Good News For Nature And Environment

Tuesday, 30 March 2021
by Trustha Rembaka, S.Th.

(Mapping the Vulnerable Areas and Potencies of the Gunungkidul Community)

A Collaboration between Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta & Testimony and Services Division of Javanese Christian Churches (GKJ) Classis in Gunungkidul

 

 

 

Community Empowerment as one of Stube HEMAT's missions is realized through collaboration with the Testimony and Services division of Javanese Christian Church (GKJ) Classis in Gunungkidul through a workshop on Ecology (Monday, 29/03/2021) at GKJ Paliyan, Gunungkidul. This activity is a follow-up to Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta's 'Climate Change and Life Survival' training to help young people and stakeholders realize the places and areas of Indonesia that are prone to natural disasters, and be able to adapt themselves with knowledge related to climate change, natural events, natural damage and how to survive during the disaster as well as disaster management.

 

 

In the opening ceremony, Rev. Yusak Sumardiko, S.Th said, “Currently we are learning together about ecology, how we understand disasters, including the skills to map disaster-prone areas around us, and the potencies of the community to respond to disaster threats. The hope is that at the end of the activity there will be joint ideas and actions as a response to environmental problems, especially in Gunungkidul."

 

Rev. Bambang Sumbodo, S.Th., M.Min, board of Stube HEMAT, in a theological reflection based on the book of Genesis where humans have a mind, humans should be able to take the right attitude and act in response to climate change. There is new knowledge related to disaster management, such as water management and mapping the types of plants that can be used as disaster mitigation. Then, the church is encouraged to include ecological content in the church's teaching and to contribute more to efforts to conserve water and springs in the Gunungkidul area by reforesting the catchment area.

 

 

Entering the current topic of climate change Trustha Rembaka, S.Th and Putri Laoli from Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta guided participants to recognize climate change, which can be seen by its phenomenons from an increase in global earth temperature, melting of polar ice, changes in rain patterns, rising sea levels and circulation changes of ocean currents. The global earth temperature is influenced by the extent of forests globally, so the existence of forests must be maintained. As a district that has the largest area in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, the people of Gunungkidul should protect the existing forest area.

 

The involvement of the participants in this activity became closer when Indra Baskoro Adi, S.Psi., MMB, a Disaster Management practitioner accompanied the participants to understand disasters and how to manage them and provide the participants the opportunity to map the threats of disasters that have occurred and those that are prone to occur, as well as to make an inventory of their strengths and potencies of community to deal with them, both mitigation and adaptation. The group discussion presented several findings related to threats and disasters, such as flash floods that hit several villages in Karangmojo district, tornadoes that hit several villages in Nglipar district, and drought that occurred in most districts in Gunungkidul and landslides that  occured in Patuk, Gedangsari, and Paliyan districts. However, community awareness has begun to be awakened, supported by technology to access the internet so that they can quickly find out about disasters and find out why they happened.

 

 

 

One of the participants, Agnes from Semin, Gunungkidul, revealed that she felt equipped with the material provided, so that her awareness of the disaster response was enlighted because Semin district had the threat of landslides so that she could determine what steps could be taken to reduce this threat, one of which was by planting trees in vulnerable areas.

 

These findings related to climate change have motivated the churches in the Gunungkidul region to unite in a joint movement as a manifestation of climate change awareness and response to ecological calls to bring good news to the universe and the environment. ***


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Understanding Merapi as a Friend

Wednesday, 17 March 2021
by Michael

Turgo Exposure Reflection by Michael

 

 

 

I am Michael, from Malinau, North Kalimantan, I want to share a story about the experience of observing Mount Merapi and the surrounding residents. Previously, I would like to share my background, I am interested to join an organization that gives attention to natural disaster awareness, namely Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta. Why am I interested in joining this activity? Because I am interested in activities that discuss natural disasters and I want to know more about what is meant by a disaster and how to overcome it according to my study background at the Natural Sciences Education University of Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa Yogyakarta. It motivates me to join the activities of  Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta.

