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Home > Tsunami Reconstruction > Project Updates > Order of Malta and Jesuit Refugee Services

Completion: Housing Construction and Livelihood Restoration for villagers of Pulo Aceh

Order of Malta in collaboration with Jesuit Refugee Services of Singapore

Wednesday, 11. April 2007By Mr Shiang Hui Foo, JRS, Singapore Project Coordinator

 

Background of the project

The request for this project was initiated by the village head man, Pak Dahlan Wahab, 57 years old when he approached the Jesuit Refugee Services Indonesia (JRS) to assist them in rebuilding their village and restoring their livelihood that was totally destroyed by the Tsunami in the year 2004. 97 people from the island died in the disaster.

Contact of JRS Singapore with Pulo Aceh’s Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) started in January 2005 with logistic and health support in the camp. From this contact, the people informed them of their wish to return to their village. To fulfill this request, JRS Singapore working together with a local NGO present in the camp (JRS Indonesia) conducted an assessment of Pulo Aceh in February 2005. The JRS team decided to assist the return of these people to their respective village in Pulo Aceh. 

Initially, about 300 households decided to return. The rest preferred to stay either in Banda Aceh or in other places. With the consolidated figures, the JRS team decided to rebuild one village at a time starting with Meulingge.

Jesuit Refugee Services Singapore under the banner of Order of Malta was given the approval by the Tsunami Reconstruction Facilitation Committee (TRFC) to proceed with this project. 80% of the project funding came from the Tidal Waves Asia Fund (TWAF) managed by Singapore Red Cross.

Change in project scope

As the project progressed, two of the villages Rinon (all except one household) and Alue Raya decided to solicit another NGO’s help to rebuild their village. At the same time some of the families in Meulingge decided to leave the island permanently. Therefore the number of houses to be built in Meulingge was reduced to 106 houses and only 10 fishing boats and one logistics boat were purchased for the villagers.

Project completion and site audit done

This project was successfully completed in August 2006 and a site audit was done on 27th March 2007.  This trip was undertaken by Father Colin Tan S.J., Mr. Mark Foo and Mr. Michael Chan of JRS Singapore to verify and close the project. We were accompanied by Father Bambang S.J. (JRS Indonesia, Director of Works), Donatus, and Supermall (ATMI).

A 20m length commercial fishing boat was hired for a round trip with a crew of four members by JRS Indonesia. The trip was initially fraught with uncertainty due to unpredictable weather conditions (the day before saw rough and choppy seas).  Fortunately on the morning of our trip, the sea was calm and conducive for our journey. We left at 7:30 am from Banda Aceh jetty for a three hour boat ride to Pulo Aceh.

We were met on arrival by the Village Headman, Pak Dahlan Wahab. Along the dirt track to the village, we witnessed the devastation caused by the Tsunami, a damaged fishing boat, fallen coconut tree trunks, relics of concrete huts and vast expanse of flat wastelands (still under water -  it was  previously a rice field but is now uncultivable due to salt water contamination).

We were brought to the site where the plaque unveiling ceremony was held and it was a moment of jubilation and joy for the village representatives and us to witness and formalise the completion of the project of building 106 houses, purchasing of 10 fishing boats, and one logistics boat.

This was followed by a site verification to see the houses built from the funds donated by TWAF managed by Singapore Red Cross and the Catholic Diocese of Singapore through the ACCT. We accounted for all but one house which is in Rinon village. Out of the 105 houses, 102 were for the villages, two units were allocated for the teachers teaching in the village school, “Sekolah Negeri Meulingge”, one was assigned for the village office.

We then adjourned to the village elder’s house to witness the official signing of the Handover Document between JRS Indonesia and the village Headman. Two copies of the signed original documents with translation were handed to us upon our request. A lunch was held in the village head man's house to honour our visit. It was a simple but delicious lunch of local village food using all the ingredients that they managed to grow themselves. During lunch, Pak Dahlan spoke a few words of gratitude to the Singapore Red Cross, the ACCT, the people of Singapore for their support and help given to them. “I am most grateful and satisfied with the housing project and to have the houses so that the villagers are able to return and settle back in the island. With the fishing boats, they now have the means to earn their livelihood and return to rebuilding their lives again. You are most welcomed to come here often to see and to talk with the people here.”

Before we left the beautiful island of Pulo Aceh, we went to have a look at the 10 fishing boats that were sponsored as well. However, we were able to see only four of them as the rest were out fishing. Each boat was shared by two families.  Pak Dahlan told us that the families are very happy with this arrangement.

Conclusion

We left the island at 1 pm and arrived safely in Banda Aceh by 4:30 pm. We then went to view the logistics boat, “Teluk Bayur II” which was moored at the seaside near the town. It had been used to transport construction materials during the initial stage of the project. Since the completion of the project, there was no longer a use for this boat and it was expensive for the villagers to upkeep the boat. JRS Indonesia donated it to another NGO, Flora Fauna International, to do conservation and environmental protection work.

We are satisfied that the housing and boat projects were done and completed in accordance with the terms as specified in the MOU, save for the logistic boat as mentioned earlier.

We want to thank our implementing partner, the JRS Indonesia for successfully spearheading and implementing this project. This project was also a joint effort with the villagers of Meulingge who helped in the physical construction of the houses at the beginning stages. Their enthusiasm and earnestness also ensured the successful completion of their homes. We also want to record our thanks and gratitude to the Singapore Red Cross and ACCT for entrusting the Order of the Knights of Malta and the JRS Singapore to co-ordinate this project. Finally, as we left, the villagers warmly invited all donors and representatives to visit them again in the future.