Acehnese women back to business after disaster

Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

From a human point of view, Endang, an Acehnese woman who fell victim to the devastating tsunami last December, had many reasons to give up on life.

Her whole family was at home together before the giant waves swept the province the morning after Christmas. When the tsunami hit, Forty-year-old Endang felt her nine-month-old baby boy slip from her arms as they tumbled around inside the waves. When the tumbling finally stopped she was alone.

Later that day, she found the bodies of her husband and her eldest daughter Yayang, who was nine. Her three other children officially remain on the missing list.

"I have started teaching again," said Endang, who is a biology teacher at the state junior high school SMP 16 in Banda Aceh.

"I used to decline teacher-training offers, even one in Malaysia, because I didn't want to leave the children behind. I'm going to take such opportunities now," she told The Jakarta Post.

Her plans do not stop there. Endang used to sell clothes in her garage-turned-boutique to her colleagues as a side job. Now she intends to expand further by opening a stall at the local market, using some of her savings.

"My family told me 'why do you want to work here and there when you have enough of a salary?' but I just don't like doing nothing," she said. "I never did."

Other Acehnese women are also making plans after months of relative inactivity at tent camps.

Nurlaila, 36, worked part-time in rice fields in her village, before the water ruined the area.

"I want to work, but I don't know what to do here," said the mother of three children - all of whom survived -- as she sat sewing her son's pants in her tent in Mata Ie camp.

Nurlaila's husband now cleans up debris in the city for Rp 30,000 (US$3.22) a day, enough to put food on the table for the family.

For Salamiah, who also lives in the camp, working is definitely a necessity now. Along with her five children, she takes care of four more children: the sons and daughters of her late brother who died in the tsunami. Salamiah's husband, who sells watches to make a living, has 11 mouths to feed in the family now.

Salamiah used to sell soft drinks at Cermin beach in Uleleue, one of the worst hit areas with only a handful of buildings left standing.

"I really want to start selling again," she said. "Having nothing to do (like now) is no fun."

Money aside, most of them say they just want to keep busy to so they do not have to dwell on the tragedy.

But before they can start working and get their lives back on track, each of the women has different needs to attend to.

"If I have capital, I can start my kiosk right away," said Salamiah.

For Endang, what is important is getting a place of her own. "I'm really looking forward to moving to a temporary house. Right now I'm staying with relatives. I still feel a bit uncomfortable if I go out and get busy all day," she said.

But still, the most important thing, is to have something to do.

"I'll do anything, as long as it is halal (permitted by Islamic law)," said Nurlaila.