Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund

On September 28, 2018, the series of earthquakes and following tsunami which struck Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province claimed more than 4,000 lives and led to economic losses of $1.3 billion. The vast majority of the damage occurred in the coastal city of Palu, where 68,451 houses were destroyed, forcing nearly 206,5000 people to seek shelter. 

Less than 10 months after the disaster, communities are building their resilience thanks to the dedicated efforts of local leaders and the endless generosity of GlobalGivers like you. By supporting grassroots activists who understand how to best support their community, you’re not only helping people today, you’re part of the movement to build long-term preparedness in the face of future disasters. 4,718 members of our community have given $613,070 to vetted nonprofit partners, allowing them to continue fostering hope and strength in Central Sulawesi. In this update, we’d like to highlight the dedication of two partners your donation has supported. 

Yayasan Usaha Mulia traveled to the most remote villages to support regions which rescuers hadn’t been able to reach due to continuing landslides and poor road conditions. Their efforts exceeded all predictions: they distributed long-awaited food, water, hygiene supplies, clothing, and educational materials to 2,500 families in the most far-flung communities of Indonesia. Yayasan Usaha Mulia also provided 1,000 solar lamps and water purifiers in the villages of Saloya, Amai, and Kaliburu, enabling people in these communities to continue supporting themselves long after the volunteers left. 

In addition to lifesaving supplies, Yayasan Usaha Mulia held support sessions to help people in these villages overcome the disaster they endured. The trauma relief program included discussion groups, relaxation techniques, and even yoga sessions to ease stress and promote wellbeing. 

Internews has continued its innovative approach to disaster resilience by supporting local journalists. Reporters with Kabar Sulteng Bangkit (KSB), a community-led news organization created shortly after the earthquake, are working to spread crucial aid information, put a stop to fake news, and hold regional government and aid officials accountable. 

In a recent article in The New Humanitarian, Internews activist Firmansyah Syamsi shared how KSB journalists take a unique approach to disaster reporting. “Usually, after a disaster, the kind of news that is published especially in Indonesia is just about blood and victims being put on display.” However, KSB knew this approach wasn’t in line with their goals or ethics. “So we promote the perspective of victims so that victims feel they are heard.”

By giving survivors the opportunity to share their stories, this grassroots news source will ensure that the rebuilding process is inclusive and accountable in the months to come. 

When you donate through GlobalGiving, you’re making the smart choice to support sustainable, community-centered change led by partners like these. As inspirational local leaders build resilience long after the disaster, we’ll continue to keep you updated—your generosity makes stories like this possible. 

Warmly,

Nicole Gieselman + the GlobalGiving Team

We now have the full picture of the impact of the Sep. 28 earthquake and tsunami on Sulawesi and the scope of the damage has expanded significantly.

The government of Central Sulawesi reported in January that in their final count, the disaster had claimed 4,340 lives—nearly double earlier estimates. Almost half of these deaths occurred in Palu, the coastal city where post-earthquake soil liquefaction resulted in widespread destruction. In total, more than 42,000 buildings suffered damage, including 3,683 that were completely destroyed.

In response, the generosity of GlobalGivers like you has continued to fund community-led relief and recovery efforts—4,347 members of our community have now raised $604,905 in support of our vetted nonprofit partners in Indonesia.

In this update, we'd like to share the progress being made by one of the partners your donation supported: Yayasan Usaha Mulia (YUM). They are an Indonesian NGO based in Jakarta that works to provide impoverished Indonesians with access to healthcare and education, as well as support for community development initiatives. When the earthquake struck, their staff shifted gears to join disaster response efforts.

Yayasan Usaha Mulia recently reported on their team's third visit to Palu and Donggala. They spent a week distributing food, water, hygiene supplies, clothing, educational materials, and three electric generators for communities still without power. Their team was able to visit a number of villages in the area over the course of the week, where they consulted with the community to assess needs and arrange support where possible.

In Biromaru, they organized a trauma healing session (pictured above) for 200 children living in camps for families displaced by the disaster. Their team distributed hygiene supplies, food, and 150 relief kits in Tanjung Padang, contributed $1,000 to the construction of temporary shelters in Sirenja, and provided clothing and food to families in Amal, a remote community badly damaged by landslides. They also made their third visit to Saloya, where they observed that refugees there had established a school in one of the relief tents and the YUM team organized activities for the camp's children.

Your donation has helped make stories like these shared by Yayasan Usaha Mulia possible. We're incredibly grateful for that support because, after a disaster like this one, recovery efforts led by people who live and work in affected communities are often underfunded. In fact, research has shown that less than 3% of global disaster relief funding goes to community-led nonprofits. This means some of the most vulnerable people affected by disasters get overlooked.

By giving to our Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund, you’re helping change that reality. You can learn more about our unique approach to disaster relief by visiting the Disaster Recovery Network at GlobalGiving.

We look forward to sharing more stories of the ongoing recovery in Indonesia with you in the coming months.

With gratitude,
Will + the GlobalGiving Team