heks

In the wake of the tsunami at the end of 2004 and the devastating earthquake in Nias in March 2005, HEKS began to support broad-based projects to restore and improve living conditions in the province of North Sumatra. Following the earthquake in the region of Padang in September 2009 HEKS also extended these activities to the province of West Sumatra. Together with its partner organisations Holi’ana’a and LP2M, HEKS is involved in the economic reconstruction of six villages on the island of Nias (North Sumatra), which was struck by the tsunami and the earthquake, and another six villages in the region of Padang (West Sumatra). The projects have received a very positive response, both from the residents of these remote villages and from the local authorities.

Aims, points of focus, initiatives:

HEKS is working in Indonesia in the area of economic reconstruction on the island of Nias in the province of North Sumatra and in the region of Padang in the province of West Sumatra. The aims of the work being done with local partner organisations are:

• To enable the majority of inhabitants, who left their villages before and because of the earthquake, to return and to resume their former activities or to start new ones.
• To substantially improve the economic and social situation of residents in the project villages in comparison with their original situation.
• To raise people’s awareness of risk, so that they are better prepared for potential disasters. This should help to reduce the impact of any future disasters.
• To help women earn an income and become more independent from their husbands by teaching them new skills and providing financial start-up aid.
• To significantly increase the membership and influence of self-help groups in the villages and thereby see a marked improvement in levels of initiative shown by the residents.
• To significantly increase agricultural production.
• To secure the long-term future of the credit cooperatives.

 
Current projects are scheduled for completion in 2012, although HEKS will maintain its emergency standby unit in Indonesia in order to be able to provide immediate support in the event of major disasters. This is being done by training a local “rapid assessment team”, which can swing into action quickly and efficiently should another disaster occur.