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Pulau Banyak Islands is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean that lies west of Sumatra and is part of the Aceh province in Indonesia. On 26 th December 2004, the islands were badly damaged by the tsunami as it lies only a few hundred kilometres south of the epicentre of the earthquake.
With that, CRS responded by having 4 different areas for the project. The first area involves purchasing 300 boats for the fisherman in Pulau Banyak and Singkil to continue to fish for a living. The second area involves providing a 3 ton ice making machine and 2 logistic boats for the Pulau Banyak fishermans to bring the fishes to other islands for sale to provide extra income. The third area involved our volunteers to set up mobile clinic and providing teacher’s training in the neighbouring islands of Nias.
The last area involves the reconstruction of the only secondary school in Pulau Banyak Islands which is badly destroyed by the tsunami, and it is currently on-going. The school is named Sekolah Menengah Pertama (SMP) School with an enrolment of about 200 students. After tsunami, their compound sank by one metre. Subsequent incoming waters during high tides and heavy rains caused extensive flooding and damage to the school compound thus making it unsafe for use as seen in the photos below.
Signboard at the entrance of the school
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Damage of the SMP School by the tsunami |
Damage of the SMP School by the tsunami
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Students studying on benches within the flooded school compound. |
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With that, CRS has responded to the need of providing proper secondary education to the locals on Pulau Banyak Islands as part of its post-tsunami relief effort . CRS has partnered with a local NGO of Yayasan Pelayanan Kasih Oikumene (YPKO) and engaged the local authorities to reconstruct the SMP school.
The project also got great support from the school management. The vice-principal of the school has shared that he is very grateful that we came in to rebuild the school, while Mr. Abdul Aziz, committee member of the Board of Governance, has availed himself to help in anyway for this project when there is a need.
Once the school is completed, the secondary school students on the islands will be able to enjoy new facilities of:
- Ten classrooms;
- A science laboratory;
- A computer laboratory;
- A multi-purpose hall;
- An administration block;
- A library;
- A staff room;
- A canteen; and
- An assembly courtyard.
Works has commenced since October 2006, and one of the blocks of classrooms has been completed. The administration block and multi-purpose hall are also nearing completion.
Photos of the work of reconstruction of SMP School |
Photos of the work of reconstruction of SMP School |
Photos of the work of reconstruction of SMP School |
Back-filling the flooded school compound with soil |
However, there were unfortunately some delays in the reconstruction work and CRS has to reappoint a new main contractor to complete the work. The expected date of completion has thus changed from December 2007 to March 2008. We will hand over the school to the management once completed.
The total project cost is about SGD$900,000. Singapore Red Cross is covering 90% of the project cost by the Tidal Waves Asia Fund. With that, CRS needs to raise about $90,000 to cover the remaining 10% of the project cost. Thus far, CRS has raised approximately $50,000 and is trusting God to help us raise the remaining $40,000. In order to complete the computer laboratory, CRS is also looking at providing 20 sets of computers to the school that will cost about another $24,000 (at $1200 each). |
Setting the main door frame
for the first classroom |
Students gladly help to move the new tables
and chairs for their classroom.
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The exterior of a completed block of classrooms |
Students having lessons in one of the completed classrooms
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