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Relief Updates

May 2005

Following the emergency response and nascent recovery efforts in Aceh, the newly-hired AFSC Indonesia Relief and Recovery Coordinator spent two months in Aceh province, one of the areas hardest hit by the tsunami. Her time was spent assessing the needs, the resources, and the political situation throughout the province; connecting with existing and emerging local groups and networks; identifying sound projects to support; and developing plans for future partnerships.

Five months after the tsunami, communities are still in disarray. AFSC has found that the area of East Aceh on the northeast shore of Sumatra has received very little assistance, due to its isolation and nearness to the conflict zone, despite the fact the villages on the coast were heavily impacted by the tsunami. The three most pressing issues continue to be housing, livelihood, and the loss of human life and social infrastructure.

The first task upon arrival in a community is to find out who and what is left; the tsunami took community and family leaders at every level. At the same time, new leaders are emerging and groups and networks are proving to be creative, organized, and effective, even with the most limited resources. Working through these Indonesian networks, AFSC is finding worthy projects and partners to support that are meeting immediate and longer term needs.

> Read the entire May 2005 report (PDF, 268 Kb)

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