17 Jan 2005 // 11:16 am 

Dear Friends
I just returned from Banda Aceh last night. Sorry we could not communicate from Aceh, as our POSKO location did not have sufficient electricity. Our mobile phones’ batteries were flat for several days. Later on we only managed to charge during the day in another area. Only 25% of the town gets electricity, so this is a short report to all donors and friends supporting.

General condition:

Banda Aceh still paralyzed activity 30 – 40% compared to normal. Everywhere is covered in mud, flies, dead bodies, stale air, dark, gloomy and depressing. No economy activity. Though no specific data yet, it seems the TSUNAMI destroyed larger than Hiroshima high bomb in WW II. Monday I’ll send you digital photography. It will tell a lot of things words cannot be described here.

Team 9 of YDT-NTFP:

Medic team :

2 doctors used a second hand motorbike to try to service hundreds of refugee in many spots that government and others didn’t reach.
2 Engineers (Rudy and Irwin) tried to build the 1st Ferro Cement Tank in Aceh. Which also targeted for technology exchange at least 8 local people participate in TFC making. 9m3 TFC within 5 days and will be operated January 14, the day we leaft Aceh. The TFC located in the public school back yard which now to be used as 660 refugee camp.

Team Bakery:

3 Persons: Maryono, Ms Fransisca (S2), and Ms. Betty using 4 kerosene ovens to train 4 local people and 6 refugees to make bread. Every day 1000 – 1200 bread is distributed to many refugee camp and the children love the bread so much for they boring with mie instant.

Team Distribution : 

Collaboration with METRO TV. Within 6 days Ferry and I, canvassing 2 truck of logistic (rice, noudle, biscuit etc), shoes and sandals / slippers, second cloth and mineral water to close to 4000 refugee in 8 – 9 camp. For unloading we hire 2 local people and big help from volunteer of Yayasan PASE. The list of refugee in touch with us will be sent to you by post.

Recommendation

1. In our fact finding: food is more than enough in Banda Aceh. Mostly donated from Indonesian in Big via TV, Media or Redcross. But the distribution is not good. Still many spots didn’t receive any help.
2. Clean Water and Sanitize: very high in priority, we must build more TFC in Aceh, also Toilet system for many camps.
3. Good tent / semi permanent housing: In the picture you can see children and eldest stay in the tent in unhealthy condition. Means there are no floor or wooden panel, they just sleep on the mat or plastic direct to the ground. Now is rainy season. Almost all refugee camp look vulnerable especially when there is heavy rain, their tents will be flooded. My strong recommendation: buy 1 truck of kayu kaso and papan or plywood from Medan.
Hope from this report you can communicate with our donor. We thank you for all your support. All of us have returned to our home town yesterday or today. 2 doctors to Palangkaraya. Rudy and Irawan to Pontianak. Ms. Fransisca to Bogor. Maryono, the Bakery maker returned to Cilacap. Everybody is exhausted. Rudy is the worse. His spine is injured because of carrying the heavy materials, maybe in wrong position. But he has already gone for massage and looks much better. I had diarrhoea and fever in the past 2 days but am cured by our doctor. I took some aspirins and I’m ok now. We’ll give all donors our financial report. Please give me few days.

TEAM 9 YDT – NTFP

Johnny
The Team Leader