Post-flood assistance still out of reach

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It has been more than a month since floodwaters subsided from the homes of Jakarta residents, but many damaged homes still remain unrepaired as most flood victims have no money to fix them.

"I can't bear any longer to stay under this severely-cracked roof and broken wall. The rains just pour into my home," said Nurhayati, a resident of Kampung Pulo in Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta.

Nurhayati said that she could not immediately repair the damage as she was broke. Most of her meager earnings from selling fried cakes were used to buy food for her family, while her husband was unemployed.

Nurhayati, however, said she planned to borrow money from her neighbors to repair her house.

Like many other flood victims, she was not aware that the city administration has provided more than Rp 10 billion for the renovation of 4,171 houses in 124 subdistricts which were damaged during the floods.

The work would be conducted by developers appointed by the City Housing Agency. It is not clear when the project would start. But the agency has made it clear that they would cut the Rp 200,000 administration fee, and another Rp 250,000 as a 10 percent tax, from the Rp 2.5 million fund allocated for each damaged house.

The administration also allocated Rp 250 million for each of the city's 267 subdistricts in the so-called Subdistrict Community Empowerment Program.

The disbursement of the fund is also not clear, and the flood victims have to find another way to survive while they wait.

Sadiyah and her husband, who sell fuel and oil for motorists in a small kiosk in front of her house in Teluk Gong, Pejagalan subdistrict, North Jakarta, lost all of their merchandise, home appliances and other goods during the floods.

"I'm broke now as all my working capital vanished during the floods," she said.

She was able to start the business as a good Samaritan lent her a drum of gasoline and another drum of diesel fuel about two weeks ago.

But, life was much harder for other flood victims like Sati, who had to live in a shabby hut with her twin toddlers.

"With my husband working as a low-paid worker in a plant here, we are thankful if our children are able to eat rice everyday," said the woman, who only had three items of clothing to wear.

Another flood victim in Kampung Pulo, Ramli, complained that as of Saturday, no financial support had been disbursed by the city administration to help relieve the suffering of flood victims in his neighborhood.

"We are in dire need of such funds. With our own money, it's impossible to repair all the damage as we don't have enough to cover our basic needs," said Ramli who makes a living by repairing out-of-order electronics.

Pejagalan subdistrict chief Widodo Budiyono said he had received Rp 250 million for the community-based empowerment program. He said his office was conducting the "proper test" for 11 families who had sent their proposals for assistance.