Indian Ocean Tsunami – 2nd Anniversary, 26 December 2006

Seven schools in Aceh, Indonesia built with funds raised in Australia by international children’s development agency Plan, have opened a whole new world of educational opportunities for children.

One kindergarten, three pre-schools (early childhood care and development centres) and a primary school were officially opened recently in the Indonesian province of Aceh, which was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami on Boxing Day 2004. The remaining two schools – a primary and secondary school – are still under construction and due to open in 2007.

Dina*, a 12-year-old student at one of the schools, Lambaro Neujid Primary School about 30 minutes drive from Banda Aceh, told Plan staff: “I like the learning environment at our new school. I feel enthusiastic to attend and I like our nice new school building.  *This is an alias name in order to protect the child’s identity.

“We also have a daily schedule to clean up our classroom and keep it clean and tidy. If you look outside our classroom, you can see the tall beans, peas and little flowers that we have grown,” she says.

Plan Australia CEO Ian Wishart said “When we talk about disaster response and long-term reconstruction, it is children’s future homes, future income sources, future educational opportunities and psychological well-being that we are talking about”.

Plan Aceh program director Richard Sandison says that to ensure local ownership and support, communities including students, were consulted during the design and construction process. “The children in the community specifically requested for a school garden, separate toilets for girls and boys, a reading area and well-ventilated classrooms.”

Mr Sandison says that 165 families have returned to Lambaro Neujid village, and the new school welcomed back 115 pupils (38 girls and 77 boys).

The Indian Ocean tsunami left more than 230,000 people dead, including 160,000 in Aceh – many were children. In Aceh alone, 38,644 students and 2237 teachers were reported missing or dead and 1551 schools were damaged or destroyed.

Construction of the seven schools was made possible thanks to a $500,000 personal donation from Dymocks chair John Forsyth; $200,000 from School Aid; and $300,000 from a charitable fund. Plus donations from Australian businesses and the Australian public.

Mr Wishart says Plan’s three-year rebuilding program, which now includes the construction of more schools in Aceh, was recently extended to 2009.

Plan's Tsunami Rebuilding Programs

Plan has ongoing tsunami rebuilding projects in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. Major projects include:

Indonesia - Aceh: Plan is working in 200 villages and displaced persons camps, reaching out to more than 50,000 families or 250,000 people. Plan has also been training more than 150 teachers as well as more than 200 health staff in basic health care, infection prevention and midwifery. Plan is also working to revitalise village health posts with the distribution of health care equipment and the construction of 10 village health centres.

Sri Lanka - Hambantota: In January 2007, Plan is due to complete, the primary school as part of a 3000-pupil primary and secondary school complex partly funded by a $1.25 million grant from the Victorian Government. The secondary school is due to be completed in April 2007. Plan has supported the psychosocial recovery of more than 1 million children and is also funding livelihood skills training for young people.

Tsunami Accountability:

At the end of June 2006, Plan Australia had received donations of $2.7 million and globally, Plan International has received $62 million. By the end of December 2006, Plan International expects to have spent between $37 million and $42 million on its tsunami rebuilding programs in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India.

Mr Wishart says that as a development agency with a focus on the long term, Plan’s objective has never been to spend funds raised quickly. “Rather, it is to spend the money on projects that are well thought out and best address the long-term needs of the communities in which we work,” he says.

Plan is a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and is one of member agencies featured in ACFIDs fifth report on the tsunami reconstruction response. The
ACFID report can be viewed at www.acfid.asn.au.

Interview opportunities:

In Australia:

Plan Aceh country director Richard Sandison (in Melbourne until 3/1/07) 
Ph: 03 9754 2338   Mob: +62.(0).813.6038 2880

Plan Australia CEO Ian Wishart
Mob: 0411 595 573

In Aceh:

Tony Hutabarat, Plan Aceh child protection officer 
Ph: +62 651 22 380    Mob: + 62 811 100 913

Media contacts:

Tim Cansfield-Smith, Plan 0411 642 194
Heather Ellis, Plan 0425 720 193