The challenge Across the world, political and ethnic struggles often lead to families and individuals fleeing their homes. Whilst sometimes they can return to their homes successfully, often it is to villages that are decimated. Others can't return and have to make new lives in difficult circumstances.
In Indonesia, the communal conflicts in Central Sulawesi in 1997 caused great humanitarian suffering with large numbers of people displaced. Later, more than 60% of the population of East Timor was displaced during the crisis which followed the referendum on independence in 1999.
Whilst many families from these provinces have been able to return to their homes, many others have not been able to do so. Those still displaced continue to face uncertainty and anxiety about the future, poor health and nutrition, inadequate shelter and clean water, and high unemployment.
CARE's response
CARE is helping 9,750 displaced families in these two provinces to rebuild their lives and communities. In the Indonesian language, pulih means recovered or back to normality.
Peace building and reconciliation:
CARE works with the host villagers and the displaced families to use traditional customs and structures to help the acceptance and integration of the newcomers by making the communities aware of their common ancestry and of the mutual benefits that reconciliation can create. Traditional leaders play key roles in undertaking peace-building efforts.
Mapping land use and community needs:
A central part of the PULIH project involves everyone in the village drawing up a community map identifying existing land use and community services. These foster discussion about unused land that can be farmed by the new families and opportunities to diversify agriculture, as well as identifying other unmet community needs such as access to village health clinics. In turn, development plans for the village are made.
Practical support for designing and implementing community development plans:
The PULIH project supports these development plans in a range of practical ways:
- land use is certified so that it is recognised and approved;
- training in sustainable agriculture enhances farming skills;
- seed fairs provide opportunities to bring farmers and vendors together and stimulate farmers to intensify farming to enhance food security;
- access to markets, networks, business opportunities and micro-finance are enhanced and facilitated;
- inter-village networks and links with government agencies are encouraged;
- basic community facilities are developed;
- Community development and water users committees are established.
All of this works together to help families develop viable livelihoods and futures in harmonious communities. Importantly, it is the communities themselves who decide on, and develop, these plans.
Improving child and maternal health
The health needs of particularly vulnerable people such as children under 5 years of age and pregnant and lactating women are addressed by establishing or revitalising village health clinics. The Nutrition Education Rehabilitation Sessions (NERS) component of the project conducts nutrition and health education for parents, checks the weight of children and supplies high energy food to undernourished children.
CARE works closely with provincial and national level policy makers to ensure that project activities are consistent with, and integrated into, the Indonesian Government's community development policies.
Sector : SEAD, Rural Development, and Access Market
Location : East Nusa Tenggara & Central Sulawesi
Donor : European Commission
Project Period : October 2005 – December 2007
Page last updated October 22, 2008
