Managing haze disaster

Managing haze disaster

From Business Indonesia

Haze has by chance taught us, rich and poor, that our carelessness in tapping natural resources puts at stake the lives of all living creatures.

People in low-income brackets are the worst hit by the impacts of severe drought and haze-polluted air.

We, West Kalimantan Natural Disaster Management Station, a local non-governmental organization, provide humanitarian services, such as free distribution of masks to affected community members.

In addition, we also undertake written and oral information campaigns in West Kalimantan, receive haze-related reports, take data of haze-related victims and forge solidarity for social activities, including recruiting volunteers.

If possible, we would also like to cooperate with medical personnel in the distribution of medicines to the community.

At the initial stage, we distributed freely 20,000 face masks to people in Pontianak and in rural areas.

In Pontianak, which has four subdistricts, this distribution was assigned to four groups of five volunteers, each handling a subdistrict. They went to residential areas and distributed the masks to those needing them.

We have resorted to this method of distribution because we wish to allow some newspaper boys who sell masks in a number of strategic streets in Pontianak to continue with their mask business.

MATHEUS PILIN

Pontianak, West Kalimantan