Volunteer benefit from UN Internet cafe in Meulaboh

The Jakarta Post, Meulaboh

A daughter who has a penchant for flying off to odd corners of the earth to help people in distress is any mother's nightmare -- unless, as is thankfully easy these days, she can be phoned or contacted via the internet.

So from cold Hastings in England to the sweltering coastal town of Meulaboh, the mother of volunteer Kim Sanders-Fisher can be at peace, knowing from the gay voice across the oceans that all must be well.

This is thanks to the "UN internet cafe" (see photo), as it is known here, a short drive from downtown Meulaboh, turning left in Lapang area.

The entry to the fenced off site reveals a little colony of tents, neatly separated by planks of woods serving as pathways.

The "cafe" is in one of these tents -- the one with the beach-side folding chairs outside, convenient to plonk in and chat or work on wireless computers.

Since the early weeks of the tsunami three months ago, many of the staff of relief agencies have left, but the "internet cafe" staffers say they still see customers from dozens of agencies throughout the week. Meulaboh still sees frequent electricity cuts and for each agency to have their own internet connection is far from efficient.

There are prices for printing and cool drinks at the cafe -- but the phone and internet is free, which is of course the best part, apart from the late hours and good connection.

"We close at 10 p.m.," says Henry Moore, a volunteer here. He's come all the way from "home" -- meaning Jayapura in Papua province, where he's an electrician at Yayasan Jasa Aviasi (the Aviation Services Foundation).

"Sometimes it's very noisy here, sometimes very quiet", he says, with everyone engrossed in their online world.

The volunteers say the service is made possible through a number of contributions to cover the total cost of US$3,000 a month, mostly for satellite costs apart from the laptops and generator.

California, the home of Silicon Valley, is the home base of one of the contributors -- Pactec International, as well as, among others, Air Service International, and Loral Skynet for the satellite connection.

They cannot be sure how long the service will be around -- but the crowd at the tent would sorely miss the "Cafe", not to mention the families and friends of so many volunteers across the continents.