by Isla Winarto, SI Jakarta

"On 26 December, 2014, we commemorate the 10th
anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami which wreaked havoc in many countries,
including Indonesia. It is also a time for Indonesia’s SI Jakarta (SIJ) members
to reflect on their most challenging project ever – the Rebuilding Aceh Village (RLV) Project which was designed and
implemented in response to the needs of a small village in Aceh, north Sumatra,
Indonesia.

which was designed and
implemented in response to the needs of a small village in Aceh, north Sumatra,
Indonesia.

Over the six months immediately
following the tsunami, SIJ, through a world-wide appeal and excellent
networking,  managed to raise US$1
million to rebuild the village of Lamreh, Aceh. By the end of this project in
August, 2007, SIJ had raised a total of US$1.7 from Soroptimist Clubs
world-wide, from international and local organisations, major donor agencies
and small and large private companies.

 

Situated at the foot of Mount Malahayati and within meters of the coast
line, Lamreh village consists of four hamlets. In 2004, there were approximately
1,450 inhabitants (260 families) in Lamreh, 86 of whom had lost their lives
during the tsunami that year.  Most Lamreh
villagers worked as fishermen, owners of small coffee shops and kiosks, street and
market vendors, farmers, labourers and civil servants (teachers; clinic staff;
administration). In the RLV project, SIJ took on the daunting task of
rebuilding an entire new village, offering the Lamreh people new hope for a
brighter future.

 

When SIJ came across the Lamreh
village four days after the tsunami in December, 2004, they found its
inhabitants starving and with nothing but the clothes on their backs. SIJ
members rallied around, collecting food and clothing which they took to Aceh,
and distributed directly to the villagers.

Over the two year period
(2005-2007), SIJ provided Lamreh villagers with 200 houses; a primary school; a
clinic; a learning centre; a community hall; a women’s centre; a kindergarten;
a playground; and a market. Every household was also provided access to utilities
such as electricity; clean, running water, and waste collection.

 

Throughout SIJ’s work in Aceh,
focus was on community-driven development. SIJ involved the Lamreh
people at
every stage of the project. This was achieved through village meetings,
where
villagers were encouraged to ask questions, raise any issues, and
express their
desires and  aspirations for the
future.  Throughout the RLV project, SIJ
endeavoured to empower the villagers and encourage them to take
responsibility for
identifying systems and processes for the sustainability of  the
 project outcomes  in their village, particularly  in areas of water and
waste management
systems, user pays policies (for electricity and waste disposal),
capacity
building programs and general maintenance of the public facilities.  At
all times Soroptimist  emphasis was on community engagement  and 
accomodating
local culture and conditions.

Any visitor to Lamreh Village in
Aceh these days will find a strong, vibrant community compared to that of ten
years ago post-tsunami.

Families have moved on with their lives, healthy
children run around happily, most of the villagers are now gainfully employed,
and there is a general buzz in the area. Motor bikes, and some cars, are seen
parked outside the villagers’ houses, a far cry from back in 2005 when
transport from one place to another was extremely hard to come by. TV satellite
dishes have also been installed outside many of the homes, indicating a certain
affluence among the Lamreh villagers. The villagers appear happy, with a
purpose in life.

Many Lamreh villagers have repainted
their SIJ constructed houses in bright, sometimes gaudy colours, some have built
on additional rooms built onto the side or back sections of their houses. All
have running water and electricity. Footpaths and roads have been built in the
village itself, and in the surrounding areas.

As for the public facilities, the
local SIJ built school is showing definite signs of wear and tear and is badly
in need of a new coat of paint. The school playground equipment will also soon
need to be replaced as many items are now in a state of disrepair. But the
important thing is that the Lamreh children – both girls and boys – are
attending school and enjoying the opportunity of having an education.

 

The public library continues to
provide reading material for young and old. The open air community hall is
frequently used for village events and ceremonies.

The only public facility that has
not been functioning to serve the community is the SIJ built clinic. Due to
bureaucracy and issues with funds for on-going maintenance of the clinic, it
remains closed until matters are settled at the district and local government
level".