Helping victims of earthquakes and tsunamis

YSI, who have been working in tsunami affected areas since 2005, are using grants supplied by BEATS to provide disaster preparedness training and to provide training, for example in sewing, for widows and others so they can support themselves. After the 2018 earthquake, tsunami and liquefaction in Sulawesi, BEATS also supplied funds to YSI for initial disaster relief and support to assist communities to become self sufficient again.

On 28 September 2018, a shallow, large earthquake struck in the neck of the Minahasa Peninsula, Indonesia, with its epicentre located in the mountainous Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi. The magnitude 7.5 quake was located 77 km (48 mi) away from the provincial capital Palu; it was preceded by a sequence of foreshocks, the largest of which was a magnitude 6.1 tremor that occurred earlier that day. A localised tsunami, its height reaching an estimated 4 to 7 metres (13 to 23 ft), struck the settlements of Palu, Donggala and Mamuju. The combined effects of the earthquake and tsunami led to the deaths of over 2,000 people and more than double that figure seriously injured. The earthquake also caused major soil liquefaction in areas in and around Palu. In two locations this led to mudflows in which many buildings became submerged causing hundreds of deaths with many more missing. The liquefaction was considered to be the largest in the world and was deemed as a rare occurence. (Source: Wikipedia). See the video at the top of this page showing the tsunami and liquefaction.

BEATS have provided funding so that YSI were able to help the local people initially with emergency aid, followed up by enabling them to re-build their lives by growing crops and raising animals. The final phase was the establishment of a co-operative; the earlier phases of support are shown below.

The co-operative became legally recognised, the groups of villagers raising pigs, goats and other livestock, and growing crops or farming fish are joining the co-operative to reap the benefits of financing, bulk purchasing and group selling.

The pictures show some representatives of these groups with their projects.

Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami help, Phase 3 - Final

On the 2nd September 2020, the legal papers for the formation of the cooperative were signed.

The third and final stage was to help the villagers start a legally recognised co-operative; this was agreed on 19th July 2019 at the meeting shown in the accompanying photographs. The formation of this co-operative will benefit the members in a number of ways:

1. It will enable them to sell their produce direct to markets, cutting out middlemen and thus giving them a better profit.

2. The co-operative will be able to offer micro loans to villagers, enabling them to start businesses which will benefit the whole community.

3. The co-operative will be able buy seed and other items in bulk at better prices, and this also means that the villagers will not have to borrow money from moneylenders at exorbitant rates to acquire these commodities. This process obviously takes some months to organise and to obtain the necessary legal permits.

Phase 2

YSI local partners organised the villagers into many animal husbandry groups, plus other groups who have planted crops or farmed fish. Each villager can only join one group, and each group received animals, once shelters were made ready. YSI monitored the groups' preparations, and supplied materials and organic food supplements with money from BEATS as appropriate. Seedlings and other supplies were provided for groups growing crops and fish farming.

The Baluase villagers have also been supplied with baby chicks (see photo left) to help them become self sufficient, and the children have all been given a book called "Who cares for me?", which tells the story of Jacob, Abraham's grandson (photo right).

Phase 1

BEATS found reliable partners (an Indonesian registered charity, called YSI) to help the victims in Sulawesi. Their team distributed aid to 341 households in three villages, see the video (right). The villages are called Wisolo, Jono and Baluase, south of the centre of Palu. The initial help provided food, hygiene kits, trauma healing for children and hygiene training. See the food and essentials supplies distribution in the video (right).

Ibu Frida from Wisolo (photo right) said "I really need these things,Thank you!"

Some of the supplies being made ready for distribution can be seen in the photo. (right)

Sign first... then get your supplies - Pak Sekdes from Wisolo signs for his supplies. (photo left)