By Olenka Priyadarsani, Communication Officer Oxfam GB Indonesia Office, Aceh & Nias Programme
My home is my palace, according to an Indonesian saying. A home is place where you rest and sleep at night after a whole day’s at work. It’s also a place where you meet and share your love with your family.
Unfortunately, after the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, in Aceh and Nias, over 600,000 people left homeless. Many had to live years in the barracks, living in uncertainty. I remember one of barrack residents in Kajhu, Aceh Besar, told me, “I feel like chicken without cage.” He illustrated how he had to move from tent, to temporary shelter, to barrack, then to another barrack, without knowing when his house would be completed.
That’s why every time Oxfam hands over houses to its beneficiaries, I feel touched. Another family can start their new life.
Rasyidah from Alue Deah Teungoh Village is one of them. She is one of many tsunami survivors who lost everything in the tsunami. “After years living in uncertainty, now I have my own house, a very good one,” she said while proudly showing off her house certificate.
“Oxfam and CHF houses are definitely the best houses in Meuraxa, maybe even the best houses in all over Aceh,” said Rasyidah. She tried to hold her tears when representatives from Oxfam and CHF handed over the house certificate and key to her.
Oxfam in partnership with CHF retrofitted 157 houses in Alue Deah Teungoh and Deah Glumpang, two villages in the northern tip of Banda Aceh. The houses are earthquake-resistant with onduline roof, that has better quality and makes the house cooler compared to zinc-sheets. It was also constructed with ceramic tiles – including the bathrooms, something thatnot often happens for NGO-built houses.
Oxfam provides the fund and monitoring support for the construction of the houses, while CHF takes care of implementation in the field. The result of the partnership, you can see it yourself, very sturdy and nice houses with satisfied beneficiaries.
