U.S. gives $250,000 for flood victims
U.S. gives $250,000 for flood victims
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
United States President George W. Bush has expressed sympathy
to floods victims in Jakarta, extending US$250,000 in food aid
under a program of the U.S. Assistance for International
Development (USAID).
The USAID general counselor, John Gardner, conveyed on Tuesday
Bush's sympathy and distributed food and medicine to 50,000
victims in Klender, East Jakarta.
"We are concerned about the problem of health, nutrition and
children who could not go to school due to the floods," Gardner
said, as quoted by Antara.
USAID might give more assistance if floods do not subside
soon. USAID, in cooperation with World Vision Indonesia, has
distributed 300 tons of rice, 16,000 cans of food, eight tons of
beans and survival kits that include plastic bags, blankets and
medicines.
The fund will also be distributed through the Catholic Relief
Services and Mercy Corps.
The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has also provided
assistance worth Rp 216 million to flood victims. Working
together with local non-governmental organizations, WFP has also
monitored the distribution to ensure that the much needed
assistance is provided promptly to the victims.
While the Canadian ambassador to Indonesia, Ferry de
Kerckhove, also announced that the embassy would provide Rp 100
million (US$9,700) to help flood victims.
The embassy, under the Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA) Canada Fund for Local Initiatives program, will
channel its support through the Suara Ibu Peduli (Voice of
Concerned Mothers) to help 5,260 victims in South Jakarta.
Besides embassies, private companies and individual donors
have also lent a hand to help flood victims.
Heavy downpour in Jakarta since last Monday inundated most of
the city, including the "untouchable" areas around Jl. Sudirman,
Jl. Thamrin and the Monas area.
More than 380,000 people whose houses were inundated have
taken refuge in temporary shelters. They are now in deep need of
food, blankets and medicine.