Children living in hazard zones are facing the double risk of both disaster and Covid-19. It is time to listen to their voices, which are all too often left unheard.
By
MELATI MEWANGI
·5 minutes read
KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO
A member of the Bogor Civil Service Police wearing a mask to a child while holding a raid on residents who are not wearing masks on Jalan Pahlawan, Bogor Selatan District, Bogor City, West Java, Tuesday (25/8/2020).
Saripah Nur Aulia, 17, cannot recall how many times her house has been flooded in the village of Margaasih in Margaasih district, Bandung regency, West Java. To be sure, the floodwaters from the overflowing Citarum River have inundated her house during every rainy season. The river water carries mud as well as household waste into her home, which stands on a bank of the Citarum and could easily be swept away by the swift flood currents.
This year, the floods came again in mid-March. Saripah\'s house was submerged in 50 centimeters of water. Unlike previous floods, however, the disaster posed a double threat because it occurred during the Covid-19 epidemic.
"I was afraid if I might be infected with Covid-19 from droplets in the floodwater. Many people [filled the streets] because they had to avoid the floods and then clean up the [mess] left behind [afterwards]," Saripah said on Thursday (20/8/2020).
I was afraid if I might be infected with Covid-19 from droplets in the floodwater.
Not wanting to take any risks, she adhered strictly to the health protocol and always wore a mask. She also exercised diligence in maintaining safe physical distance from others. However, not everyone agreed with her. Not to be discouraged, Saripah continued to remind the other residents to follow the health protocol.
Saripah is one of 22 children who are receiving assistance through the Jabar Tangguh Action of the Disaster Risk Reduction Program in West Java, which Save the Children initiated in 2018. The program currently focuses on increasing public awareness through technology, schools and villages, as well as mentoring young people.
Since the pandemic arrived in the country, the children have also been provided webinars on climate change, film editing, travel and work assistance while in 14-day quarantine, as well as other topics. These activities encourage them to share and take real action through social media.
Vina Okta Viana (17), a student of class XI SMA Karya Pembangunan, Baleendah, is working on school assignments at the Inkanas Building refugee post, Baleendah, Bandung Regency, West Java, Wednesday (1/4/2020). It has been three days since he and his family fled in the building because his house was flooded.
The West Java program is providing assistance in the regencies of Bandung, West Bandung and Tasikmalaya, all of which are prone to floods, landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. The hope is that these children will be able to prepare themselves to contribute to their communities.
Tatiana Nurzainun, 17, who lives in Linggawangi village of Leuwisari district, Tasikmalaya, is keen on contributing. Even though her worries only grew during the health emergency, she has remained alert to the risk of a Mount Galunggung eruption.
For her, the key to minimizing the dual threats remains strong preventive measurers. Since the beginning of the year, she has been participating actively in online discussions on Covid-19. One of the most notable topics was adapting to the new conditions prompted by the epidemic. She also distributed the learning materials she received to her younger siblings, Nurul, 12, and Marwa, 8.
They still uphold a culture of disaster awareness and alertness during the health crisis. Living in a disaster hazard zone, the residents have readied disaster preparedness bags that contain a change of clothes for three days, food, vital documents, and medicines. They added other items to comply with the Covid-19 health protocol, such as masks and hand sanitizers.
The children\'s efforts to share what they’ve learned don’t always go smoothly. This was what Kireina Az-Zahra A., 17, who lives in Parongpong, West Bandung, experienced. She often felt underestimated when sharing information about Covid-19 or the threat of the Lembang Fault with her community.
Children from Cikoneng Village, Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java, are taking sand from the eruption of Mount Galunggung on the Ciwulan River. They get IDR 10,000-IDR 15,000 per day to add to their daily needs. Photo taken in 2013
The Lembang Fault is an active fault line in West Java. The fault spans 29 kilometers from Ngamprah district in West Bandung, to Mt. Bukittunggul in Cilengkrang, Bandung regency. The tectonic fault moves approximately 3 millimeters every year.
"’A small kid dares to speak up’," said Kireina, mimicking someone who sneered at her efforts, when she only had good intentions so everyone would be ready for any disaster.
Children and vulnerability
Sorry, [but] don\'t underestimate children because they have good informal communication skills and can influence those around them.
Saripah, Tatiana, and Kireina gained new knowledge on Wednesday (19/8) at Save the Children’s "Building a Resilient Indonesia from and with Next Generation" online discussion. The discussion addressed children\'s rights in normal as well as emergency situations.
Saripah learned on that occasion that children must be actively involved in disaster preparedness education, especially in their villages and schools.
"Sorry, [but] don\'t underestimate children because they have good informal communication skills and can influence those around them," she said.
Tourists and their children play at Delegan White Sand Beach in Gresik Regency, East Java, Sunday (9/8/2020). A number of tourist attractions on the North Coast of East Java have now been opened after previously being closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Deputy board of trustees chair Dewi Soeharto of the Sayangi Tunas Cilik Foundation, which oversees Save the Children Indonesia, said that children in areas prone to disasters, affected by disasters, or climate change during the epidemic faced multiple challenges.
"The results of a survey by the Save the Children show that one in two children do not know how to protect themselves in the event of a disaster, including Covid-19 transmission," said Dewi.
As a group that is vulnerable to the impacts of disasters, emergencies and epidemics, the children\'s voices were not being heeded. Their direct involvement would help minimize the potential impacts.
"The disaster risk reduction program aims to build the adaptability of children and families in disaster-prone areas," said communication and advocacy manager Dewi Sri Sumanah of the Save the Children’s Disaster Risk Reduction Program.
Saripah, Tatiana and Kireina have benefited from learning more about natural disasters as well as the pandemic. Although they may not always be heard, they are still committed to living in compliance with the strict health protocol for the benefit of everyone around them.
Whether or not they are heard is no longer their main concern. They are more worried about the continuing surge in Covid-19 infections, especially since many people still don\'t follow the health protocol.
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