Cash-for-Work provides trauma healing for women quake survivors in Indonesia

December 27, 2018

Evelyn was one of dozens of Indonesian women involved in rebuilding her community through UNDP’s Cash for Work programme.

Evelyn Lamakampali had built a reputation as a superwoman in her village, long before a powerful earthquake destroyed 80 percent of the houses in her community, including her own.

As an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver, the 53-year old grandmother was the go-to person for the women and girls in Jono Oge village who needed transportation. “I was the only female ojek driver here,” she said.

With lack of reliable public transportation, ojek has become one of the most convenient ways to get around  in Indonesia. The two-wheeled vehicles are able to maneuver the unpaved streets that cut through jungles and agricultural fields.

“Every day I used to get calls in the morning, requesting me to take them to Palu or on a short trip to the market. I even took many out-of-town bookings, travelling on a bike for hours,” she said.

However even the trusty ojek can be no use when an entire village is struggling to get back on its feet. With little money circulating, Evely's orders dried up.

“After the quake, I was doing nothing. I just stayed in a tent outside my house. So, when I saw the lineup (for cash for work registration) outside the village’s church, I immediately joined.”

Many women like Evelyn flocked to the programme, and not just for the financial reward.

“I needed the money, but for me it’s also about having some purposeful things to do. The whole time I was on it (clearing the rubble), I didn’t think about the quake anymore. I stopped worrying for a while,” Evelyn said.

Evelyn was one of dozens of Indonesian women involved in rebuilding her community through UNDP’s Cash for Work programme. Her village, a community of vegetable farmers and traders, was hit badly by the late September 2018 earthquake and tsunami, which killed more than 565 people and displaced 400-thousand others in Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province. Evelyn almost lost her second son in the disaster. He survived a rare horrifying phenomenon known as ‘soil liquefaction’. He was dragged by a fast-moving soil which travelled at a lightning speed and destroyed everything on its path.   

Cash for Work is part of the UNDP's rapid disaster relief programme of USD 1.4 million which supports recovery. Funding comes from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, and UNDP.

The first stage ran for 25 days, and involved 300 villagers who were hired to clear debris from quake-stricken homes and schools. They  also worked on community improvement projects such as road repair.

The second phase kicks off in January and it will be much bigger, involving at least 3,200 villagers – of which 40 percent are women -- in several  districts. It'll run for three months.

Vegetable farmer Dahlia Darman’s cash crop of corn and lettuce was destroyed by the quake.

She didn’t mind the hard labour because she’s used to performing a physically demanding job under the scorching sun.  

“The Ibu-Ibu (adult women) in our village are quite strong physically,” said 40-year old Dahlia, her sun-baked face crinkling into a smile. “So for me collecting debris in the heat is so much better that staying in the camp, doing nothing and wondering about what we should do next.”

Being stronger, Dahlia was placed in a predominantly male group whose main task was tearing down damaged buildings with sledgehammers.

It was just before Christmas when UNDP team spoke to Dahlia and Evelyn after wrapping up their last day on the  programme. They'd each earned two million rupiah (USD 145) and they both had the same priorities in spending their income --home repair and Christmas celebration.

“We need to be grateful for what we have left, and Christmas is the time to express our gratitude,” said Evelyn in a philosophical tone, before adding; “When is the next programme? I want to be in it again.” 

Story by Tomi Soetjipto
Photos by Olyvianus Marthen P Lado and Fieni Wibhawa