Ya’ahowu, ya’ahowu (Greeting from Nias)

NIAS, May 30, 2008 - Aside from the surfers that ride its waves, it might be safe to say that not many people know too much about Nias Island. Nias – the biggest island west of Sumatra Island – is better known as a surfer’s haven for its picturesque beaches and mighty waves. But after the December 2004 tsunami and March 2005 earthquakes, it was more than just the surfers that turned their attention to Nias. Ironic, but true.

Nias is situated on the western part of North Sumatra province, around 85 nautical miles from the port of Sibolga. Nias is made up of 132 islands in all, spanning over 5.4 million square kilometers, with a population of over seven hundred thousand people (government statistics, 2005).

Nias was first ravaged by the tsunami which struck the Indian Ocean in December 2004. The greater destruction however, was caused by the earthquake which struck on March 28, 2005 – killing more than 700 people, destroying up to 12,000 homes, and causing an actual shift to Nias’s geographic location. Most of the homes that were destroyed lay in rural areas.

One of those homes belonged to 19-year-old farmer Tohuzisokhi Buulolo, better known as “Tohu”. After the earthquake, nothing was left of his home or his neighbors in the village of Hlindrasoniha in Nias District, which is about an hour from the Gunung Sitoli airport.

“I was in the field when the earthquake struck. My house wasn’t affected by the tsunami because it’s far away from the beach, but it was definitely not spared from the earthquake." said Tohu. He was a newly wed at the time of the earthquake, so when the ground started to shake Tohu’s first impulse was to rush home. While there was nothing left of the home, thankfully, his new bride was safe.

Nowadays, Tohu can breathe easier knowing that he will once again have a roof over his head. “I’m so relieved to have finally gotten the help I needed to start rebuilding my home. I hope it will finish soon so we can finally get back to living normal lives,” he said spiritedly. The Nias Island Sub-district Reconstruction and Rehabilitation program (KRRP/R2PN) funded by the BRR and Multi-Donor Fund has not only helped build 5,000 homes, but also reconstructed 100 schools and 100 community centers at the district and village level. The program entails that communities must be involved in the building of new homes in their sub-district – both in terms of actual construction and supervision. “I’m very satisfied because I’m literally building my house with my own two hands,” Tohu said. In Tohu’s village, 31 families divided into three beneficiary groups have received assistance under the R2PN scheme.

The R2PN program covers 152 villages in nine sub-districts of Nias (Gido, Idanogawo, Lolofitumoi, Namoalu Esiwa, Tuhemberua) and South Nias (Amandraya, Lahusa, Lolowau, dan Teluk Dalam). House-building has begun in all nine sub-districts, with more than half the targeted 2,138 homes now at various stages of construction. Funding for the remaining number of houses (934 units), along with the construction of 67 schools and 72 community centers is currently in the pipeline from the State Treasury Services Office (KPPN) to the accounts of the beneficiary groups. As of April 2008, 40% of the allocated funds have been transferred to the accounts of all beneficiary groups.

The reconstruction challenge in Nias is different from Aceh, in that many of the affected villages lie in remote areas that do not have paved or even gravelled roads. The distance alone between Nias Island and mainland Sumatra has been enough to slow down the reconstruction effort.

Poverty is another challenge for Nias, albeit one that has existed long before the earthquake struck. Social indicators like adult literacy, immunization and access to electricity in Nias remain below the average for Sumatra Island and all of Indonesia.

Story from Butohiri Village, Suroke Beach, South Nias

Sudila Kirana Bu’ulolo, a mother of six, spends her days minding her cornershop at Butohiri Village, Suroke Beach, South Nias. Its huge waves make Suroke Beach one one of the most frequented beaches by international surfers. “A lot of surfers usually come through between April and September, but in other months it gets pretty quiet,” said Sudila who relies on the cornershop to provide for her family. “I really hope that with all the aid pouring into Nias, there would be special allocations to help develop local livelihoods and tourism. It’s a real shame because Nias has always so behind in so many ways.”