Neuheun rehabilitation

AMURT has entered into a partnership with GTZ, a German government organization, to rehabilitate the village of Neuheun. GTZ is providing the funding to rehabilitate 42 brick factories, rebuild 35 houses and repair a further 16 houses.

One of the brick factories that AMURT
is rehabilitating in Neuheun

AMURT has already begun implementing the brick factory project. We will pay for the reconstruction of each brick factory, and we will also finance the first production cycle. However, the owners of the brick factories will have to reimburse 20% of the cost of the first production cycle. This money will be put into a social fund for the development of the entire village.

The brick factory rehabilitation is essential at this time as the forthcoming construction boom will greatly increase the demand for bricks. It is an effective way of injecting money back into the local economy.

AMURT field director, conducting a survey
of the damage to the brick industry

Our house reconstruction program has an innovative component. Each beneficiary will be awarded a certain number of points which they can use to order a certain style of house. They may need an extra room, or a larger balcony, or another bathroom. In this way the beneficiaries will get a house that better meets the needs of their families.

School reconstruction

Alia, one of the AMURTEL volunteers, has secured a grant from the Jakarta International School to help rebuild the elementary school in Klieng Neuria village. In addition we are planning on building a high school in the same place, and  three kindergarten schools in resettlement camps.

Work in resettlement camps

AMURT and AMURTEL team members are still going to Neuheun, TVRI and Lampisan resettlement camps to conduct English classes, play groups and exercise classes for the children. The mothers are happy their children are learning English. One mother said, I want my children to learn English so they can thank the foreigners for all the assistance they are giving us. The Acehnese people are extremely grateful for the help they are receiving. Organizations from 60 countries have sent relief teams there, so the Acehnese are getting to meet many new faces!

An AMURTEL volunteer makes the
day brighter for a child in Neuheun
resettlement camp

AMURT/AMURTEL team acquires local flavor

We now have a staff of 8 local Acehnese people who have integrated themselves well into our team. One of them, Darma, says in AMURT/AMURTEL he has found a new family. We eat together and meet together everyday to keep the collective flow strong. Darma lost his mother and two sisters in the tsunami. He told me his father is deeply traumatized by the loss of his family members, and sits brooding in a relatives house all day.

The tsunami has ravaged the lives of so many people in Aceh, and the disturbing memories are still strong. Moreover, many survivors are still living in the resettlement camps where the conditions can be tough. Our volunteer Alia wrote this in her journal recently:

Every time you get into your comfortable bed at a comfortable temperature, remember there are people out there who would be so grateful to find a dry place to lay their head. It's been raining hard here in Banda Aceh, and many of the refugees are still living in tents. Every time it rains, they cannot sleep since their tents get flooded.

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