Taking livelihoods skills to overseas market

September 2007

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A visit to Ibu Rubiah’s Banda Aceh home is a lively affair. Brightly coloured thread sits alongside sewing machines, and her floor is scattered with colourful crochet bags that she proudly produced by hand. Ibu Rubiah’s impressive talents have now been recog-nized, and through a UNDP Livelihoods programme her products can now also be found in the homes of overseas customers. Things have not always been so successful for Ibu Rubiah. She survived the 2004 tsunami, but her popular embroidery business was destroyed within seconds. Her sewing machines were ruined, and many of her former employees did not survive. For Ibu Rubiah, it was a difficult and emotional time, and it meant she had to start again from her home in Banda Aceh. Her efforts were helped in 2005, when she was accepted as a UNDP Livelihoods beneficiary as part of UNDP’s support to DIS-PERINDAG (the district department of small industries and trades). UNDP’s support to DISPERINDAG is part of its Small Indus-tries and Trades programme in Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar and Aceh Singkil. The UNDP programme focuses on recovering small enter-prises that were destroyed during the tsunami. These projects re-established approximately 1,600 small and medium enterprises across these districts, and replaced assets lost in the tsunami. One of those businesses now belongs to Ibu Rubiah. She received enough sewing machines and equipment to gradually restart her business, and since then she’s attracted customers both at home and abroad. Ibu Rubiah’s talents caught the eye of two Dutch accessory de-signers who visited Banda Aceh in 2006. UNDP Jakarta had asked Dutch Design in Development (DDID) to send two designers to Banda Aceh to work with local producers and give them new ideas, with a view to exporting products to Europe. DDID asked designers Marlene Made and Yvonne Bovee (pictured below) to make the visit, and UNDP’s Livelihoods team introduced them to Livelihoods beneficiary Ibu Rubiah.

When they first met, Ibu Rubiah made cushion covers and table-cloths. But Marlene and Yvonne liked her unusual design, recog-nized her talents, and could see there was a potential for her products to be adapted for an international market. “She was so enthusiastic, and she had a real business attitude,” said Yvonne. “Her technique and skills were very impressive, and we knew immediately that she was very good at what she did. We gave her some suggestions on the type of things she could make for an overseas market, such as using bright and fashionable col-ours rather than off-white. We also suggested she made items that would be used in Europe, such as shopping bags rather than tissue box covers. Within only three days, she had some great samples to show us. Her eagerness to learn new things was so impressive.” Explained Ibu Rubiah: “I felt so happy and relieved when Yvonne and Marlene showed an interest in my items. I’d never made bags like the ones they suggested, but I love being creative so I was happy to give it a try. If people give me more suggestions for de-signs in the future, I’ll try my hardest to make them.” Marlene and Yvonne took Ibu Rubiah’s samples back to the Neth-erlands, and presented them at the Sustainable Shopping Centre exhibition in Amsterdam during June. It resulted in them placing an order with Ibu Rubiah for 50 crochet bags. Cont’d overleaf...

Colourful creations: Ibu Rubiah proudly shows off her crochet bags

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… Cont’d from page one The products were also displayed at the Via Ventosa exhibition in Eindhoven during July, and Ibu Rubiah’s crochet bags and brooches were also sold. Marlene explained: “We had a very good reaction about the bags, and orders were placed. People commented on the workmanship, and because it was so good they couldn’t believe it was made by hand. Some visitors also said it brought back memories of grandparents who used to crochet. We now need to order more crochet flower brooches, as some colours have already sold out!” UNDP Livelihoods staff members have worked closely with Ibu Rubiah to help with the project. Programme Associate Jamila Usman ex-plained: “We advised Ibu Rubiah on issues such as quality, packing and posting the items. It’s important they arrive in excellent condition, otherwise it means all her hard work has been for nothing. But she has a great business sense, so she understands this.” Since the tsunami, Ibu Rubiah has gradually trained new, locally-based employees, and she now has 23 workers. While Ibu Rubiah cur-rently works from her home, she has hopes and plans for the future: “I’d love to buy some land so that I can open a small showroom one day. I plan to start learning how to use the internet so that I can sell my products direct, and also make more souvenirs for visitors.” Marlene and Yvonne will continue to keep in contact with Ibu Rubiah, and UNDP will continue to give her advice and support when needed. UNDP Livelihoods Programme Manager Said F. Baabud explained: “This initiative is extremely helpful for Acehnese entrepreneurs. It inspires them to design better products that meet the demands of the international market.”

Ya’ahowu Fefu (Greetings for all) from Nias!

• The construction of six semi-permanent offices as part of UNDP’s support for the South Nias District Government under the Gov-ernance Programme is almost complete. UNDP has also allocated funding for additional support to construct 160 metres of pave-ment at the South Nias District offices to improve accessibility to the six new offices. The tender bidding process for road pave-ment construction work is in preparation by UNDP Nias and the procurement unit.

