SOUTH TANGERANG — According to data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), there were 4,940 disaster incidents in Indonesia in 2023. The majority of these were forest and land fires (Karhutla), totaling 1,802 incidents. This was followed by 1,170 flood incidents, 1,155 extreme weather incidents, 579 landslides, 168 droughts, 31 high tide abrasions, 31 earthquakes, and 4 volcanic eruptions.
As a self-help disaster management organization under the Islamic philanthropy institution Dompet Dhuafa, the Disaster Management Center (DMC) played a role in responding to disasters in Indonesia. Throughout 2023, DMC Dompet Dhuafa, together with Good Friends, consistently provided the best service to disaster survivors. We would like to express our appreciation for the contributions made by Good Friends, from being volunteer warriors and collaborative partners to being loyal readers in the world of humanitarian philanthropy that accompanied us throughout this year.
Alhamdulillah, DMC’s efforts to help others have successfully reached the intended and targeted benefit recipients. From assessments/surveys, dialogues with the people and policymakers, program implementation, monitoring and evaluation, to program and sharia audits, all were conducted with a spirit of empowerment and service.
Baca juga: Rutin Gunakan Layanan Jemput Zakat Dompet Dhuafa, Nita: Laporannya Jelas dan Amanah
On this basis, allow us to share our experiences through this news article, about all the contributions of Good Friends together with DMC, in the effort to uplift and provide a better life in the field of natural disaster management and humanitarian philanthropy.
DMC Dompet Dhuafa has a disaster management program that focuses on a complete disaster management cycle, namely pre-disaster or mitigation, during disaster or emergency response, and post-disaster recovery.
We realize and entrust this cycle to our departments named Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation Preparedness, Emergency Response-Recovery & Volunteering, and Disaster Education and Training Center.
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Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation Preparedness
Through the Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation Preparedness department, we try to address problems related to disasters resulting from climate change, such as abrasion, floods, droughts, waste management, and the implementation of renewable energy.
We address these challenges through the Disaster Preparedness and Resilience Area (KTTB) program, a community-based disaster management preparedness program covering villages and hamlets.
In its implementation, KTTB is based on six main focus pillars, namely Disaster Safe Literacy Schools, Disaster Resilient Families, Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation, Disaster Resilient Economy, Disaster Resilient Places of Worship, and Disaster Safe Health Facilities.
We believe that starting the program focus from the smallest community areas, namely villages and hamlets, can benefit wider levels, such as cities or regencies. Therefore, our program coverage is local, but our perspective and hopes are global.
Throughout 2023, we have participated in providing KTTB support in areas such as Pacitan (East Java), Gunung Kidul (Yogyakarta), Ciliwung (Jakarta), Lumajang (East Java), Sigi (Central Sulawesi), Bekasi (West Java), and Lebak (Banten).
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Each area faced a diversity of natural disaster threats, so KTTB was also adjusted to the conditions and situations of each place. For example, in KTTB Pacitan, we tried to address the problem of abrasion. In KTTB Gunung Kidul, we attempted to tackle the threat of drought. In KTTB Ciliwung, we aimed to address the threats of waste and floods, and so on.
In the KTTB Pacitan program, for instance, we and the surrounding community have installed permabel (creating sea walls with boulder stone piles at the beachfront as a protective barrier against the force of seawater and capable of cultivating sediment to become new beach land), as well as planting and nurturing Mangrove trees.
We chose Mangrove trees to withstand the abrasion of the coastline and as an effective carbon dioxide absorber in combating the rampant air pollution everywhere.
Through the Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation Preparedness department, we have benefited 5,495 individuals.
Disaster Education and Training Center
In the Disaster Education and Training Center department, we have a vision to create a society resilient to disasters, from natural disasters to non-natural disasters.
For us, a disaster-resilient spirit means a community with the capacity, skills, and knowledge to deal with natural disasters in their surroundings because, ultimately, the community is the primary actor and party directly threatened by disasters around them.
