£75K going to help Indonesian relief efforts

Thursday 04 October 2018

Guernsey's Overseas Aid and Development Commission is giving £75,000 out of its budget to the UK Disasters Emergency Committee to help the relief effort in Indonesia.

The Sulawesi region was struck by an earthquake and tsunami on 28 September affecting more than one million people, with hundreds of deaths confirmed and many more people still missing or displaced.

The Commission’s donation, on behalf of the people of Guernsey, will help "support the work of the DEC’s member humanitarian charities and NGOs to scale up support to the Indonesian government-led response in the areas of logistics, shelter, safe water and sanitation, health care, camp coordination and camp management, emergency livelihoods and protection services."

With a total budget of £2.885million this year, £200,000 is set aside for disaster relief.

The Commission said its members are mindful that "tens of thousands of people in Sulawesi have lost everything and have little or no access to clean water, shelter, food or clothing and so the need for emergency aid is most pressing. Many of the DEC’s member partners already have staff in the region. Therefore funds from the DEC appeal will enable them to quickly secure the aid the survivors of this unprecedented natural disaster need to survive."

Judy Moore, Vice President of the Overseas Aid & Development Commission said the DEC is already working in the area.

“The Commission has been approached by several charities working in the international sector with regards to making a donation towards emergency relief for the Indonesia Tsunami Appeal.  The Commission has a close working relationship with the UK Disasters Emergency Committee which works with 14 of the UK’s leading charities to co-ordinate emergency response in times of crisis to provide effective and swift humanitarian assistance.  The DEC advises us on the scale of need in response to disasters, and has launched a national appeal to address the Indonesia situation.  The Commission is therefore making a donation to the DEC which enables the funds to be utilised quickly and in the area of highest need identified by the organisations ‘on the ground of the emergency’ which whom the DEC work.  

"The Commission’s donation will supplement the individual donations made by the community of the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the work of other local charities who are addressing this emergency.”

Pictured top: Parts of Indonesia have been devastated by the tsunami and earthquake.