Learning From Merapi Early Recovery Program Evaluation
Learning from the Evaluation of Merapi, the Early Recovery Program
“The situation is back to normal Sir”, said someone when we asked how the conditions now after Mount Merapi erupt half year ago. We asked them as part of the MERP program (Merapi Early Recovery Program) which is run by Save the Children Indonesia to respond to a disaster that caused by the Mount Merapi eruption. The program cover the entire villages in the Sub District of Dukun.
The evaluation has left a deep impression not only because the sharing session conducted by Save the Children but also because people who became beneficiaries of the program.
During evaluation, we found some new facts from the livelihood around Mount Merapi. Agricultural land gradually rolling back to the state before the eruption, but there still a lot works that has to be done, because the irrigation channels is heavily damaged. Despite people effort to repair the irrigation system, its condition is still nowhere near the state before Merapi erupt. Another challenging aspect that faced by farmer community is that the priced from the yields is still low. We know that the pricing has nothing to do with the eruption. Harvest prices of agricultural products have it up and down moments. When we did the evaluation around early September 2011, pepper prices are too cheap (only Rp5000,00 per kg). It is way off the chart when you compare it to the price when Merapi erupt (Rp60.000,00 per kg).
One mother stated that she is very grateful because the assistance from external organization helps them tremendously to recover from financial blow that they suffer after Merapi erupt.
The local community main concern right now is the issue of relocation. They don’t understand why they have to be relocated. If the reason is for the security, they think that actually there’s no place under the sun that is totally safe. Security is a matter on how we see the threat that could endanger our lives. A Village Chief said that Mount Merapi is a very good friend. He mentioned the eruption process is similar to that mother giving birth. The delivery process was not sudden. The delivery process was not scary but it should be managed. Because we know that Merapi will someday give birth again, then we have to become Mr. Standby. Prepare everything. According to Village Chief, we need to build community relations as good as possible, we need to physically and mentally prepared, so that we are ready when the baby is born.
A refugees model to gather people in one building, is inhumane. It feels not right when people, men, women, children, adolescents, adults, elderly, sick, healthy, are all stuffed in one place. There are some problems like hygiene, sleep and relationships issues that can create discomfort.
He recommend that each family stay at home when Merapi give birth. Let the village halls or public buildings become the central of aid. The data harvesting process should already completed before the baby was born. Data collection is not all about who the people are, but also to which house people will live temporarily during Merapi childbirth, and what things that should be prepared. Data collection should also state the task division among the citizens – who responsible on evacuation, distribution of aid, or keep an eye on the goods that left behind. Therefore assets tagging also needs to be done. The cows need to be tagged. Data harvesting on the family outside the affected areas should be completed including the herds.
It seems that the preparation stated by Village Chief needs to be supported.