Mother of Village Protector
Merapi Village is one of the villages in Sekadau Regency which has the potential to be affected by floods. This disaster usually occurs every year and harms children and society. In 2021, floods hit several villages in the Hulu Kapuas region, including Merapi.
Facing the context of the flood that hit Merapi Village, since 2020 Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) has collaborated with the Coalition of Community Organizations Caring for Children Sekadau (KOMPAS), BPBD, and the Merapi Village Government to facilitate the formation and capacity building of Destana volunteers. After that, WVI together with partners and Destana volunteers jointly developed the Merapi Village Flood Disaster Contingency Plan.
Sukartini (35), a volunteer member of the Destana Desa Merapi, said that the floods that occurred in her village impacted the economy, health, and education of the community. However, the presence of Destana volunteers and the Contingency Plan had a positive impact on the people in Merapi Village, including Sukartini.
“Before becoming a Destana volunteer, I did not understand what to do when a flood disaster occurred. Having been involved in Destana, I knew what needed to be done. When the water started to rise, Destana volunteer friends and I had started mapping flood-prone areas and were able to take action to evacuate flood victims,” explained Sukartini.
Sukartini also learned about the distribution of aid to affected residents. Through the knowledge she received along with other volunteers, now the flood management process has become more organized and clear with the presence of Destana volunteers and Contingency Plans.
"After the flood, we will open kitchen for Infant & Young Child Feeding activity as an effort to restore nutrition for toddlers who were affected by the flood. Otherwise, Destana volunteers are also involved in cleaning up the dirty environment caused by flooding. I am glad to be involved as a Destana volunteer so I can help many people and also my family. I hope that Destana in our village continues to be active and can help many people other than in our village,” concluded the woman who is also a cadre.
Written by: Herliani, Sponsorship Officer of the Area Program Sekadau Wahana Visi Indonesia
