Aceh: Rising from War and Disaster

Photo: David Snyder for Mercy Corps

The Indian Ocean tsunami quite literally shook the world. The magnitude 9.3 earthquake that spawned its catastrophic waves was the second most powerful on record. The waves traveled with such force that, seven hours after the earthquake, they killed almost 300 people on Somalia's coast.

But just fifteen minutes after the earthquake released tremendous energy into the ocean, tsunami waves hit Indonesia's Aceh Province with unimaginable force. Survivors describe hearing sounds like a great rumbling thunder or a loud wind. They talk about seeing the ocean recede and then, moments later, having an "oily black wave" bearing down on their villages. For most, the landfall and immediate aftermath are too horrific to describe.

Although thousands also perished in places like India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, Aceh Province was by far the hardest-hit by the tsunami: nearly 170,000 of the 230,000 estimated deaths were along the Acehnese coast, in tiny fishing villages and sprawling cities. At least 500,000 were instantly homeless. Unfortunately, Aceh was ill-equipped to deal with such devastation.

For more than a decade, Aceh had suffered from the constant violence of a civil war. The province was essentially shut off from the rest of Indonesia and, as a result, the rest of the world. There was a sense of isolation and distrust even among neighboring villages.

The tsunami changed everything, immediately. In some sense, the slate was wiped clean; the past mattered little. Help was needed from any available source, whether former foe or friend.

Mercy Corps was one of the first international relief and development organizations to enter and begin an emergency response in the once-closed province. Within a few days of the tsunami, we had almost 30 veteran staff on the ground in Aceh, distributing critical provisions and relief supplies for more than 100,000 survivors.

With assistance from international humanitarian organizations, communities pulled together like never before to re-open schools and hospitals, clean debris from streets and care for survivors. Mercy Corps helped encourage this renaissance of community through an extensive cash-for-work program: tsunami survivors were paid a daily living wage for their work, which infused flagging local economies with much-needed cash. It was a new beginning for Aceh in the wake of the world's worst recent disaster. It was an opportunity for peace; indeed, an agreement was finalized between the government and separatist forces just a few months later.

With collaboration from communities, local organizations and government, Mercy Corps helped survivors quickly move on with their lives.

"One of our greatest strengths is moving seamlessly from relief and recovery to long-term development of communities affected by disaster or crisis," said Mark Ferdig, Mercy Corps' Program Director in Aceh. "We are laying the groundwork for economic and social development. Our goal is to give communities the tools they need to succeed long after we leave."

Today, Mercy Corps is working with more than 200 Acehnese villages on programs that address continuing economic, agricultural and societal challenges. Some accomplishments to date include:

• More than 400 small businesses re-opened or created through an innovative Financial Access program;
• 17 local banks supported by Mercy Corps funds and training;
• 21,000 farmers involved in organic gardening and other agriculture programs;
• 879 community groups formed to address ongoing issues and ensure sustainability of programs; and
• 104 health clinics and hospitals rehabilitated or supported with critical equipment and supplies

Three years after the Indian Ocean tsunami — and more than a decade after violent conflict engulfed its population — Mercy Corps remains to helping Aceh build back better. The results are readily apparent in rebuilt villages and bright green crop fields.

As they near the end of a long post-disaster reconstruction, the Acehnese people are rising: more confident, capable and collaborative than ever before.