A “central water point” for 250 people, 39 families from East Sumba

As we indicated to you above, Fair Future has just allocated a fund of IDR.148’000’000.- within the framework of the phase of “recovery and reconstruction,  in East Sumba.

This amount corresponds to CHF 9’372.- or 10’436.- US $ (Daily exchange rate!) This “Central Water Point” as we aim to call it, is part of the “Water Connections” and “Access to Basic Healthcare” program by Fair Future and Kawan Baik. This action aims to improve the health of people, in particular children following the disaster at the beginning of April 2021 (Read the previous news here)

This amount is allocated to urgently address the lack of clean water that affects thousands of families here where we are now.

Without water, there will be no plants, no trees, no fruits & vegetables, and ultimately, no food. This project aims to drill a well to a depth of nearly 50m in order to have clean and consumable water, but also to add toilets, a place to wash and organise activities around the theme of water… And ultimately, be able to eat, heal, stay healthy, drink … Live!,

This first “water center” or “central water point”, is fully funded by the Fair Future Foundation Switzerland. Fair Future who is on-site to coordinate the work, together with our little sister Kawan Baik Indonesia and the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI – Palang Merah Indonesia). Read also about our base camp, Rumah Kambera here.

This project will provide water and sanitation facilities to 40++ families, or nearly 300 people in the village of Mauliru, one of the most affected by the natural disaster of last April. (Download the .PDF here with all details)

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI – Palang Merah Indonesia) has evaluated the disaster and the needs of the victims. The PMI sent us a request for assistance relating to this project, namely the construction of drinking water facilities in the form of drilled wells and sanitary solutions.

Kawan Baik Indonesia and Fair Future have activated a disaster response post and volunteer center from their “Rumah Kambera” base camps. Our Base Camp in East Sumba, serves as central point to the coordination and planning of the distribution of any kind of logistical assistance, drinking water needs through the distribution/manufacture of water tanks in places currently facing a water crisis, and coordinated by volunteers to plan water delivery via tanker trucks that carry clean water.

After the end of the emergency response phase, long-term actions and programs are developed to help communities in the post-disaster recovery phase.

The construction of boreholes and clean sanitation are indispensable for a long-term benefit.

Background

The flash flood and hurricane SEROJA, which occurred on 4 and 5 April 2021 in East Sumba Regency, harmed all aspects of social life, which included:

• The source of clean water that the community needs is polluted and unusable due to flood mud sediments;
• Existing wells are dry and families/communities no longer have access to clean water;
• The health of people, children, and other vulnerable people is gradually deteriorating;
• The threat of the dry season which begins at the time of this writing, and which will last between 8 and 10 months, is another problem that is added to those already existing;

Following the identification of the problems, the main activity to be carried out is the implementation of a program to provide drinking water and toilets, which will help people to resume so-called “normal” activities.

The target location of the drinking water supply project is in areas with major limitations. The implementation of this program is designed to involve the whole community of active role through the group COMMUNITY-BASED CATASTROPHE PREPAREDNESS.

Based on the results of the assessment carried out by the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) in Sumba Timur and the analysis of the actions of Kawan Baik and the Fair Future Foundation, this project proposal will focus on meeting the needs in drinking water and sanitation for affected communities.

Goal

• Clean water is essential for staying healthy;
• Clean water is essential to heal, grow, eat, drink, wash;
• In order to meet the extremely urgent needs for drinking water and sanitation for communities and families affected by the disaster;
• Have adequate public toilets so that families and communities can readjust to a healthier lifestyle;
• …

Purpose

• Meet the needs of every living being, that of having access to clean water;
• Improve the quality of life with good sanitation for the communities;
• Restore access to water to villages, families, and communities which have been deprived of it since a disaster;
• …

Indicator

• A total of 39 families or approximately 250 people in Mauliru will have access to clean water;
• 2 toilets meet health requirements well and will be used by 39 families in the village of Mauliru. The WASH installation becomes a means/medium for learning to implement a healthy lifestyle;
• …

The Fair Future Foundation team, who wrote this news, directly from what is the largest medical and social camp in the eastern region of Indonesia (NTT), the home of Fair Future and Kawan Baik Indonesia, who is called “Rumah Kambera“, house of Kambera, named after the village that welcomes us, in the heart of the area most devastated by this disaster.

Thank you so much for helping us. We need medicines, donations, medical supplies, food… Do not forget us and them!