• As part of the UNDP Governance Programme, UNDP will also support the Nias District Government to establish the One Stop Ser-vices Unit for permit handling (BPTSP - Badan Pelayanan Terpadu Satu Pintu) in the district government structure. This unit will be responsible for handling all government permits to improve the effectiveness and transparency of public services. UNDP will pro-vide computers, software, intranet installation, trainings, brochures, posters, and facilitate an evaluation visit to Nias by the BPTSP unit from Saragen District Government, Central Java.

• Halcrow, through the UNDP Livelihood Recovery Round II (Small Irrigation), has distributed 124 hand tractors; 49 tons of rice seed; 682,850 tons fertilizer; 36 threshers; and hand sprayers to communities in Nias District. They have also conducted demon-stration plots in 24 villages in Nias District. They will harvest between August – October. The irrigation rehabilitation construction is still ongoing, and covers 2,680 hectares of paddy fields. Halcrow is also helping farmers to establish a Water User Association (WUA), which has been established in 23 villages. To date, 4,190 households are benefiting from this.

• The Civil Society Organization (CSO) programme in Nias and South Nias District is currently ongoing, with coverage areas in 10 villages in five sub-districts. Austcare has been selected as the implementing partner for the CSO Small Grants programme for basic social services, women’s-based activities and income generation.

• The construction of a dumpsite in Hilitobara Village, South Nias District, is now complete. The collection of municipal waste has begun, supported by three dump trucks.

• As part of UN Joint Programming, UNESCO has produced a video documentary on disaster preparedness. It elaborates best prac-tices performed in the programme to promote disaster preparedness awareness to the local community.

• UNDP Nias welcomes Ismawanti Arif, Field Project Assistant for the CSO programme. We also congratulate Noeh Habsi, Admini-stration and Finance Assistant, on the arrival of his baby boy on 29 July.

SAOHAGÖLÖ Thank you, UNDP ERTR Nias

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Ex-combatants and communities work together

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Said Kusuma Adinugroho, UNDP PCC Project Manager: “This pro-gramme is all about ex-combatants working together to advance the village. The villagers all have the chance to get fully involved in the process. It creates a real sense of belonging to the project and activities, and improves village pride.” Villages that have at least one ex-combatant were identified using IOM registration data, and with the involvement of the Government of Indonesia, GAM, and the Aceh Reintegration Agency. Once the villages were selected, UNDP/IOM helped villagers throughout the entire process – from decision making to handling the actual grant. A total of 118 Kecamatan (sub-district) Development Programme facilitators were trained to implement the project in 95 villages. The facilitators then communicated the project in each village through poster displays and informal meetings. These meetings involved 8,688 participants, and helped generate project ideas. Each of these ideas were then transformed into comprehensive village proposals indicating rationale, objectives, expected impact, budget and im-plementation schedule. There were certain restrictions on proposals, such as items that would have a negative impact on the environment. One of the most popular requests was for wedding equipment, such as a stage, which becomes a village asset. Villagers in Mantang Kubang, Bhak-tya, Aceh Utara, have already used their grant to procure a wedding tent, and have already rented it to the sub-district head for Rp1.5m per day. “With the passing of the conflict, young men and women are meet-ing and deciding to build a family. All the wedding equipment will support that,” said village implementation team member Muara Dua in Aceh Utara Said Paul Greening, IOM Project Manager: “We’ve had some chal-lenges along the way. For example, villages that chose a new road are experiencing delays due to bad weather. But this has been a great project, and we’ve seen a lot of enthusiasm and participation by all sections of the community, including ex-combatants and women. The people decide on what they want and implement it themselves, so fostering ownership. Besides giving the communi-ties a peace dividend in the form of something useful for the entire village, the meetings and team work involved in implementation aid the reintegration of ex-combatants, build up community pride and solidarity, and contribute to stability. Choosing sports and wed-ding equipment contributes towards and demonstrates stability and conflict recovery.”

“At first I didn’t believe this process would work. I am a pessimist. But now I believe in it, and I’m an optimist.” Those are the words from a villager in Labahun Kedeh, Aceh Timur, reflecting on the success of the UNDP/IOM Post Conflict Community Re-integration Project (PCC), which is part of UNDP’s Strengthening Sustainable Peace and Development in Aceh (SSPDA) project. The PCC project is bringing immediate assis-tance to conflict-affected communities who have registered ex-GAM (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka) combatants and internally dis-placed persons (IDPs) due to conflict. The project will benefit 76,000 villagers in 95 villages in Aceh Timur, Aceh Tamiang, Aceh Utara and Aceh Selatan. For villages that experienced high conflict, the PCC project gives them the chance to receive grants for small-scale community projects/livelihood support projects that will benefit the entire village, rather than just individuals, and which villagers can imple-ment themselves. The programme is nearing its completion, and in the past six months has helped ex-combatants feel part of the community once again, and bring a sense of pride among villag-ers as a whole. The purchase of wedding equipment, road and bridge rehabilita-tion, and cleaning agricultural fields are just some of the funded projects underway. Gelumpong Pavong village, the volleyball champion of Sungai Raya, Aceh Timur, previously played and practiced on a rough dirt court. But using their UNDP/IOM grant, the younger village members have built a new court. One player said: “If we can be sub-district champions playing on a dirt court, what can we do on a proper court?” Prior to distributing the grants, UNDP/IOM requests that villagers prepare a proposal and budget outlining their request. Once agreed, grants are provided and the villagers implement their project themselves. But the entire decision-making process must include women and ex-combatants.

