Just mention the word tsunami and most people’s thoughts turn to Boxing Day 2004. On that day at 07:58:53 local time, an earthquake occurred with it’s epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia - the reading? 9.2 on the Richter scale

The rest of the facts could easily be mistaken for a modern day Hollywood blockbuster. This was the second largest earthquake recorded on a seismograph ever. I’m sure I don’t have to paint any sort of picture but turn your thoughts to the people of Indonesia, particularly those in Sumatra who were in the direct path of the tsunami. The media made sure the news was received worldwide.

Tragedy is big news and this event received it’s fair share of coverage. Don’t get me wrong, the media has a role to play and in between all the negativity they sensationalise, there is still a lot of positive to be found. Without the intense coverage and as much graphic detail that seems to be the big selling point these days, there may very well have been much less assistance offered. So what exactly am I trying to say?

I’m trying to say that it’s two years later and the story is all but forgotten. As easy as it’s been for the rest of us to move on with our lives, there are those individuals who have found it as easy to dedicate their lives to helping the people of Indonesia put the pieces of their lives back together.

One of the groups that have been formed to assist in this mission is Island Aid, founded by Rick Cameron and Jane Liddon. They continue to provide essential services to the people of Indonesia affected by the tsunamis and earthquakes.

We here at the Swell Guys have been wondering just how much progress has been made and what kind of problems are faced daily by the people and the volunteers who work there. We made contact with Island Aid who graciously offered to answer those questions. Here’s what they had to say:

When and why was Island Aid established?

The day of the tsunami, Jane and I published a webpage calling for help. It was changed a little but it is still up over here. We started emailing and calling everyone we knew to help. The Mayor called and offered his help if we could get our boats supplied and send them up to find out what had happened in Aceh.

Within hours of the tsunami we began preparing and within days we had mobilized a volunteer crew and loaded emergency supplies on their charter yacht. The Electric Lamb set sail on December 31st and was the first relief boat to reach the most remote and devastated areas of Sumatra, including the offshore islands closest to the quake's epicenter.

It immediately became clear that this area had taken the brunt of the tsunami's force. But while the coasts of Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka received prompt worldwide news coverage, Sumatra's devastation was slow to come to the attention of the outside world, and relief was slow to come in. After we saw the destruction first hand we understood why Aceh remained silent after the wave.

It was a knock-out blow on a global scale. Some scientists say 100 Hiroshima bombs some say 30-odd. Powell said he had never seen a battle field that came close. We responded to this urgent situation by dispatching a second relief boat, KM Sembilan. This boat carried ‘family buckets’, medicine, clothing and a staff of local doctors and paramedics, joining the Electric Lamb in the Batu Islands.

This initiative was supported by the Mayor of Padang, AusAID and the IDEP Foundation (a Bali-based NGO). Our initial efforts were a resounding success, and the Electric Lamb Mission was born: within weeks we secured funding from Rolls Royce, chartered the 800-ton KM Batavia, and immediately began saving lives and bringing hope, comfort and supplies to tsunami survivors on a much larger scale.

To date, ELM has enlisted the support of hundreds of volunteers, and has served countless thousands of desperate and forgotten people in the most remote areas of Sumatra and its offshore islands.

Which areas of Indonesia does Island Aid work in?

ELM was formed to essentially ‘fill the gaps’ in Aid delivery by large organisations – to assist remote, isolated and inaccessible areas. The initial focus was on Aceh and the surrounding offshore islands. The organisation has since grown and expanded its mission to support isolated communities throughout Indonesia and the region.

ELM has evolved into Island Aid and our aid programs have included:

• NW Aceh: nutrition, sanitation, fisheries (livelihood) and reconstruction aid
• Banyak Islands and West Simeulue: medical, nutrition, sanitation, fisheries and reconstruction
• S/E Nias: medical, sanitation, nutrition and reconstruction
• Batu Islands: tsunami/quake mitigation
• Mentawai Islands: tsunami/quake mitigation

How much has been achieved in the reconstruction of the lives of the Indonesian people since the first Tsunami and earthquake?

In many cases we were there before other aid arrived and we are the only ones helping now that the big aid agencies have left. Our friends, sponsors and volunteers raised over US$475,000 in donations and we’ve sent over 200 volunteers out into the field.

So far Island Aid has distributed over 650,000 kilos of emergency supplies and treated almost 8,000 patients in some incredibly hard to reach places. With Sam Schultz and FAR we’ve delivered fishing boats; with the Mentor Initiative we sent malaria control teams out that meant we had swarms of mozzies but very few cases of malaria in Aceh. The combined population of the isolated communities we’ve reached is well over 90,000. Recently we’ve partnered with the respected local NGO Kirekat for a variety of projects in the Mentawais.

