Project Overview
With support from Footprings and the 6,286 contributors, the communities of Sabiret, Muntei Kecil and Muntie Besar and SurfAid successfully implemented all project activities and brought clean water to 624 relocated people in the remote area of Mentawai Islands Indonesia.
Project Results
The Sabiret, Muntei Kecil and Muntie Besar communities are three of the fourteen communities that were relocated to a new area, in the jungle on a hill, in the aftermath of the tsunami that occurred off the coast of West Sumatra in October 2010. In the relocated area, the people have scare access to resources, government support and health services, but now they have access to high quality and reliable water, up to 210 litres per day per person. With the help of the Footprints network, the community now has 18 tap stands to deliver water.
The building and installation of the water facilities was a true community effort – all the members – men and women, young and old worked side by side to:
- build the water source protection
- install 4.6 km of distribution pipes
- install two solar panel units that will pump water from the lower source
- construct two water storage facilities
- construct 18 tap stands
SurfAid established and trained water committees in construction, maintenance and management of the whole water system, including the solar panel systems. The communities are now fully empowered to self-manage the systems.
This is an amazing achievement in the midst of challenges the communities face. Being relocated into the jungle, without prospect of generating an income, people face real hardship. They work hard on the construction of their permanent houses and walk for days to their original location to get foods and a bit of income from their small plantation.
The water project results also contribute significantly to SurfAid’s long term goals for the relocated communities, The main objectives are 1) Reduce child mortality through the improvement of access to high quality, reliable water and healthier sanitation processes, 2) promote an understanding, at community level, of how health can be improved through behavior modification.
Story from the field
Ibu Luseria is one of the most inspiring women. She is from one of the hardest-hit areas during the 2010 Mentawai tsunami.
Ibu, 65-years-old, is the head of the women’s church group in her community. The tsunami took the homes and livelihoods of Ibu’s community, and they lost many of their children, family and friends. The survivors were forced to move to higher ground, to a clearing in the forest, where they are slowly trying to rebuild their lives.
"Water is so important for our lives and health."
Ibu Luseria used her influence and status as a leader to mobilise the women in her community. Together they completed the hard manual labour of digging trenches for water pipes to run from a natural spring, through a solar powered unit, to tap stands throughout the village.
She leads by example. Despite her advanced years, Ibu Luseria is proud to work alongside her community members. "Water is so important for our lives and health,” she said. “Since the tsunami we have been using rainwater for drinking and the runoff from the road for washing dishes and ourselves.
“Of course I want to contribute with the rest of the community to get clean water into our community. Together with SurfAid it is possible!"
Project Background
In the past seven years, the Mentawai Islands, off West Sumatra, Indonesia, have suffered two major earthquakes and one devastating tsunami. Isolation and natural disasters have directly resulted in high morbidity and mortality rates (especially in women and children under five) and contribute to the unacceptably high levels of malnutrition, diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections in children under five.
The October 2010 Mentawai tsunami caused widespread destruction, killing 509 people and displacing more than 10,000. The most affected communities on the island of South Pagai were forced to relocate a considerable distance away from their original villages. The relocation sites are high above sea level and many villages still lack basic necessities such as clean water and sanitation.
Project Objective
SurfAid is working with the 14 most affected communities in a four-year health and nutrition project which is core funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme. Additional funding is required to deliver water facilities associated with the project.
In 2015, SurfAid is scheduled to work with the local communities to construct water facilities in three villages:
- Sabiret
- Muntei Besar
- Muntei Kecil
These villages have a total population of 503, including 67 children under five, and they are currently walking up to 1.5km each way to fetch water.
Solar Solutions
As part of the broader health project, SurfAid is delivering water facilities to the most impacted people and the local communities are already working hard by digging channels for pipes. For environmental and economic reasons, solar powered facilities are the most judicious choice.
The tsunami and subsequent reconstruction has compounded logistical challenges in the Mentawai Islands, which are 150km off the mainland. Fuel is scare for much of the year and national subsidies have been reduced. When fuel is available the market is manipulated and it can cost up to four times the price on the mainland. Currently, there is no fuel available in the area. This, along with environmental and economic sustainability considerations, has led to SurfAid’s water engineer recommending solar panels for powering water pumps to provide sufficient water for household and agricultural use in the three communities.
What the funds will cover
In order to provide resilient solar powered water to these communities, $20,000 in building materials (solar panels, steel, cement, pipes, tanks, taps, tap-stands) and water testing equipment will be required. The New Zealand Aid Programme is funding supportive hygiene and sanitation education, and the establishment and training of water committees to administer and maintain the facilities.
