West Sulawesi Earthquake: CBM Global’s Response

News | April 20, 2021

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit the West Sulawesi province in Indonesia on January 15, 2021. This left hundreds injured and more than 40,000 people displaced. CBM Global has been working in this region and immediately responded to the needs of people with disabilities and their families.

In partnership with an organization of people with disabilities (OPD), we determined the worst hit and most vulnerable areas and assessed the intervention needed. Immediately, we delivered urgent relief such as food, shelter and blankets, and clean water. We also provided masks and hand sanitiser to protect communities from COVID-19. Since the disaster struck, we have provided:

• Temporary shelter package, which includes a tent, tarpaulin, blanket, and garbage bin
• Medical care, which covers more than 500 therapies and 500 mobile clinic treatments
• 50 assistive devices
• 250 hygiene kits
• Cash assistance, which will allow affected community members to allow affected community members to make their own decisions that meet their specific needs

Anton Purnama, Humanitarian Coordinator of CBM in Indonesia, says:

“The West Sulawesi response is important, not only to support the affected community, but also for CBM to improve capacity in delivering humanitarian assistance, especially in health, advocacy, and Cash Transfer Programs (CTP). We bring the lessons learned from the Central Sulawesi response in 2018 and COVID-19 response in 2020, both in partnership, coordination, and the inclusive targeting process in CTP. Certainly, this couldn’t happen without the support and commitment from all stakeholders including our partners and organisations of people with disabilities.”

Persons with disabilities are much more likely to lose their lives or to be injured in a disaster. They are among those most at risk, yet their rights and needs are widely overlooked in humanitarian responses. To ensure no one is left behind in our emergency responses globally, we adopt meaningful inclusion in humanitarian action from the beginning. It involves not just addressing the needs of persons with disabilities for assistance and protection, but also enabling them to participate in decision making on issues that affect them, so that they can fully exercise their rights.

Main Image: A boy undergoes a medical check-up in a mobile clinic set-up by a CBM Global partner in West Sulawesi.

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