Choices: these villagers used their grant for a drainage and irrigation ditch

For more information on the PCC project, contact kusuma.adinugroho@undp.org

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Showcasing sports and development

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UNDP’s approach to sports development in Aceh became a topic of conversation recently at the high-profile Asian Forum on Sports Innovation, held in Jakarta. The forum discussed sports and development, and was attended by several international speakers on sports, development and corporate social responsibility. UNDP Livelihoods Programme Manager Said F. Baabud was invited to present his case study, titled Team Spirit: Partnerships Restoring Community Sports in Aceh.

Said gave background information on the devastation caused by the tsunami. He also outlined UNDP’s work with Dinas Pemuda dan Olah Raga (DISPORA-the government authority for sports and youth issues), Hope International, and also Nike and MercyCorps, who donated footballs and football boots. The programme has re-habilitated 61 sports facilities, with eight under construction. Said explained: “It was a great opportunity to speak at the forum. It was also a valuable networking opportunity. One of the outcomes is that we hope to start discussions soon with an NGO based in Yogyakarta that plans to help earthquake survivors by replicating UNDP’s sports-related activities.” The forum attracted several international speakers. David Winiger, Special Assistant to the Special Advisor on Sport and Development and Peace to the UN Secretary General, outlined the Special Advi-sor's mandate for the world of sport, sports industries and govern-ments and UN organizations, to identify activities and programmes that benefit from a partnership with sports organizations. Other speakers included Henk Rumbewas, the interna-tional representative for KONI Indonesian National Sports Commit-tee in Papua, who discussed the Persipura Football Club’s role in HIV/AIDS and safe-sex awareness campaigns.

The forum coincided with the grand final of the Asian Football Con-federation’s Asian Cup, which saw Iraq’s historic victory over Saudi Arabia. For more details of the forum, visit: www.asianfosi.com.

Guest speakers: Said Baabud (fifth from left) with forum participants

One lesson at school can save 100 children’s lives. That’s a the-ory promoted by the International Strategy for Disaster Reduc-tion. To build on this, members of UNDP’s Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) team visited local schools recently to help encourage a cul-ture of safety. During June and July, members of the DRR team visited seven primary schools: four in Aceh Barat and three in Kota Pariaman, Sumatera Barat. DRR’s Early Warning Assistant in Meulaboh, Cut Meutia Mahmuda (Aya), also visited schools, and introduced DRR concepts to more than 200 students through a video presenta-tion, leaflets and posters produced by DRR. Lany Verayanti, the DRR Early Warning Assistant for Padang Paria-man, visited three primary schools in Marunggi village and reached almost 200 students. The children watched a 10-minute video edited by Asri Wijayanti, the DRR Unit’s Liaison Associate. It contained clips on hazards and simple narrations. Lany challenged the students to ask disaster-related questions. “The children’s enthusiasm was amazing,” she explained. “They knew much about disasters, and even the shy students raised their hands to speak up. Their questions varied from how to iden-tify tsunami signs, how a tsunami is formed, and what causes a typhoon. They even asked questions about how the Sidoarjo (east Java) mud flow started.”

To organize the activity, Lany worked closely with UNDP’s imple-menting partner, the Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction Project of ITB (Bandung Institute of Technology), and Komite Peduli Bencana Alam Desa Marunggi (Natural Disaster Awareness Commit-tee of Marunggi Village). The committees had conducted several activities to raise public awareness on disaster risk reduction, in-cluding tsunami drills, so that children are aware of how to save themselves when hazards strike. “Developing a culture of safety through schools to enhance com-munity and personal safety is a key DRR strategy,” explained Robin Willison, UNDP DRR Advisor. “Doing this through the primary edu-cation level is a significant way to enhance community resilience.”

Back to school with Disaster Risk Reduction

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New initiative focuses on access to justice

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Poor and disadvantaged people across Indonesia need better ac-cess to justice to protect them from human rights abuses and help them escape poverty by ensuring they can claim their basic rights. This was the focus of a major initiative launched in July by the Na-tional Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS) and UNDP. UNDP’s Aceh Justice Project (AJP) evolved from a special assessment of the unique post-conflict and post-tsunami justice environment in that province. With funding support from the European Commission, AJP will assist in strengthening formal and informal justice delivery systems; increase legal awareness and empowerment of poor com-munities; help address common grievances of poor people related to post-tsunami and post-conflict rehabilitation; and promote the cru-cial role of civil society organizations in this regard. Improving access to justice is an essential part of Indonesia’s efforts to reduce poverty. Those who lack access to justice are extremely vulnerable to discrimination and criminal acts such as fraud, theft, violence and sexual and economic exploitation. With limited legal awareness – 56 percent of Indonesians cannot provide a single ex-ample of a right to which they are legally entitled – and little access to legal services and the courts, poor people are unable to stand up for their rights and lift themselves out of poverty. Sadaf Lakhani, Programme Manager of the Aceh Justice Project, ex-plained: “Fair and effective administration of justice in post-conflict settings contributes significantly to sustaining peace. While the peace process has so far held strong, the people of Aceh need to feel that they are experiencing, first-hand, the dividends of peace brought about by the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding and development from tsunami reconstruction. The project aims to equip citizens with knowledge of the law, their rights and how they can access services that protect and promote them. We will also be working with adat (traditional) leaders and with the formal courts to ensure they enhance their skills as justice providers, in particular to meet the needs of the poor and vulnerable.”