Therefore, it’s crucial to equip the community with all the tools they need to face disasters.
In this department, we employ the “outreach” method, where we conduct training and simulations for natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and others.
Here, we also provide evacuation training such as Vertical Rescue, Water Rescue, Jungle Rescue, first aid for health emergencies, and more.
Our benefit recipients include all ages and backgrounds. For example, we have conducted disaster management training and awareness at SDN 1 Ragunan.
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At SDN 1 Ragunan, we instilled the spirit of an environmentally friendly life view, strategies to be taken in case of a house fire, and evacuation methods during an earthquake.
Interestingly, children really enjoy learning like this, because we present the training in a fun and entertaining way, making it easy for children to receive and directly practice our materials.
Besides children, we also target community groups as participants. One of the communities we have supported is the Online Motorcycle Taxi (Ojol) community in the South Tangerang area. We believe communities are one of the closest and most strategic elements of society.
The Ojol community has a strategic role and position as disaster management volunteers: they are present and they interact directly with the community; they know strategic and alternative routes on the road; lastly, their solidarity in helping others is very high.
Thus, if there are disaster survivors in need of assistance, these Ojol drivers can immediately provide help with their skills and knowledge. As a result, the impact of disaster damage can be minimized as early as possible.
Another example, we also target young people or students, one of which was when we provided disaster management training at the Health and Technology Institute PKP DKI Jakarta (IKTJ).
We see students also have enormous potential as disaster management agents: high idealism to help others, a strong spirit to learn new things.
Through the Disaster Education and Training Center department, we have benefited 7,393 individuals.
Emergency Response-Recovery & Volunteering
In our Emergency Response-Recovery and Volunteering department, with the will and grace of Allah SWT, we participate in national and international natural disaster management.
At the national level in 2023, we participated in the management, acceleration, and post-disaster recovery of the earthquake in Cianjur. From search and rescue (SAR) actions, meeting the basic logistical needs of survivors to building temporary shelters.
In managing Cianjur, one interesting aspect we can share is the construction of temporary shelters using the recycle house concept, i.e., building shelters with materials from the debris of houses, which are also supplemented with new building materials. We named this program Huntara Bunga (Bumi Endah Dompet Dhuafa).
By adopting this concept, we tried to spread the values of recycling and mutual cooperation, where we formed community groups consisting of 10 Families.
After formation, we socialized about the materials and construction methods of the shelters, then the community would collaboratively build shelters for each group member under our supervision.
Internationally, we have participated in disaster management actions in Hatay, Turkey (earthquake); Aleppo, Syria (earthquake); Essaouira, Morocco (earthquake); and Karizak, Afghanistan (earthquake).
Mostly, we provided assistance in meeting basic needs and logistics. Lastly, and still ongoing, we sent logistical aid to our brothers and sisters in Gaza, Palestine, affected by the cruel Zionist occupation.
To maintain the camaraderie and quality of skills of disaster management volunteers, this year, we held a Volunteer Camp in Baturaden, Banyumas, Central Java.
All volunteers from all over Indonesia gathered here to strengthen bonds and sharpen skills and insights in the world of disaster management.
We believe that strong volunteers are those with high solidarity towards others, both related by blood and not.
Through the Emergency Response-Recovery and Volunteering department, we have benefited 235,607 individuals.
We invite all disaster management activists, academics, and every community element to always pray for and support us so that we can continue to provide services and empower communities in disaster areas. We also ask for prayers so that DMC Dompet Dhuafa can continue to develop innovative ideas and disaster management programs.
In conclusion, all of this is once again thanks to the helping hands of Good Friends spread throughout Indonesia who have accompanied us in 2023 to provide benefits in the world of disaster management. We extend our deepest gratitude.
Long live humanity. Because We Only Have One Earth, Empower Now.
Warm Regards and Empowerment Greetings.
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Arif Rahmadi Haryono
Head of DMC Dompet Dhuafa