Volunteer benefit from UN Internet cafe in Meulaboh

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.