LocationsView from within; a reflection on the road to recovery in Quake-Hit Lombok
July 12, 2022
Photos by Dandi Rahman
By Zaenudin, PETRA Project Coordinator based in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara province.
The day kicked off like any other ceremonial events, but when UNDP staff and local government officials gathered for the official handover of 22 reconstructed facilities in Indonesia’s quake-hit Lombok, improved life for our once battered community officially came full circle.
The 7.0 quake hit the Island of Lombok in 2018 and devastated massive public infrastructure including schools and health centers, upending many people’s lives in North Lombok, a few hours’ drive from my home village. Many women became single mothers and the sole bread winners of families with very young children. Many children were orphaned by the disasters and young people suddenly became primary caregivers for their siblings. It goes without saying that witnessing my community’s struggles has strengthened my feeling of mission as an aid worker. My home was damaged, but it was nothing compared to the losses suffered by those towns.
UNDP stepped in immediately, and through the Programme for Earthquake and Tsunami Reconstruction Assistance (PETRA), with funding from the German government through KfW, worked with the local government to rebuild vital infrastructure in the area and re-starting community livelihoods.
I was born and raised in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province where Lombok Island is located. I experienced first-hand the impact of the disasters. UNDP’s intervention here certainly gave us all hope for our future. Needless to say, it was an honor to lead the PETRA project locally and engage in the process from planning and preparation to coordination and implementation. I was particularly moved and inspired by how quickly members of the community banded together in the reconstruction process, despite suffering great loss.
Photos by Dandi Rahman
Working with our implementing partners and various stakeholders was a rewarding experience because I have been fueled by a mission to ensure that local communities are at the drivers’ seat. Our Deputy Governor, Rohmi Djalillah was one of our biggest supporters of this approach and she frequently sought updates and visited the many reconstruction sites.
Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
While Indonesia, like the rest of the world, dealt with the fallout, those of us in Lombok felt we were dealing with a “double disaster,” as we were still recovering from the earthquake and tsunami. Restrictions on movement and limited physical interaction called for new and more challenging procedures. Construction crews were forced to adapt, overnight, to strict protocols. With the spread of the virus and the number of people in the community testing positive, we had no choice but to scale back operations and conduct meetings entirely online. However, we were racing against the clock since earthquake-affected towns couldn't afford to buy more time to recover fully. We were fortunate that one of our important stakeholders, the local health department, delivered the much-needed vaccination to PETRA workers. More employees returned to building sites as limitations on the number of people who could congregate securely relaxed. Indeed, there was a fresh feeling of hope.
Another major barrier to ensuring meaningful involvement by women has been brought to my attention. While men make up 78.82 percent of the workforce, women make up 31.49 percent of the workforce and are typically restricted to administrative tasks. In some ways, this problem parallels official data, as the province's Gender Development Index is 90.37, placing it 19th out of Indonesia’s 34 provinces.
The community seems much happier now. We have more entrepreneurs in our midst, looking to develop their small businesses by selling products in the local markets, students who are excited about returning to school in July in new buildings, and a community that is assured of convenient and improved health care within their reach.
When touring a field that benefitted from new irrigation systems, I spoke to one of the farmers. Widowed by the disaster, she told me the facility had helped improve her crops, which yielded a richer harvest, which in turn helped her earn more money with which she paid for her children’s education and daily needs. One person, one farmer, but a large step forward for the community.
Back to the handover day, the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) took the lead to formalize the handed-over process of the four schools, 10 health centers, and eight community halls, marked by signing asset transfer documents between BNPB and UNDP Indonesia.
It’s a bold sign of a new chapter indeed.
Zaenudin is PETRA Project Coordinator based in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.
Additional input by Wigatiningsih
Edited by Tomi Soetjipto and Ranjit Jose
Photos by Dandi Rahman