 

At that time, the Stube-HEMAT activity agenda was exposing Merapi Volcano Museum (MGM) and Turgo village on the slopes of Mount Merapi. It made me so enthusiastic to participate in this activity because many questions are swirling in my head. On February 27, 2021, I and other participants visited MGM in the Pakem district. Here, we were welcomed by a media simulation of the eruption of Mount Merapi completed with the shape and contours of the land surface around the mountain which is identical to the original. Accompanied by the museum guide, we observed the impact of the 2010 eruption of Merapi which is depicted in a model of a house that was badly damaged by hot clouds. On the other hand, I learned about the various volcanoes in Indonesia and they are still active. It turns out that Kalimantan is relatively far from a series of volcanoes in the world.

 

From MGM we headed to the village of Turgo which is 5 km below the peak of Merapi. Together with Indra, the source person, we observed the peak of Merapi and the path of the lava flow when Merapi erupted. This shows how small humans are in the middle of the universe. After that, we met some residents to have a dialogue and to get to know more about Mount Merapi. I cannot wait to ask them a question I hear often that makes me curious, such as why the people choose to stay in Turgo village even though this village is very close to Mount Merapi and very dangerous for their lives because it has erupted for several times.

 

 

One of the residents, Hadi replied, “Merapi is our friend. Why can it be called a friend? Friends, already know each other. We, who live in Turgo rely on living on the slopes of Merapi, and our livelihoods come from the results of the eruption of Mount Merapi, such as sand, stones, fertile soil for plants. Also, we were born and live in this place. Mount Merapi does not erupt every day, week, or month, so we are used to the behavior of Mount Merapi. We, who live here have a strategy to avoid and overcome the threat from the raging Mount Merapi, complemented with technological advances from government agencies that are very helpful, it makes them choose to stay. When the activity of Mount Merapi increases, we increase our alert and will evacuate whenever the conditions require. If we have to move from this place, it will be difficult because it is far from the fields and it will take a long time to adapt.”

 

From the experience of this dialogue, I remember that my area in Malinau, North Kalimantan is experiencing frequent flooding every rainy season and must find a solution so that residents do not feel understood and used to flooding but look for causes and how to overcome them. This experience story cannot tell the whole reality, but at least this exposure can answer my curiosity and answer my friends' questions.***


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Having Awareness about Disaster

Tuesday, 16 March 2021
by Daniel Prasdika

Turgo Exposure Reflection

by Daniel Prasdika (Lampung)

 

 

 

 

On Saturday, February 27, 2021, we visited Turgo, the closest village to the peak of Mount Merapi, with a radius of 5 kms, as part of the Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta program on the topic 'Climate Change and Life Survival'. This activity was held to build students’ awareness about climate change and how to maintain the survival of both humans and the environment. Turgo became a place for me and Stube's friends to have dialogue directly with residents and to discuss information about what had happened during the several eruptions of Mount Merapi. Several residents became sources of information when we visited. They were Misran as the head of the village, Sariyem, and Mbah Hadi as residents and facilitated by Indra Baskoro Adi, S.Psi., M.M.B, a practitioner of disaster management.

 

There were several things as the topic of discussion or questions during the visit, such as what the role of the government during a disaster was, when Mount Merapi had started to show signs of increasing activity, how people recognized Mount Merapi was about to erupt, what signs of an eruption are, especially before the eruption, what the experience of the residents during the eruption, where the Turgo residents fled to refuge, and several other questions.

 

 

One of the speakers we interviewed, namely Misran, said that now there has been direct action from the local government by conducting education and socialization related to the eruption of Mount Merapi, avoiding river areas when it erupts, providing shelter for residents, and initiating a sister village where the village in Turgo partnered with a village in a safe area that became a place of refuge if an eruption occurred any time.

