What Oxfam is doing

4 October 2009

The earthquakes that struck off the coast of West Sumatra left many survivors without homes or access to the most basic necessities. Working through local partner organizations, Oxfam was able to quickly distribute pre-positioned emergency supplies, including 5,000 tarpaulins to protect displaced people from the heavy rains that arrived on the heels of the quake. Ten thousand more tarps are on the way.

Meanwhile, Oxfam has begun trucking clean water to the worst-affected areas.

“The local water supply was severely damaged by the earthquake,” says David MacDonald, Oxfam’s Indonesia Emergency Response Manager. Village wells have been filled with sand, and rivers are now muddy and clogged with debris.

According to MacDonald, “Oxfam has one water tanker that can deliver 5,000 liters of water already in action, and we are flying in three water purification plants that will provide enough clean water for more than 40,000 people.  We’ll be looking at helping people to clean their wells or find other water sources so that they have clean water as quickly as possible.”

“Getting aid into the affected areas hasn’t been easy,” he says. Landslides have left roads blocked with trees, rocks, and other debris, so Oxfam is bringing in excavators to help with the cleanup operation and speed the delivery of aid.

Coordination is crucial at times of disaster; Oxfam is working closely with the Indonesian government and other aid agencies to ensure that aid is getting where it’s most needed. And soon it will be time to look ahead—to put plans in place to help those in greatest need quickly rebuild their lives when the worst of the disaster is over.