The event also saw the launch of a second programme – the LEAD Project (Legal Empowerment and Assistance for the Disad-vantaged). It responds to an in-depth eighteen-month assess-ment of access to justice in Maluku, North Maluku, Central Su-lawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and West Kalimantan. Supported by the governments of Norway and Sweden, the project will pro-vide strategic policy advice to the Government of Indonesia on how to make the judicial system better serve poor people across the country. It will also work with NGOs in supporting the ‘legal empowerment’ of poor communities in target provinces by im-proving access to information and free legal assistance to deal with common grievances such as disputes over land rights, dis-crimination in the provision of social services, criminal acts, and other abuses of human rights. “When poor people have access to justice, broader social divi-dends are achieved,” said Håkan Björkman, UNDP Country Direc-tor, in his welcoming remarks. “Disputes over natural resources are resolved, livelihoods are protected, healthcare is improved, and economic exploitation is reduced. Both projects we launch today serve the Indonesian people and the Government in ad-dressing these difficult challenges.” Following the official signing of the project documents, the launch featured a radio broadcast discussion (pictured below) on the theme, “Building Access to Justice for the Disadvantaged in Indonesia”. Dignitaries and renowned experts featured included: Drh Irwandi Yusuf, Governor of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam; DR Adnan Buyung Nasution, a member of the President’s consulta-tive council as well as the President’s advisor on legal matters; DR Prasetijono Widjojo MJ, BAPPENAS Deputy of Poverty and Labor Affairs, Small and Medium Enterprises; and DR Hasballah M. Saad, Member of the National Commission for Human Rights. “These initiatives will help fight poverty and strengthen the rule of law by increasing access to justice for the vulnerable and mar-ginalized. They will also support both formal and non-formal justice institutions in being more responsive to poor people and their needs,” said State Minister for National Development Plan-ning and Chairperson of Bappenas, H.E. Paskah Suzetta in his keynote address.

For more information on the Aceh Justice Project, contact info@acehjustice.org

Signing: UNDP Country Director Håkan Björkman (left) and Mr. I Dewa Putu Rai, Deputy Minister for Politics, Law, Defense and Security, BAPPENAS

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Continuing maintenance keeps road passable

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Repairing collapsed bridges and dealing with heavy rain con-tinue to be all in a day’s work for UNDP’s road maintenance team. The rehabilitation work on the 103-kilometre stretch from Lamno to Calang on Aceh’s west coast is still ongoing, and the team is ensuring the tsunami-damaged road remains passable until the permanent road is completed by USAID. UNDP engineer Mustafa is now leading the project, assisted by two other engineers. All work is executed by local construction company PT. Alhas Jaya. Mustafa explained: “On a daily basis we’re still covering work such as bridge maintenance; ditch re-pair; quarry monitoring; grading; shoreline protection; asphalt and patching work. It can be extremely challenging, especially in situations where we have to spend four days repairing a bridge that has been damaged by an overloaded truck or heavy rain. Even though the weather is often unfriendly, it’s vital we keep the road passable.” Mustafa and his team recently finished repairing a 13-metre bridge in Blang Mon Lueng village, which collapsed during July. The team carried out repair work for two days by replacing the old and broken transom (piles under the bridge) with timber and coconut trees. Minibus driver Dedi Saputra passes the road daily from Banda Aceh to Calang. He said: “I’m grateful that UNDP is taking respon-sibility for this road maintenance work. I can’t imagine how bad things would be if the road was impassable. It would seriously affect our lives and economy. I normally spend six hours driving from Banda Aceh to Calang, but if the road is blocked by a broken bridge or landslide, we have to use an alternative road, which can take more than 10 hours. I hope that this work will continue until we have the permanent road in place.”

Heavy load: one of the road’s bridges is damaged by an overloaded truck

Man at work: Mustafa monitors quarry work at Pantheu Mountain

Greetings from Meulaboh…

• The construction of the Batee Puteh dumpsite in Nagan Raya has been completed. It was constructed on two hectares of community-granted land. The dumpsite comprises one single waste cell and three leachate ponds. It is estimated that the dumpsite could be used for a period of three to six years.

• All repair work for the temporary wharf at Calang is now com-plete. The temporary wharf is ready for use.

• Six sporting facilities are now complete in Aceh Singkil as part of UNDP’s Livelihoods programme. Four volleyball courts, one basketball court and one football field have been completed by implementing partner Hope International.

