Barton gives a game plan to tsunami's young survivors

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

About 50 schoolchildren gathered at the soccer field in Lamlhom, Aceh, on an afternoon earlier this month, eager to meet a special guest.

It was the opening day of former Newcastle and England player Warren Barton's five-day tour of the province under the auspices of Plan International, a UK-based charity working with children to alleviate poverty.

As adults and young girls looked on, the 36 year old began his coaching clinic by explaining basic skills, before organizing a session of drills.

It was a fun-filled atmosphere, with the boys, aged from seven to 15, put through their paces as Barton shouted instructions and, for a particularly skillful play, gave a thumbs-up.

After the session, Barton handed out caps, shirts and other souvenirs to the children.

Cradled in a hilly enclave, surrounded by a brick wall and shady trees, the pitch is a perfect place for a game.

Just outside, however, is a stark landscape, where houses and their residents were swept away in the Dec. 26 tsunami.

Barton and his traveling companions, including members of Plan and the media, heard the stories of the youngest survivors during their trip.

"We were at home when the waves came," said high school student Fahmi as he waited his turn at a clinic. "We all ran to hilly ground but it was too late. I was engulfed by the waves. Fortunately, I was able to cling on to a board."

His voice trembled as he spoke of losing his mother and sister, among the 90 percent of Lampuuk town's 6,000 residents lost in the disaster.

In a place where everybody was hard hit, there are some who came off even worse, measured in their injuries and how many relatives were killed.

In Indra Patra village in Mesjid Raya district, Suryadi was left to watch his friends on the pitch. The 13 year old lost his parents and seven of his 11 siblings, and now has a limp after breaking his leg. He has a metal pin in his leg to help him walk better.

Barton, a father of three, was taken aback by the scope of the disaster as he visited villages and refugee camps.

"It was a very sad moment. The destruction that the waves left is a shock to me," Barton said.

"You can't imagine how they were at the time, in fear, confusion and panic. But you can feel the sadness around you. You look around and see even now, after five months, people are still trying to come to terms (with the disaster). Now they have to rebuild and try to focus on the future."

In the provincial capital Banda Aceh, however, people have picked up the pieces and are getting on with their daily lives.

"It has been surprising to me how well people have recovered. You come to the hotel. It looks like it's safe, it's fine. Half of the town is very busy. People are working and busy in the center. And the other half is still trying to come to terms. It has been, in a way, a pleasant relief."

Barton, who retired from professional soccer last year after seven seasons with Newcastle, coaches English fourth division club Dagenham and is a Sky TV soccer commentator.

During his Aceh tour, he made do with whatever space was available to put on a clinic.

At Saney, 44 kilometers south of Banda Aceh, that meant playing in a makeshift wooden hut inside the refugee camp.

"It's great," he said of his experience. "I'm lucky to have coached in the United States, Caribbean, Singapore, Thailand and Europe. The children are all the same. The Aceh kids also have enthusiasm.

"It's good to be for two or three hours on a pitch. Nothing around is so important. They are smiling, having fun. That's why I came here... to help them for a short time with some comfort."

He saw the potential in some of the youngsters.

"Eight or nine of them have good technique and play good soccer. The national team might need them in the future. A lot more will have to be done to make them good footballers. However, today is about enjoyment."

Plan Indonesia's Aceh program adviser Brook Weisman-Ross said that about 250,000 children in Aceh were directly affected by the disaster.

"Many of the children have suffered devastating losses... of their houses, families, brothers and sisters, parents, educational and playground facilities," said Weisman-Ross, who has taken an indefinite leave from his banking job in Rhode Island, U.S., to volunteer with Plan.

Plan Indonesia, which has operated in the country since the 1960s, has made its presence felt in Aceh in the wake of the disaster.

"Our mission is to help children in Aceh. They need education, sanitation, clean water and a place to live and grow," said Weisman-Ross, adding that as many as 4,000 children were involved in Plan's reconstruction program.

Barton was happy to be part of the effort to keep the spotlight firmly on rebuilding Aceh, even when the tsunami story is relegated to the media back burner.

"Back home, people can forget. It's important to remind people that it's not over yet. It's still a long...long way to go.

"I hope that I can help to generate more publicity again to keep the interest and donations coming in."