Padang, 17th November 2010

It has been 23 days since a 7.7 earthquake and 3 meters tsunami struck The Mentawai Island, the death toll rises to over 400 people and at least another 300 more are still missing. The earthquake which generated the tsunami occurred at 21:42:25 (local time), even if communities had a prepared evacuation plan - practiced, they had limited time to execute the plan and escape to higher ground.

INDO CHILDREN FUTUR is called to help the victims!  With the help of the Navy and small boats, we are distributing brand new clothes, rice and mineral water. We are happy to donate these brand new clothes as we are the first that donated decent clothes to these people.

It is sad that most of donations (from other local and international NGO’s) didn’t really reach the purpose of survival on the island, as we have bear-witnessed a lot of electrical generators being brought to the islands but cannot be fully used as there are no gasoline to turned them on. There are stoves that are sent to the islands and there is no kerosene to turn one on.  Woman needs tampons (woman sanitary napkins), and the victims that are injured needs medicine and doctor’s help, still.

But we learned that some of the Local Non-Governmental Organization and the Head  of  Mentawai  Islands district Pagai based is going  to  build  temporary  shelter  in  form  of  tents.  Total of 50 tents in North Pagai and 150 tents in Pagai will be built.  The tents will be built to collect the targeted members of community for relocation.

Donations being transported from Teluk Bayur port in Padang to Sikakap, as working in the Mentawai Islands present a difficult and dangerous challenge such as,

• Limited road coverage in Mentawai.  In Sikakap there is a round through the community, but it is narrow and would not be appropriate for trucks or other large vehicles. Outside Sikakap on the islands of Pagai (north and south) roads are generally limited to motorcycle tracks or walking paths. There is one road running the length of South Pagai, but it doesn’t afford reliable access to many communities on the island.
• The only reliable way to get around is by sea. The sea is often difficult and dangerous to navigate and local experience is essential.
• Local communities are almost all accessed directly onto the beach, and a boat and seamanship of an appropriate quality is required.
• The weather can change quickly, which significantly hampers marine transport.
• Communications by cell-phone are only possible in and around Sikakap, and the signal is not reliable (we have unimaginable difficulties contacting our personnel).

As we leave Padang, we hope the rebuilding of Mentawai will grow rapidly and rebuilding of the people will not change the beauty of this special spot!