold our [rice] at the market,” added Ama.

Mobile again

Although 32-year-old Kartini is confined to a wheelchair, she appears at ease and smiles while moving around.

“I am very thankful to the YEU medical staff. I was treated very well here,” she said at a YEU rehabilitation clinic. “I am able to move more and more and to use the wheelchair.”

Kartini is hopeful for her future. She endured a lot before she came for medical treatment at the YEU health clinic. When the earthquake struck, she was in her house in Teluk Dalam, the capital city of South Nias Regency, and tried to escape to save her life. In a moment of panic, she remembered that her youngest child was still in the house. Without thinking, she ran back into her house.

Her house was not strong enough to stand the force of the quake, and a wall fell on her, fracturing her lower back and paralyzing both her legs. Her child escaped safely, however.

In January, she came to the YEU rehabilitation center in Gunung Sitoli. She fills her free time with making handicrafts. She is healing and currently has good mobility and is able to use a wheelchair. She said that the YEU medical staff has provided her with regular therapy and good medical treatment.

Jaimun, a physiotherapist, and Bayu, a psychosocial worker, explained that YEU has eight other patients undergoing medical rehabilitation at the YEU rehabilitation clinic, ranging in age from 19 to 52.

“Our patients make handicrafts here to give them the opportunity to earn their living and show that they are still a meaningful member of society,” said Jaimun.

Abdi R. Tarigan is the resources person of the Action by Churches Together (ACT) International coordinating office in Medan, Indonesia.