How the World's Best Kept Secret Could Be Building a Water Tower And Fishing Bridge

Transcription

1 Just Open the Tap, the Water Will Flow The construction of a driller well and water tower by the local community of Suak Sring Gading village is related by Pak Ridwan, the leader of the group: We were in need of water very badly. When we were still in the barracks, Oxfam trucked in clean water for us. Therefore we proposed to Oxfam that they build a water tower and a driller well in the village to ensure a sustainable water supply. A water tower would also make it easy for women to access water. All they had to do was open the tap and the water would flow. Oxfam agreed to the proposal and together we designed the routes of the pipe lines to the households. During the construction, Oxfam provided a skilled worker to install the pipes with the help of villagers. Each household agreed to contribute IDR 5,000 per month to cover the electricity bill and we also agreed that every Friday we will clean the tower and bathing facilities.

2 It would be a Waste to Deliver Water Oxfam first came to Kota Krueng in April 2005 trucking clean water for residents and initiating wellcleaning activities. The water in the village is salty and reddish, therefore can not be used for drinking and cooking. Women have to collect fresh water from the river. This has become the practice for years. Below is a story shared by Pak Sulaiman, a young man with two children, who earns his livelihood as a farmer. He is also the leader in Tengku Syarief sub-village, Kota Krueng village. He has mobilized the community to rebuild their village, and he related: As soon as I found out that Oxfam planned to provide clean water from water tanks, the head of the village (geuchik) and I directly turned them down because we still had access to the river and all we needed to do was learn how to treat the river water to have potable water supplies. It would be such a waste to deliver water to the village when there was another option. We brought the villagers together to discuss and decide on the most urgent needs. We concluded that the most immediate need was to make tanks to store water from the river. We also decided that we would complete the work ourselves while Oxfam helped to provide to construction materials. We decided that it was to be built at the small mosque (meunasah), which was around 500m from the river, and that the work was to start on Wednesday, July With 30 people we dug the ground for the pipeline, installed an electric pump near the river, installed a water filter, and the water tank. We set a schedule for everyone to take turn to maintain the water tank. To keep the cleanliness, everyone using the water tank should clean it as well.

3 How to be a Dokter Kecil Cut Pah is a girl of eleven years old, currently attending the fourth grade at the SDN 6 elementary school in Samudra sub-district, Aceh Utara district. This girl actively participates in the PHP activities held by Oxfam since October Cut Pah has been appointed the leader of Child to Child club activity, which has been held for health promotion. She is very happy about what she does. I was thrilled when Oxfam staff first came to our school to teach us on how to be a little doctor (dokter kecil). We were taught on how to wash our hands using soap and that it should be done before taking meals and after defecating, that we should take a bath at least 2 times a day, and on how to use and maintain the toilets. It turned out that such practices are easy to do. We used to defecate in the river... Hey, I just learnt that it could generate diseases like diarrhea and malaria. I like to join this activity because I can transfer what I know to my friends. I can also teach my younger siblings as well and apply that knowledge at home. At school a bucket is filled with water for hand washing after cleaning or writing on the boards. We make a schedule for everyone to take turn in making water available. I will take care of the items provided by Oxfam such as bucket, soap and hand towel.

4 We are Models for Our Customers In this village, a total of 23 persons received cash grants. The selection criteria were based on their former occupation as trader. Some sell fish, opened a small restaurant or kiosk. Every location assisted by Oxfam for trading was equipped with a waste bin. Bu Daburiah (34 years old) related the following: I am happy with the result of the meeting on who should receive financial assistance from Oxfam to start businesses. We developed the criteria that beneficiaries should be those who used to be traders and owned a kiosk or the supporting equipment. Each of us received IDR 2.5 million. Every month we have to pay IDR 5000 as saving money for future additional capital. We were also taught how to manage waste, proper waste disposal, and use the garbage bins provided to become models for customers. At first I was embarrassed and reluctant to tell my customers because I need to treat them with the greatest care. What I do is to keep the place clean all the time and dispose garbage in the bin so that when customers come, they find my place clean and hesitate to litter; instead, they use the garbage bin. It has become a habit now at my place. For final waste disposal, a designated person collects and burns the garbage or produce compost from organic materials.

5 Oxfam Asked Us to Plan and Design Our Bridge A fisherman beneficiary from Kreung Mate Village The bridge that connects the five villages of Kuala Meuraxa, Krueng Mate, Kota Krueng, and Blang Mangat was very important because it was used by brackish water fish farmers and fisher folk to go to sea. It was completely destroyed by the tsunami making it difficult for them to go fishing. Because there was a definite need for a bridge, Oxfam assisted the community in building the bridge. Pak Rixa (35 years), the local village secretary (SEKDES) related: We proposed that Oxfam assist us in building the bridge back while we fully understood that it would a very difficult thing to do (for Oxfam) because they did not have the program for such activity. Oxfam finally agreed to assist and asked us to develop the planning, including who would do the job. We held a meeting with the fisher folk and brackish water fish pond farmers to discuss on the design of the bridge as well as the estimated budget for the completion. During the meeting we also asked for the commitment of everyone that the bridge was to be built with our own hands and done collectively. We then made agreement with Oxfam that they would cover all the construction materials while the villagers would provide the labor and maintenance. We started by purchasing all construction materials and arranged a work schedule. The work was carried out twice a week according to the schedule and every Friday everyone took part in the work because it is a holiday for us. We began to build the bridge in January 2006, completed it by the beginning of March We discussed problems encountered during the construction of the bridge, for instance, on construction materials, and members of the community who were sometimes reluctant to join this collective work. In addition, we were also transparent to the community: reporting to the villagers the purchases made for construction (materials) and supporting this with receipts. For this project we did not use the services of a consultant but

6 worked together with Oxfam staff that had civil engineering knowledge. All members of the community can learn from this as well. A Generous Boat Maker Pak Maksun is a tekong who produces boats for sale or to meet orders. He has been making boats since he was a child, a skill he inherited from his parents. After the tsunami, people from the neighboring villages have ordered an overwhelming number of boats from him. Amidst his hectic schedule, he took the time to make boats for the fisher folk in his village, Krueng Mate. I welcome the idea proposed by my fellow fisher folk to request boat assistance from Oxfam. During the meeting, I suggested that they request for a big boat to allow bigger catches and increase the durability of the boat. Oxfam finally agreed to help provide 4 units of boats. The number of the boats did not concern us; we were only concerned most with the need to go fishing in the sea again and to earn our livelihood. We decided to use the boats in groups, so as to enable us to fish in the deep sea and improve our catch. I was assigned to construct the boats because I have been making boats for a long time. It was such a pleasure for me to help my friends. During the construction, I was assisted by three artisans. For improved durability of the boats, I proposed to purchase Meranti type of timber and Oxfam have kindly trusted us to make the purchases with Oxfam facilitation. My fellow fisher folk were involved all the time: from the boat design up to the construction. Even though they did not have the skill to construct boats, they happily took turns guarding materials at night to prevent theft. I began the construction around September 2005 and finished it in January Every time a boat was completed, the groups took turns using it before their own boats were completed. During this time, I made communicated regularly with the leaders of the groups, for any purchases needed; they, therefore, were fully informed on the expenditure report. They did not pay me to make the boats, but they (the groups) unanimously agreed that I would be entitled to 10% of the catch each time they go to sea but I will have to maintain and repair the boats in case of damages. In the past, these people did not have their own boats, so Oxfam has really helped the fisher folks in this village.