Upholding the Spirit of Volunteerism in West Nusa Tenggara

The earthquake disaster that hit Lombok Island in 2018 immediately became a catalyst for volunteerism in West Nusa Tenggara Province (NTB). That spirit continues to build resilience in the people, communities and organisations facing natural disasters.

There is a saying that ‘hard times bring out the best in people’. When faced with disasters,  some men and women seem not to think about themselves but focus on the safety of those around them, driven by a spirit of humanity and volunteerism. This was evident when a magnitude 7 earthquake shook Lombok 6 years ago. The event brought with it tragedy and immense suffering, but also tales of survival and generosity of spirit, as victims acted to assist those around them before even thinking of their own needs. This was true both during the earthquake and in the months after when many were living in evacuation camps.

This selflessness was seen across professional boundaries and circumstances. Suryani Eka Wijaya (Eka), a planner at the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) of NTB Province, for example, decided to return to work immediately, despite experiencing considerable trauma. She said that after the initial earthquake, there were many aftershocks that she and her family slept in front of the house. A particularly strong aftershock occurred on 19 August 2018. She felt like she was having a nightmare the atmosphere was so tense. She and the others were so scared that they chose to sleep outdoors in the open. In Mataram City, many open spaces, including the courtyards of government offices, became temporary evacuation shelters.

At that time, everyday activities, including those of the government, were virtually paralysed. ‘Then, one day, I was called by the Head of the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) of NTB Province, asking me to go to the office with a laptop. My sister and I went to the office, trying to understand what had happened and trying to help where we could, she said, sharing her experience and reflections on the six-year anniversary of the Lombok earthquake on Monday, 5 August, in Mataram City.

The sixth anniversary of the Lombok earthquake was commemorated with the launch of a book entitled Making Peace with Disasters: Learning Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies Using Various Approaches in NTB. The book is a compilation of writings from members of the NTB Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Forum (FPRB) to help capture some of the valuable lessons that were learned during that time. This book is a result of the collaboration between the NTB Provincial Government and the NTB Provincial FPRB, supported by the SIAP SIAGA Program. Eka is one of its authors.

Even in a situation marred by fear and concerns about the safety of her family, Eka decided to keep working. The provincial government office in Mataram City was operating at limited capacity due to employee absence, but the emergency response still required immediate action.

Eka then joined a small team, which was later named the Joint Secretariat (Sekber). This secretariat focused on accelerating earthquake handling, especially related to data consolidation from all affected districts/cities as a basis for developing earthquake management plans. ‘I don’t remember whether this Secretariat had a letter of assignment or not. This was not important at that time; the important thing was to act, she said.

At the time, data consolidation efforts became urgent so policies and decisions could be made using valid data. Starting from the number of victims, affected buildings and other infrastructures to logistical needs. In a disaster situation, data often becomes a problem, and this was the case with the Lombok earthquake. There were many data sources, from community groups and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to government officials. The data consolidation from Sekber centralised data flows during the Lombok earthquake and ensured it could be monitored continuously.

‘Fortunately, we were able to address this problem in the Sekber. But, data changes rapidly, so the Sekber had to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week’, she said.

Accelerating Assistance

This remarkable work dynamic left Eka barely enough time to think about herself and her family. It was the humanitarian call that led her and other Sekber members to operate beyond their official duties. Fortunately, this yielded positive results. The data managed by Sekber became not only a reference for policies and information shared by the media but also the basis for monitoring and evaluating the aid they received.

The NTB Provincial Government used the data to find other funding sources besides the National Budget (APBN) and Regional Budget (APBD). This included a grant from the Government of Germany, which was used to fund post-disaster programs outlined in the NTB Earthquake Action Plan. In addition to Germany, Australia and Qatar also provided assistance. ‘Their confidence in providing assistance was based on the data we were able to provide in our plans. Without reliable data, it is difficult to convince these countries to provide support’, Eka said.

A similar experience was recounted by Burhan, the Head of Karang Subagan Daya Hamlet, West Pemenang Village, Pemenang Subdistrict, North Lombok Regency. As told in the book Making Peace with Disasters: Learning Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies with Various Approaches in NTB, even though his family and neighbours were still living in evacuation sites, he and the Village Disaster Preparedness Team (TSBD) immediately collected data on the condition of people’s houses, cataloguing those that were severely, moderately and lightly damaged.

For Burhan, once the daily logistical needs in the evacuation camps were stable, the recovery process was a priority.  The damage extended beyond houses and buildings, even the waterways and roads were blocked by debris. These needed to be cleaned immediately so that people could start rebuilding their lives.

Burhan and his team carried out data collection by using photos from mobile phones to get the exact coordinate points. He then submitted this data to the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and the North Lombok Regency Bappeda for verification. As a result, Karang Subagan Daya Hamlet became one of the first areas to receive recovery assistance.

Upholding the Spirit

The Head of FPRB of NTB Province, Rahmat Sabani, admitted that the 2018 Lombok earthquake served as a catalyst to strengthen the spirit of humanitarianism and the consolidation of volunteers. Disasters build togetherness among volunteers, who are often fragmented by the multiplicity of programs and institutions delivering programs.

‘From local wisdom and culture, the people already had a strong sense of civic duty. In the context of natural disasters in NTB, disaster volunteers have been emerging since 2010, when the TSBD initiative began in East Lombok and North Lombok Regencies’, Rahmat said. Since then, he continued that the existence of volunteers has been dependent on institutions overseeing them, both government and non-government institutions. The earthquakes in 2018 and later the COVID-19 pandemic were the major tipping points.

With the momentum from these two events subsided, it is important to maintain the consolidation of volunteers without supplanting their overarching institutions or programs. ‘We at FPRB are evaluating whether there is a need for a separate unit in FPRB to focus on volunteer coordination, especially now that FPRB has comprehensive data on volunteers in NTB. In my opinion, currently, there is no need for special institutionalisation, for example, in the form of a Volunteer Forum’, said Rahmat.

Rahmat believes that establishing a special institution, especially in the form of a work unit, complete with regular incentives, will actually pull voluntarism from its roots. Furthermore, many volunteers do not operate under the umbrella of any institution and would be overlooked by such a process.

Rahmat emphasised that at least three things could be done to nurture the existence of disaster volunteers in NTB. First, make sure they feel content and happy with what they are doing. Second, recognising and appreciating their role while keeping this appreciation social and not monetary. Third, ensuring active engagement through activities outside of disaster periods. One activity that will be held in 2024 is the NTB Volunteer Jamboree in Bima Regency. ‘We have to realise that we must maintain this spirit. After all, they are the front line in times of disaster, sometimes even without thinking about themselves and their families’, said Rahmat.