• UNDP Meulaboh bids farewell to the Disaster Risk Reduction team’s Cut Mutia. We wish her all the best for her new contract at the World Bank.

• We also bid farewell to Ahyoni, Livelihoods Programme Assis-tant. He’s now preparing for his new role with UNDP’s Disaster Risk Reduction team in Banda Aceh.

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UNDP teams with Austcare, GTZ in recycling

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UNDP brings extensive experience in composting and recycling to the programme. This includes developing a tsunami wood recy-cling workshop and pilot composting activities at Banda Aceh’s Gampong Jawa dumpsite, as well as composting programmes in Lapang, Meulaboh. Implementing partners Austcare and CAP/GTZ are now in the initial stages of the new programme, and the beneficiary selection proc-ess is underway. Austcare will focus on Banda Aceh; Aceh Jaya; Aceh Barat; Nagan Raya; Nias; Nias Selatan; and Simeulue. CAP/GTZ will cover Bireun and Pidie. Detailed needs assessments have been carried out to establish fo-cus areas, and a sector coordination working group has been estab-lished. This is proving to be a beneficial method of encouraging stakeholder organizations to share their ideas and needs, and to clarify who is working in what capacity. Thomex Iskandar, Austcare Operations Manager, explains: “This project is an excellent way of promoting sustainability for vulner-able members of the community. Together with UNDP, we’ll work with local people through a combination of financial inputs, techni-cal advice and capacity development. Helping people access bigger markets, and training them on simple but effective business skills such as budget preparation, will go a long way to developing bene-ficiaries’ sustainable livelihoods.” Muhammad Rizalsyah, GTZ Project Manager, added: “We realise that it takes a lot to change long-established behavioural patterns in waste disposal. So as well as training beneficiaries in how to man-age waste and turn it into cash, we’ll also enable local businesses to operate profitably in the recycling sector; create a stakeholder fo-rum; initiate public awareness campaigns; and integrate relevant local authorities.”

Turning a recycled piece of plastic or cardboard into a commod-ity is a popular activity across Aceh, Nias and Simeulue. But how to turn it into a successful and sustainable livelihood? That’s the focus of a new UNDP programme implemented by Austcare and GTZ/Cipta Aksi Partisipatif Foundation (CAP). There is currently a wealth of opportunities for composting, recy-cling and waste collection activities across Aceh, Nias and Simeu-lue. But many existing businesses are run by individuals unaware of how to access larger markets, how to be economically sustain-able, or how to improve their overall business skills. The UNDP Waste Management Livelihoods Programme will target these issues across Aceh, Nias and Simeulue, and boost livelihoods while promoting sustainable solid waste management. The 12-month project is the first of its kind in the region, and it’s the creation of UNDP’s Tsunami Recovery Waste Management Programme (TRWMP). Antun Hidayat, UNDP Programme Coordi-nator, explains: “Many individuals involved in ad hoc recycling activities are missing the potential for added value, as they don’t have the tools or knowledge to grow their business. For example, they are unaware about cost-effective ways to transport materi-als, or they don’t have the equipment to reduce the volume of recyclable materials for more efficient transportation. We’ll use our experience to change such issues, and encourage sustainabil-ity for the poorest of the poor in several communities.” The UNDP Waste Management Livelihoods Programme will also focus on bringing the value of recycling back to Aceh. For exam-ple, instead of transporting recyclable products to Medan for processing, the programme will aim to place processing equip-ment, such as plastic shredders and metal presses, in Aceh. This will also encourage recycling to reduce the volume of waste go-ing into landfills, and thus increasing the working life of landfills.

Machinery: UNDP’s Tim Walsh visits a plastic recycling workshop in Nias

Sorting: a local worker in Nias at the plastic recycling workshop

For more information on TRWMP, contact tim.walsh@undp.org

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Unique achievement for two local districts

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At first glance, the 200-hectare scrubland area at Blang Bintang (close to Banda Aceh’s airport) looks nothing particularly special. But it represents a unique achievement. The site is now officially the new sanitary landfill for Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar, and it’s the first-ever site to be shared by two districts in Aceh, but managed by just one secretariat. The unique process has been facilitated by UNDP’s Tsunami Recovery Waste Management Programme (TRWMP) and GTZ, and represents significant progress. Under normal circumstances, districts in Aceh will manage and administrate their own areas, despite the fact that some are literally only metres apart. But by creating one secretariat group to manage one landfill that covers two areas, it reduces admin-istrative costs, environmental impact, and makes the process a lot more efficient.