The emergency phase was fairly straightforward actually. We loaded it, delivered it and distributed it. The hard work of reconstruction will take 10 years. There is so much yet to be done. The work we see as most critical now is aimed at mitigating tsunami risks and empowering communities all along the west coast. Along the way we have chanced into a pretty radical tsunami refuge solution for the villages that are near the beach and miles from the nearest hills.

We have also come up with a design that lifts off its foundations and is washed inland by the largest wave. You could call it the world’s first building that surfs: a ‘Tsunami Ark’.

Our latest initiative is a partnership with Troppodoc to provide an Island Flying Doctor service to provide emergency and clinical support to Nias, the Tellos and Mentawais. Initially Troppodoc are taking delivery of about 1.5 tons of our medical supplies to support joint aid work. So you could say that Island Aid will soon have serious medical capacity and a high speed delivery system so we can remain effective while we work on funding for a new aid mothership.

How has Island Aid’s focus (in terms of services and coverage area) changed since the first Tsunami and earthquake?

The short answer is that it has expanded. Following the emergency phase and work through the reconstruction phase it became apparent that as with any problem, prevention is the best solution. This position was supported by research suggesting that other areas of Sumatra and Indonesia face the threat of massive quakes and tsunamis and preparation is minimal.

One of Island Aid’s strengths from the very beginning was its ability to graft with other organisations (government, ngo, local and international) to provide local expert knowledge and project coordination. As time passed it made sense to work with this strength and Island Aid now finds itself fulfilling a variety of vital services: advising local government and sourcing expert international opinion; sourcing international support and funding for local initiatives; as well as advising and coordinating for international agencies.

‘Flexible and Responsive’ remain our key words: After we worked through the emergency phase and just as we were gearing up for the stabilization phase the March 28, 2005 quake devastated Nias and destroyed what little remained standing in Simeulue. Overnight we found ourselves back in emergency mode. There is a high probability that we will see this pattern repeated over the years to come as the seismic adjustment completes.

What in your opinion is the greatest concern at the moment?

The December 26th earthquake peaked at 9.2 on the Richter scale, making it the second largest on record, while the March 28th earthquake which decimated Nias and Simeulue peaked at 8.7 and was categorized as a mega quake. Seismologists specializing in the tectonics of the West Sumatran subduction zone are unanimous regarding the potential for more large earthquakes and tsunamis in the near future.

The focus is now on two related fault lines that run either side of the Mentawai Islands, with GPS monitoring and stress modelling confirming that a major event in the Siberut area is imminent.

What are the biggest challenges Island Aid faces in daily tasks?

The pressure has been on since day one and that is the hardest part. Just having to keep on it every day, chasing sponsors, working out travel stuff for volunteers, dealing with the government and the aid industry. What ever happened to surfing? But delivering the aid is enormously rewarding, beyond any financial reward or material pleasure. It is on a different plane. The hard part is keeping the money supply going. Finding a balance between time spent fund-raising and field work is the biggest challenge.

Can you share one or two inspiring stories?

Recently we’ve fundraised for specific medical appeals. We were able to save 10-year-old Mardiana's life by funding a time-critical operation to remove a huge abdominal tumour that was compressing her heart and lungs. Mardiana is now back home in North Sumatra and smiling for the first time in many months. The tumour is not malignant but Mardiana will be monitored for several months to ensure that there is no relapse. She is receiving food and vitamin supplements from Island Aid and as soon as she is strong enough, she will start swimming lessons in our pool to help her rebuild her lower body strength.

Another recent success story was the Gomo Girls Fund: Not Seen Not Heard in partnership with Island Aid, University Volunteers and Lisa Friesen have created this fund to support Nias cousins Soteria and Erniwati while they received skin graft treatment for their severe burns. A team of visiting Dutch plastic surgeons agreed to treat the girls at no cost in North Sumatra which enabled us to change our fundraising plans. We are very pleased to report that the first operations went very well and the girls are recovering and happy. In two weeks they will have another round of operations.

If you feel you can contribute or assist Island Aid in their efforts, please contact them. Every little bit helps!

Links and Contact Details

ISLAND AID:
www.island-aid.org | info@island-aid.org

INDONESIAN TEAM:
Rick Cameron: rick@island-aid.org | +62 812 662 7884
Jane Liddon: jane.liddon@mac.com

GENERAL MEDIA:
Mike Frood: mike@island-aid.org

US MEDIA:
Chris Ranken: chris@island-aid.org

ISLAND AID FORUM:
Island Aid Forum: http://groups.mac.com/has

Volunteers Zach Fields and Peter Poddel have created a video and image rich new-media documentary of our work. The website is rich in content and features interviews with victims and volunteers and has won a Webby People's Voice Award 2006 and Horizon Interactive Gold award. Visit www.notseennotheard.com

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