PRR Task Force Head: Disaster Survivors Smile Again Thanks to Decent Housing

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Home Affairs and Chairman of the Task Force for Accelerating Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR) for Sumatra, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, stated that the presence of temporary housing (huntara) has brought back smiles to disaster survivors in Tunyang Village, Timang Gajah Subdistrict, Bener Meriah Regency, Aceh.

Tito revealed that the condition of the survivors in Tunyang Village is now far better than it was two months ago, coinciding with the completion of huntara construction equipped with adequate public facilities including sanitation, children’s playgrounds, sports facilities, a community hall, and a mosque for community activities.

“This (huntara) is extraordinary; I haven’t seen many like this. It’s very neat, and the faces of the community are noticeably different from when we came two months ago—they were crying; now they are smiling and laughing,” Tito said in his statement in Jakarta on Friday (24/5).

Aid in the form of basic necessities, housing contents, and economic stimulus is one of the post-disaster assistance schemes provided to ensure the livelihoods of survivors while awaiting the completion of permanent housing (huntap).

Furthermore, Tito reminded the Bener Meriah Regency Government apparatus to accelerate and complete the data collection for huntap recipients. This is because there are two models of huntap construction that need validation: in-situ huntap at the original location or communal huntap in one complex.

“So I need that data as soon as possible. Please visit them, Mr. Regent (of Bener Meriah, Tagore Abubakar), what is the choice of the residents,” said Tito.

One of the survivors named Kartini could not hide her joy when meeting Tito, who inspected the huntara in Tunyang Village, Timang Gajah Subdistrict, Bener Meriah Regency, Aceh.

Her memory returned to two months ago when she first met Tito in an atmosphere shrouded in confusion, after losing her husband who was swept away in the hydro-meteorological disaster in Bener Meriah at the end of November 2023.

“At that time I told my story, and Mr. Tito knew I lost my husband. My husband was swept away, I was confused, what about my children. At that time Mr. Tito said he would build huntara as soon as possible, so that I and my children could live in decent housing,” said Kartini when interviewed in Tunyang Village, Timang Gajah Subdistrict, Bener Meriah, Aceh.

“I just want to say thank you for building the huntara. Honestly, it has greatly relieved our difficulties compared to when we were in tents,” said Kartini.

In that brief meeting, Kartini told Tito about her condition two months ago, when she was still overshadowed by anxiety living in emergency tents. Moments later, without much delay, Tito realised that the woman before him was a disaster survivor who had previously expressed her anxiety about her child’s fate after her husband’s death.

“He immediately recognised me as soon as I said ‘I’m Kartini’. He directly asked about my children’s condition. Mr. Tito still remembers well the first time he met me and my children in the tent. I answered that our condition is good,” said Kartini.

The mother of two children admitted to hoping to rebuild her life and rise again after hearing from Tito that the government would soon build permanent housing (huntap) for disaster survivors in Bener Meriah. Although living in huntara is relatively comfortable, Kartini wants to organise her life with her two children in huntap.

“But I want to thank Mr. Tito for helping us. We are very happy living in huntara; our condition has improved,” said Kartini.