The new 200-hectare site is located at Montasik, Blang Bin-tang, on ex-forestry land. Banda Aceh’s current landfill site at Gampong Jawa will soon be full to capacity, and will close within the next two years. Development work will soon be-gin at the new Blang Bintang site, which will house an ex-tensive landfill, operations yard, and a buffer zone to pre-vent any encroachment by housing, and shield the site from the surrounding area. It will have a life span of 20 – 40 years. UNDP and GTZ have worked together throughout the year to see the secretariat come to fruition. It now comprises 34 staff from the Governor’s office; government sanitation de-partment in Aceh Besar (Kantor Kebersihan, Kebakaran dan Pertamanan) and Banda Aceh (Dinas Kebersihan dan Perta-manan); BRR; and consultants from UNDP and GTZ. To en-sure the office is fully functional, it has been equipped with office furniture and computers supplied by UNDP. Plans for the new Blang Bintang site are now fully under-way. The area has been purchased from the government’s forestry department, and UNDP is currently organizing de-sign plans and topographical surveys. GTZ is focusing on Environmental Impact Assessments to ensure the site meets international environmental standards. Said Antun Hidayat, UNDP TRWMP Programme Coordinator: “This is a unique achievement, as it’s the first time two dis-tricts in Aceh are managing a resource together. We’re con-fident the landfill and joint management will be a success, and we’ll work closely with the entire secretariat to help guide the process.”

Showing an international commitment to peace in Aceh

One of SSPDA’s key objectives is to strengthen BRA to help ensure and guide the sustained economic integration of for-mer GAM combatants. SSPDA is also identifying and address-ing the claims of conflict victims broadly defined in the MoU. The programme is making significant headway. Former com-batants and ex-prisoners are gradually being reintegrated in conflict-affected villages (see the story on page three), and economic activities and livelihoods of conflict-affected com-munities are being restored. The national and provincial gov-ernments’ capacity to respond to the needs of the MoU is also gradually being increased. The peace seminar also focused on BRA’s ability to formulate strategic planning for reintegration issues in the short, me-dium and long term. This planning will also focus on decreas-ing poverty levels in Aceh by focusing on sustainable liveli-hoods. Said Simon: “The seminar was an excellent opportunity to discuss plans, achievements and commitment. Aceh’s peace is only in its infancy, but with effective programming we are working with the Government to help speed up the process.”

On site: members of the secretariat at the Montasik area

Members of the international community recently had the opportu-nity to outline their commitment to the peace process in Aceh, during the International Seminar on Peace in Aceh. The event was held by the Aceh Peace Reintegration Board (BRA), supported by BAPPENAS (National Development Planning Agency) and funded by UNDP. The seminar signified the two-year anniversary of the Helsinki Memo-randum of Understanding (MoU) between GAM (Free Aceh Move-ment) and the Government of Indonesia. It provided an overview of the international community’s commitment to peace in Aceh. UNDP, USAID, the World Bank, the European Union and the Government of Japan outlined their commitment and progress in relation to the peace process. The seminar was also an opportunity to socialize BRA’s policies and mechanisms implemented under the post-conflict reinte-gration programme in Aceh. Simon Field, UNDP Programme Coordinator for Aceh, outlined UNDP’s Strengthening Sustainable Peace and Development in Aceh (SSPDA) programme. The three-year project, which began in July 2006, is focused on supporting the Government of Indonesia in secur-ing peace in accordance with the Helsinki MoU.

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Planning and coordinating for future success

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To help ensure its four-year programme is well implemented, UNDP’s Civil Society Organization (CSO) team is putting time, effort and resources into developing coordination and planning teams that comprise representatives from delivery agencies and key organizations. The CSO programme is designed to strengthen the role of CSOs and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in recovering com-munities in Aceh and Nias, and to provide small grants for the community. For example, they will receive organizational capac-ity-building training in areas such as strategic planning; commu-nity development; leadership; gender; project development; and monitoring and evaluation. The programme aims to help 210 local CSOs and CBOs, and benefit up to 20,000 tsunami-affected and poor households in 70 villages across Aceh and Nias. Since the CSO programme commenced in June 2006, UNDP has partnered with several local CSOs; government agencies; BRR; religious affairs department (MPU); women’s organizations; youth agencies; and universities. Representatives from each of these agencies have formed a Provincial Coordinator Team (PCT), which ensures that the CSO programme is in line with government de-velopment planning. Part of the PCT’s role is also to approve the CSOs/CBOs based on their project proposals, and analyze pro-gramme progress after receiving recommendations from techni-cal working groups at the district level. To ensure the CSO programme is well implemented, UNDP held a coordination meeting, facilitated by BRR, in late July. Held in Banda Aceh, the meeting was attended by PCT members, as well as the two delivery agencies Muslim Aid and professional training agency Impact.

The meeting was used to present Muslim Aid’s and Impact’s project approach, and discuss the formulation of the CSO Technical Work-ing Group (TWG). The TWG comprises representatives from the lo-cal Government Planning Agency; the Community Empowerment office; related government offices; academics; and local NGOs in the district level. It is responsible for assessing the accountable project proposals from interested CSOs/CBOs, and monitoring the pro-gramme implementation together with UNDP, PCT members and delivery agencies. PCT member Tasmiati Emsa works with local gender organization KKTG. She explained: “This coordination is very important as it helps us understand the project system designed by UNDP. It’s also an opportunity for PCT members to give ideas and perspectives in en-suring the CSO programme is well implemented, especially in rela-tion to gender balance.” UNDP’s CSO Programme Officer Pak Susanto delivered a pro-gramme presentation at the coordination meeting. He explained: “We plan to hold these coordination meetings on a monthly basis, so that we can discuss programme challenges, especially in devel-oping organized coordination among PCT members and the gov-ernment. This is to ensure sustainability, as UNDP expects that this programme will eventually be implemented by the local govern-ment.” As planned, UNDP and Muslim Aid will award small grants to se-lected CSOs during September, and provide training supported by Impact as part of capacity-building improvement. UNDP Aceh & Nias News will bring more stories on the development of the CSO pro-gramme over the coming months.

