Our village of Banjar Negeri has been struck by natural disaster many times. We have experienced five floods since 1968. Three years ago, heavy rains caused a flash flood that affected 128 families. Homes were destroyed, people were injured, and farmland was buried by mud. Afterwards, there were health issues, such as skin diseases.
To help us prepare for potential disasters in the future, Cocoa Life is working on Risk Disaster Maps. As part of this program, their partner Save the Children facilitated community meetings to create awareness. They also assisted us in developing an action plan to reduce the impact of a disaster — and strengthen our ability to handle its effects. For example, we formed a Disaster Risk Unit made up of village members. Our role is to provide support before, during, and after a disaster. This includes everything from an early warning system to victim evacuation, recovery and reconstruction.
Our action plan was coordinated with government resources. To mitigate the effects of a natural disaster, farmers received more than 24,700 free fruit seedlings to plant on their farms and along the riverbank. Tree roots hold water to reduce soil erosion. The leaves also decrease the pressure of falling rainwater, which can help prevent landslides.