A villager walks through ruined houses after he collected his clothes in the Klaten district in central Java May 28, 2006. Photo: REUTERS/Sigit Pamungkas

CWS Appeal: Indonesia Earthquake

May 30, 2006

The death toll from the May 27 earthquake that hit south of the ancient city of Yogyakarta, on the Indonesian island of Java, now stands at nearly 5,700, with many of the survivors living in shacks near the ruins of their homes, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reported today. About 200,000 people lost their homes, though exact figures related to loss of life, injuries and damages are still being compiled.

Jan Egeland, the UN's top humanitarian official, praised the current aid effort as having made "enormous progress," the AP reported.

RESPONSE: This preliminary appeal outlines work Church World Service plans during the initial response of up to six months, focusing on relief and immediate rehabilitation needs. Church World Service is working as a member of a team of Action by Churches Together (ACT) International implementing partners that also includes YAKKUM (Yayasan Kristen untuk Kesehatan Umum - Christian Foundation for Public Health) Emergency Unit (YEU) and Yayasan Tanggul Bencana di Indonesia ( YTBI).

The CWS response includes food and non-food items, shelter, potable water, sanitation, health and medical services, psycho-social assistance, disaster preparedness and advocacy.

The assessments -- including the water and sanitation needs in co-ordination with ACT member Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) -- are still ongoing.

This is a preliminary relief appeal. It will be revised later to reflect longer-term rehabilitation activities.

SPECIFICS: Church World Service is responding to the needs of some 16,100 households in the districts of Bantul; Klaten; and Boyolali.

Already, in the immediate response, CWS has provided, in the Bantul district: hygiene kits for 2,000 households; family tents for 100 households whose houses were totally destroyed; baby kits for 750 babies; blankets for 200 households.

Planned activities include distribution of food aid and non-food items, including biscuits, mineral water, noodles, hygiene kits, baby kits and blankets; initially to provide jerry cans, water containers, and access to adequate water and sanitation facilities; shelter and communal infrastructure, including distribution of family tents and possible home repair assistance; education & psychosocial support, including early child development programs; psychosocial first aid, including HIV/AIDS education; community-based rehabilitation in collaboration with YAKKUM and local CWS partner Interaksi.

Also: a livelihood recovery program that includes distribution of small Grants in collaboration with local groups such as CWS partner Kembang.

Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Contributions may also be made by credit card online, or by calling: 800-297-1516, ext. 222.