Responsive Action: Fullfiling Basic Needs of Children and the Community of East Flores
One of the reasons why a disaster needs to be responded to quickly is because it concerns the safety of survivors who cannot access basic necessities for survival. Clean water is one of the basic needs that must be met immediately after a disaster because it concerns health and the prevention of the spread of disease, especially for child survivors.
When the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki occurred in November 2024, children and communities had to leave their homes without having time to bring anything. Survivors had to evacuate to village government offices, schools, or open fields. In the evacuation centres, the existing clean water network could not meet the needs of the survivors, which reached 13,175 people. Therefore, one of WVI's interventions, in collaboration with Sun Life, began by distributing clean water to several evacuation points.
"One of the main needs of the survivors at the post I coordinate is clean water, which was initially very limited. We need water for cooking, bathing, washing, and maintaining hygiene. The availability of clean water is quite difficult. I coordinate approximately 500 survivors at the post and can only access one water tank in a nearby school building," said Mickhael, coordinator of one of the evacuation posts during the disaster response period.
The magnitude and importance of the need for clean water was immediately followed up by the WVI emergency response team. During the two-month response, WVI managed to distribute 315,000 litres of clean water, which impacted 1,711 children and 4,770 adults. The distribution of clean water was the result of collaboration between WVI and Sun Life.
"Thanks to the support of WVI and donors, we were able to get enough clean water. There is already a 5,000 litre tank at our post and for two months we have always received clean water distribution every day. This support is very beneficial because the children can bathe every day, cooking is also easier, and cleanliness is also maintained. This clean water is very meaningful to us," said Mickhael.
In addition to intervening in the health sector, WVI and Sun Life also paid special attention to the education and child protection sectors during the emergency response period. Interventions were carried out through the provision of Temporary Learning Space, Child-Friendly Mobile Library, basic psychosocial support activities, and training for teachers on education in emergencies. Every activity implemented is a form of joint commitment so that children can recover, be safe, and healthy even in disaster conditions.
This partnership with the corporate sector is very meaningful for children and communities affected by the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki. The support provided has had a positive impact that is directly felt by children and communities. Thank you for this good partnership, and let's continue to realise the lives of Indonesian children that are full of hope, joy, and justice.
Author: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)