For more information on UNDP’s CSO programme, contact: pudji.aswati@undp.org

Pak Susanto presents details of the CSO programme implementation

PCT members discuss the CSO programme during the workshop

10

Celebrating significant two-year achievements

September 2007 10

Alianza Por Asia represented the first-ever public fundraising op-portunity for the people of Mexico to contribute to humanitarian work outside their country. For the Alianza por Asia delegates, their visit to Pidie was a chance to see exactly how their funding helped some of these individuals. The delegates attended a colourful ceremony to celebrate UNDP/UN-Habitat’s completion of 1,140 houses in Pidie, Aceh Jaya. They were accompanied by the Vice Governor of Nanggroe Aceh Darus-salam Province, Muhammad Nazar, and the Mexican Ambassador to Indonesia, His Excellency Pedro Gonzales Rubio. José Ignacio Avalos, a leading delegate from the Alianza por Asia campaign, ex-plained: “After the tsunami, I felt I had to do something to help the people of Aceh. No matter where we are in the world, we have a strong connection as human beings. There are a lot of similarities between Pidie and Mexico, and I feel happy to be here and to see these houses have now been built.” This was followed by the arrival of visitors from Dutch donors SGHI and AEDES. They took part in a colourful ceremony at Sambai vil-lage on the island of Simeulue to celebrate the handover of 627 houses. The number of casualties on Simeulue following the tsu-nami was relatively small, because oral tradition dictates that peo-ple must run uphill after an earthquake to avoid a potential tsu-nami. However, the destruction was overwhelming, and entire vil-lages were wiped out. The recovery process was particularly chal-lenging as the shipment of material by sea and on Simeulue’s dam-aged roads was difficult, and skilled workers were hard to find. Ms Hagar Ligtvoet from the Netherlands Embassy also attended the handover ceremony. During her speech she said: “The energy of the people themselves has made this project what you see today. It is their sweat and their commitment that builds these houses. We only delivered the finance, the UN provided assistance, but you built the houses.”

There was reason to celebrate recently during the two-year anni-versary of the UNDP/UN-Habitat Aceh Nias Settlements Support Programme (ANSSP). A book launch, a photography exhibition, a documentary screening and two major donor visits were some of the colourful events that took place in recognition of the pro-gramme’s many achievements. ANSSP awards grants for housing reconstruction and community infrastructure rehabilitation to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami. The programme has so far succeeded in building 3,447 houses in Aceh and Nias, and a further 1,012 are currently under completion on the islands of Nias and Simeulue. To commemorate all this, early July saw the launch of a book and documentary that gave a realistic and colourful insight into the UNDP/UN-Habitat house-building process. Attended by almost 200 people at a venue in Banda Aceh, the event was a chance to demonstrate the successes and challenges of ANSSP. The photography book, titled Anchoring Homes, was the result of photographer Veronica Wijaya visiting housing sites to capture images of the housing process, and of people in the villages car-rying out their day-to-day activities. The documentary Playing Between Elephants was also launched and screened on the same day. The 90-minute documentary gives an honest insight into the rebuilding process in the village of Geunteng Timur, Pidie. Cam-eraman Aryo Danusiri lived for 10 months in the village, allowing him to capture the daily highs and lows of reconstructing a vil-lage destroyed in the tsunami. Two major donor visits also took place during the time of the an-niversary. The first was from Mexican delegates from the historic fundraising initiative Alianza por Asia (Alliance for Asia), which was formed in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. It is a joint ini-tiative of 37 Mexican civil society organizations, foundations, companies, financial institutions and communications groups. It raised more than USD4 million in private donations from Mexican citizens to support the reconstruction of homes in Indonesia.

Warm welcome: a colourful banner greets Mexican delegates to Pidie

Village greetings: leading delegate member José Ignacio Avalos

11

Creating a safer channel for local fishermen

September 2007 11

Since it commenced in early 2005, the UNDP Tsunami Recovery Port Redevelopment Programme (TRPRP) team has kept con-struction work at Banda Aceh’s Ulee Lheue port running at a brisk pace. The results of the team’s work are continuing to deliver benefits to various members of the local community. The main component of the rehabilitation is the reconstruction of 1.4kms of breakwaters (barriers protecting land from waves), 90 percent of which suffered serious tsunami damage. The TRPRP team has redesigned the breakwaters with a higher elevation and five-ton armour rock protection to withstand stronger waves than the original design. Construction work is carried out directly by UNDP staff using rocks and equipment procured on contracts. Their work is help-ing to ensure that Ulee Lheue port will provide safe anchorage to both regular and itinerant visitors throughout the year. During the last six months, UNDP’s TRPRP team has also com-pleted and commissioned a two-kilometre channel dedicated to local fishermen. This all-weather channel will protect against waves and heavy currents. The extensive and complex construc-tion work included dredging and slope protection work. Local fisherman Abdullah Ali explained: “Previously we shared the ferry route when the tide was high, and passed the waterway under the bridge when the tide was low. Now, to reach our termi-nal we pass through the river regardless of the weather or tide since UNDP’s rehabilitation work has made it our own channel. Before, we were unable to use this river as it was too shallow and contained stones and rubble that endangered our boats. I’m happy as I can now fish more comfortably and no longer have to share the route with the ferries.”

