A workshop with the partners and donors of the Community-Led Innovation Partnership¹ on January 23rd was my first event in 2023 with the local community volunteers [that we partner with]. Penanggulangan Bencana dan Pelayanan Masyarakat (PB Palma) of the Javanese Christian Church (GKJ) Ambarrukma² had the honor to be visited.

Together with river volunteers, namely KPGW (Gajah Wong River Care Group), Ambarsiaga, RMP (Mrican Pringgodani Volunteers), Regoll, and Nologaten prepared the welcoming and accommodation for this visit in a relatively short time, but all were enthusiastic to participate. Personally, I was delighted, enthusiastic, and impressed with the humanitarian works done by CLIP partners from several countries: the Philippines, Guatemala, India, the UK, Japan, and of course, Indonesia.

Presenting to the guests at the Caturtunggal Village Hall in Depok, Yogyakarta, PB Palma shared the various activities they have done. They set up early warning systems in some spots to speed up the evacuation process during flood events. There was also disaster preparedness equipment provided for the community, as well as data gathering of groups at risk in flood-impacted areas around the Gajah Wong River. In the homes where the groups at risk live, they also put up special signs.

[In this event, we also learned that] communities in various countries have their own challenges in their humanitarian service. Interestingly, the awareness to care for and mainstream the interests of groups at risk continue to be the focus of communities in each of the participants’ countries. This understanding of the importance of inclusion for groups at risk is also accompanied by the infrastructure that is capable of facilitating groups at risk in their activities.

The [disaster preparedness system set up by PB Palma] is far from perfect. There are shortcomings and community members that are not yet involved in the process, but each step forward counts. PB Palma received meaningful inputs, especially in regard to the data update of at-risk groups from time to time to maintain its validity.

Rizka guiding the discussion session

Another, more personal, highlight, is the challenge to be responsible for hosting the event. I had to adjust my pace of speech with the interpreter. Listening to the CLIP partners and understanding what they shared with us in different languages were ‘refreshing.’

When the CLIP partners visited GKJ Ambarrukma, I also had the chance to watch one of the partners from India giving ice breakers to elementary school students of SD BOPKRI Demangan 3 who previously performed in the kulintang music ensemble.³ This partner from India interacted and mingled with the kids very easily. I found it really pleasing.

CLIP partners visit the riverbank community

Written by: Inovieka Rizka (PB Palma's IDEAKSI team member)
Edited and translated by: Lorenzo Fellycyano

¹ The Community-Led Innovation Partnership (CLIP) supports the emergence and development of locally-driven solutions to humanitarian problems in the Democratic Republic of Congo (deferred), Guatemala, Indonesia, and the Philippines. YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU) runs the IDEAKSI program (short for Idea, Innovation, Action, and Inclusion) as its CLIP project in Indonesia. As part of the partnership, IDEAKSI seeks to find innovative and inclusive solutions to disaster management for most-at-risk groups, including persons with disabilities and the elderly.

Through the support provided by Elrha, Start Network, the Asia Disaster Reduction and Response Network (ADRRN) Tokyo Innovation Hub, and funding by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), YEU is able to organize IDEAKSI as its CLIP project in Indonesia.