 

 

According to Indra Baskoro's explanation, based on Law No. 24 2007, the implementation of disaster management in situations where there is a potency for a disaster to occur, include preparation to ensure prompt and appropriate efforts to deal with disaster that can be carried out through the preparation and trial of disaster emergency management plans, organizing, installing, and testing early warning systems, provision and preparation of supplies to meet basic needs. For example, a standby bag containing securities, drinking water, and dry food. Early Warning serves to convey the latest information on the status of Merapi's activities and the actions that must be taken by various parties and especially by the community who are threatened with danger, for example, sirens and communication tools. Mitigation is a series of efforts to reduce disaster risk, both through physical development as well as awareness and capacity building to deal with disaster threats, for example in the form of self-help observation posts and patrol teams observing the peak of Merapi. Disaster Emergency Response is a series of activities carried out immediately at the time of a disaster to deal with the bad effects caused, which include rescue and evacuation of victims, property, fulfillment of basic needs, protection, management of refugees, rescue, and restoration of infrastructure and facilities. For example, the sister village of Turgo village and one of the villages in Ngaglik district.

 

 

In this exposure, we found a variety of new knowledge, and it turned out that four levels indicate the activity of Mount Merapi, from normal active, aware, alert, and danger, each of which has certain conditions. We were very equipped with a variety of useful information, we hope that we have self-preparation to anticipate disasters, how to act during disasters, and post-disasters that cannot be predicted when they occur.***


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Women’s Awareness about Disaster

Monday, 15 March 2021
by Wike Marsela

Turgo Exposure Reflection

by Wike Marsela

 

 

 

 

Saturday, February 27, 2021, was a unique moment for me because I visited an active volcano in the Special Region of Yogyakarta for the first time, after entering my fifth year living in this city. Yes, I am Wike Marsela from Lubuk Linggau, South Sumatera. I am currently studying for the Master of Education Management at the University of Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa Yogyakarta.

 

Mount Merapi is a mountain located in the middle of the island of Java and one of the active volcanoes in Indonesia which has two consequences. On one hand, volcanoes cause potential danger for the safety of the surrounding population if they erupt, especially the slopes of Mount Merapi are quite densely populated, which includes the regencies of Sleman, Klaten, Boyolali, and Magelang, which have a high eruption threat. The main dangers that threaten the surrounding area of Merapi are the flow of hot clouds, thrown stones, ash rain, lava, and toxic gases. The consequences arising from this disaster can be in the form of casualties and the damage of the environment or ecosystem, property or assets loss, livelihood loss, lifelong disability, psychological disorders, trauma, etc. On the other hand, the existence of Mount Merapi also brings life to the surrounding community, from sand, stones, fertile land for plantations, and other productive plants besides tourism.

 

 

The visit to Turgo is a part of Exposure to Merapi under the guidance of Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta as a student mentoring program with its motto H-idup (live), E-fisien (efficient), M-andiri (self-supported), A-nalitis (analytical), T-ekun (perseverance). This program is oriented for students to understand and utilize life efficiently, independently, analytically, and diligently to do everything to achieve the aspired future. Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta is a forum that facilitates students with a hope that participants will proceed through series of training that are followed to become qualified individuals.

 

In dialogue with residents, Stube also provides space for women's representatives to share their experiences of living in Turgo during the eruption and what they are doing now. Sariyem, who was sitting with us, said, “At that time, without any clear signs, Merapi erupted hot clouds suddenly and slid to the southwest through the Boyong River. The hot cloud slide hit the riverbed and some soared and some turned toward the village. It was in 1994, I was pregnant, struggling to save myself and the baby that was being conceived. At that time I heard the rumbling sound and saw black clouds rising and heading towards the village. I was very afraid that the black cloud would overwhelm our village and our bamboo house. Spontaneously, even though I was pregnant, I ran for safety to the bricked house, but because of panic I was in the wrong direction, I should have run away from the source of eruption, but instead ran up towards the black clouds. Immediately I realized it and turned around and was helped by other residents to escape to the lower area.”

 

 

Sariyem admitted that she and the women in Turgo learned from past experiences, that it was important to be aware of being in a disaster area and that education was carried out to prepare themselves if a disaster happened again. The women's social gathering group carried out education and sharing about disasters, by planning and organizing to achieve the desired goals. So that, when an eruption occurs like this year (2021), the residents and women can manage refugee camps, work in public kitchens and organize water availability.

After hearing the testimony, for me, women are strong even though they are often referred to as weak creatures. How come? A woman who is pregnant and struggling to save herself with the baby in the womb, is not an easy thing, moreover without preparation. Mental strength and big courage make women survive. Keep fighting to survive Indonesian women. ***


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