fbpx

Press Release: Never Ending Earthquakes in Lombok

  • 8 copy
  • 19 copy
  • 16 copy
  • 5 copy
  • 14 copy

20/8/18 – After the devastating earthquakes in Lombok the past 3 weeks, Lombok was struck again today. In the past 24 hours 13 earthquakes between a 5 and 7 magnitude hit the island. As a volunteer at Peduli Anak (www.pedulianak.org) I traveled 200 kilometers by car through the north of Lombok, the epicenter of most of the earthquakes. With our team we drove from village to village delivering goods and mattresses where it was most needed. Most of these villages had not received any help yet due to the dangerous road conditions.

The closer we get to the epicenter the more severe the damage gets. It becomes harder to recognize structures of houses in the rubble of concrete and red bricks. Entire villages have become uninhabitable due to the destruction. Improvised tents can be seen everywhere. A mosque without a dome, a begging child on the side of the road, a collapsed school building and a mother not sure how to comfort and care for her baby.

The scene of desolation stands in stark contrast to the positivity of the people. We are welcomed with a smile and with the typical Indonesian hospitality. A man who has reopened his shop on top of his collapsed roof symbolizes the way people are trying to restore some form of normality. The survival mentality is admirable, but much more is needed to get these people back on their feet. Private organizations and the local army are doing an amazing job, but organized help on a national level with the focus on sustainable self-reliance may be the better route to go.

Besides the visible material damage, there is also the psychological damage that lies beneath the smiles. The fear that we saw in people’s eyes today, is the same fear we see in the eyes of the children at Peduli Anak. This non-profit organization offers a home to underprivileged children who have been abused, neglected and exploited. At the moment all 80 children sleep in tents and their school is also housed in tents. “We want nothing more than to offer them a safe home, but as long as the earth continues to tremble that seems an unachievable task”, says cofounder Chaim Fetter. He emphasis that the best way to support Peduli Anak is by donating money. “All the money will be spent on the rebuilding of the destroyed shelter homes of the children”. Donation can be made via www.pedulianak.org

 

Written by clinical psychologist in training Franka de Bruijn ([email protected]). For more information or questions please contact Franka de Bruijn or co-founder Chaim Fetter ([email protected]). Both are currently on the ground at Peduli Anak in Lombok.