The rehabilitation of the channel not only benefits the fishermen, but also the Roll-On Roll-Off ferries. They can now navigate safely within the harbour as they no longer have to share with the fisher-men’s boats. Rahmat Hidayat, a ferry passenger traveling to Sabang, said: “It was such a good thing to hear that the fishermen now have their own route instead of sharing it with the passenger and cargo ferries. I’m also hoping that we have a better port facility in the near future, as this port needs more development in providing best services to the passengers.” Faisal Ridhwan, UNDP Ports Associate, manages the daily work of the overall port construction. He said: “I’m so happy that we’ve fin-ished the construction of the fishermen’s channel in less than a year, with the support and hard work from all involved parties such as local contractors, government and the local community. We have dredged the existing river two kilometres long on the port’s land-side, utilizing funds from the Australian Government. Personally, it has been a rewarding experience to realize that now the fishermen can independently use the channel without having to share with other ferries.” UNDP’s TRPRP team is continuing the construction of the breakwa-ters until the end of 2007 as part of its commitment to rehabilitat-ing Ulee Lheue port. This is being carried out using funds from the Australian Government through the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development.

Homeward bound: Fishermen return safely using the new channel.

Port side: (from left to right) UNDP’s Siri Gunawardana, Afrida Nursanti and Faisal Ridhwan at Ulee Lheue port.

For more information on UNDP’s Ulee Lheue Port Project, contact: siri.gunawardana@undp.org

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60 SECONDS WITH… Ferhad Alsadad, UNDP Waste Programme Associate, Meulaboh

Tell us about your job at UNDP. I joined UNDP’s ERTR programme in May 2005. I’m currently Pro-gramme Associate in charge of UNDP’s Tsunami Recovery Waste Man-agement Programme (TRWMP) in the West Coast. I’m responsible for supervising and monitoring project implementation in coordination with programme assistants and admin/finance assistants in my cover-age areas (Aceh Barat, Aceh Jaya, Nagan Raya, Nias and Nias Selatan). I’m happy that I have a great opportunity to contribute to a waste management system in Aceh/Nias, especially in my lovely home town, Meulaboh. What has been your proudest achievement to date? I’m proud of our success in constructing and rehabilitating the dump-sites in Aceh/Nias. The dumpsites have followed the WHO guidelines standard. What do you personally find most encouraging about the Waste Management programme?

Recycling and composting activities where the garbage is a potential livelihood opportunity for the community. Also, the beauty of the dumpsites where recycling and composting facilities are constructed properly. What are your hopes for the future of UNDP’s Tsunami Recovery Waste Management Programme? I hope that waste management and sanitation become ingrained in the community mindset, as the community is expected to properly dispose of waste. Proper disposal is not only throwing rubbish away, but seeing the value of the waste through composting and recycling. What are your thoughts about living and working in Meulaboh? Meulaboh is a fairly large town with a population of 50,000. We were heavily impacted by the tsunami and lost approximately 7,000 peo-ple. Almost everyone who survived in Meulaboh lost someone. There is a large traditional market; a hospital; a small airport; a bus station; cargo shipping port; two hotels; and four guesthouses. Most people here have access to electricity, running water, cellular phones and satellite television. For entertainment there are football fields, beaches, shopping, restaurants and internet cafes. Meulaboh is a town that’s growing, but is still very much separated from the rest of the world. As a native of Meulaboh, I enjoy every single moment of living and working here. As an Acehnese person, what are your thoughts about the post-tsunami redevelopment? In waste management a lot of progress has been made. The local government can resume solid waste collection within the city of Meu-laboh. The municipal solid waste service has also been increased and is now expanded to the rural areas within the sub districts. There is also some progress in the infrastructure sector, but I’m a bit disappointed with housing construction on the beach where houses were destroyed by the high tides that hit Meulaboh earlier this year. What book are you reading at the moment? Indonesia’s Secret War in Aceh by John Martinkus. The book talks about the armed conflict between GAM (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, or Free Aceh Movement) and the Government of Indonesia.

UNDP Aceh & Nias News is created by the UNDP Communications Unit in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. For more information contact: Nina Doyle, Communications Officer - nina.doyle@undp.org Yunita Ningsih, Public Information Assistant - yunita.ningsih@undp.org United Nations Development Programme Jl. Bakti No.1, Geuceu Komplek Banda Aceh, NAD, Indonesia. Tel: +62 (0)651 7415227 / 7415228 www.undp.or.id

September 2007