PELANA KASIH (WASH mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction Program) is one of the programs implemented by IBU Foundation in Lindu Sub-district, Central Sulawesi. One of the activities in the program is community-based disaster risk reduction. From this, IBU formed the OPRB group or Disaster Risk Reduction Organization. OPRB was formed in each of the five assisted villages, Puro’o, Langko, Tomado, Anca, and Olu Village.
IBU Foundation and OPRB assist the community village in disaster management and disaster risk reduction. The community realizes that the formation of OPRB is very important. Because Lindu Sub-district is one of the areas affected by the disaster in 2018 ago and is in a remote area from Palu City. With the assistance of disaster risk reduction in the community, it is expected that the community can improve resilience to disasters.
Following are stories from OPRB members regarding disaster risk reduction assistance conducted by the IBU Foundation.
“After the IBU Foundation called on me to join the OPRB, I felt a lot of changes. I joined around October or November (2019). I know about OPRB from Biangkha (Hygiene Promotion Officer). The activities that I have followed so far are meetings for group formation, then if there is a disaster we make ‘Kentongan’, disaster points, and assembly points or places for proper evacuation will be made. If a disaster occurs, we already know where to go, what must be provided if we want to go, the point is that we already know what actions to take. And when there is an earthquake at 1 am, my wife and children can be more alert. I feel very happy because I have gained this knowledge from IBU Foundation. ”- Enos Bawias, 39 years old, Langko Village.
The establishment of OPRB is not only followed by men but also women and housewives who are happy to get involved to protect their families when a disaster occurs. They want to prove that women are also able to be a part of disaster risk reduction in their village.
“I was invited by the head of the village to join the OPRB team around September (2019). We are appointed by the head of each hamlet. There are three hamlets. Each hamlet consists of four people for the OPRB team division, which are logistics, evacuation, early warning, and health division. I’m on the logistics team. There are dissemination stages for the implementation, but not yet for each hamlet. We will make tools if a disaster occurs. “Kentongan” made by the community and assembly points. Everything has been discussed and planned, then we do the implementation. This is good. Very helpful to the community. So later, we are no longer the people who must be helped when disasters occur, but we are the ones who must help. Help each other. Anyway, the change that I got was huge through this OPRB. After joining OPRB, we have to remember other people’s whereabouts. Because we already feel more responsible for helping each other. For the OPRB, I hope we can continue to work together, while for IBU Foundation, thank you for implementing this activity. “- Yeni Tondi, 32 years old, Puro ‘Village.
“I joined the OPRB team around October (2019). I joined the OPRB for the first aid section because I have a background in the health sector. Before this OPRB I had participated in many activities and some other training. After joining this OPRB, the benefits are that I being able to get along with the community here because I came from Puro’o Village. So with the incident of diarrhea awhile ago, visiting community houses, I felt I became more familiar with the community here. So far I implemented the knowledge that I got from the OPRB activity was during the diarrhea incident. I applied it to the community and myself too. My impression is that this OPRB is good, as Karin (Disaster Risk Reduction Officer) said, when there is a disaster, what things we will make, what actions we should take, everything is delivered to us. If the OPRB team really takes serious about this formation, one day, it’s not just this diarrhea case that we can handle. So, for now, with the assistance of IBU Foundation. Hopefully, in the future, OPRB activities can be further and improved, thank you for helping. I am grateful, and the assistance of IBU Foundation is good. ”- Gervinawati Tosuo, 35 years, Anca Village.