UGM assists Aceh victims with rehabilitation programs<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
In a bid to help rebuild Aceh following the devastating
\nearthquake and tsunami, Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University (UGM)
\nlaunched Aceh Bangkit program worth some Rp 500 billion (US$54.3
\nmillion) to Rp 600 billion.<\/p>\n
According to UGM Rector Sofian Effendi, funds for the program,
\nwhich was launched in Yogyakarta on Tuesday and its memorandum of
\nunderstanding would be signed in Jakarta soon, came from various
\nsources, including the Ministry of Public Housing.<\/p>\n
Sofian said the program would cover four main fields --
\nhealth, housing rehabilitation, disaster management and
\neducational rehabilitation.<\/p>\n
The four main fields were designed to restore the condition of
\nAcehnese people as well as providing emergency, short-term and
\nlong-term programs over four years.<\/p>\n
Sofian said the short-term programs include construction of
\nsome 500 simple (knockdown) but secure houses for the tsunami
\nsurvivors in Aceh, along with the needed public facilities. The
\nplan would be conducted in four stages.<\/p>\n
For this purpose, UGM has made a scale model of a housing
\ncomplex that is not just convenient to live in, but is also
\ndesigned to meet their cultural and social conditions.<\/p>\n
\"I think these (designs that meet local culture and social
\nsituations) are the most important consideration in the efforts
\nto restore Aceh,\" said Sofian.<\/p>\n
Sofian said that technically the houses would last for four
\nyears, but probably will last up 10 years.<\/p>\n
\"The houses along the Code riverbanks (in Yogyakarta) have
\nalmost the same construction and materials as the ones to be
\nbuilt in Aceh, are just examples,\" Sofian said.<\/p>\n
The long-term programs include providing people with knowledge
\nabout disasters -- its signs and how to deal with it when it
\nhappens.<\/p>\n
In the educational field, Sofian said UGM would assist in
\nhigher education level, such as supporting Aceh's Syiah Kuala
\nUniversity where many of its lecturers were reportedly missing in
\nthe tsunami.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ugm-assists-aceh-victims-with-rehabilitation-programs-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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