Mataram, Lombok. 8 June 2022 – Over 150,000 Indonesians in quake-hit Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province will benefit from the completed reconstruction of vital infrastructure by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with funding from the German government through KfW, the Development Bank, following the official handover of the facilities to the provincial government on Wednesday.

UNDP, through the Programme for Earthquake and Tsunami Reconstruction Assistance (PETRA) has been working in the province following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2018 which claimed over 500 lives and displaced around 400,000 people.

“West Nusa Tenggara  is located in the Ring of Fire  which makes it vulnerable to disasters. Our ancestors have local knowledge about constructing resilient buildings which are reflected in the design and architecture of Lombok houses. These reconstructed facilities also integrate local values,” said Lalu Gita Haryadi, Regional Secretary on half of Vice Governor, Dr. Ir. Hj. Sitti Rohmi Djalilah during the handover ceremony hosted by the National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) in the provincial city of Mataram.

UNDP handed over the public facilities through BNPB, the national partner on disaster resilience efforts in Indonesia. The 22-building public facilities includes four schools, one major health care facility, nine auxiliary health care clinics, and eight community halls.

“Thousands of students now feel safer since they can now resume their studies in a more secure environment. Thousands of expecting mothers no longer must travel great distances to get medical attention, and more people can now use the newly constructed communal halls for economic activities. I hope these facilities will go a long way to ensuring we leave no one behind as the country builds forward better,” said Norimasa Shimomura, Resident Representative, UNDP Indonesia.

He added that the rigorous reconstruction process was inclusive, involving strong participation from the local community, including women in key roles in construction and administration.

“As we mitigate disasters and focus on helping communities rebuild their lives, we recognize the importance of key partnerships. Working hand in hand with UNDP, the reconstruction of these critical pieces of infrastructure as part of our commitment to the people of Lombok and Indonesia, in ensuring we move forward together and stronger,” said Lilik Kurniawan, Deputy Director, BNPB.

Olaf Goerke from KfW office Jakarta recognized the community’s spirit.

“On behalf of the German government we partnered with UNDP immediately after the disaster in 2018 and have since seen the progress of the reconstruction. Beyond the physical work, we have also observed the focus on the inclusive way in which the entire community participated in this effort to support these new developments, which is very much in line with the values of KfW. On behalf of the people and the government of Germany we wish you much success,” he said.

The German government allocated a grant of EUR 25 million (approximately USD 28.4 million) to rebuild critical infrastructure in the quake-hit provinces of West Nusa Tenggara and Central Sulawesi. UNDP manages this initiative in close collaboration with the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS), BNPB, and Provincial Governments, as part of the Reconstruction Master Plan and Plan of Action.

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MEDIA CONTACTS

UNDP Indonesia Resilience and Reconstruction Unit Team Leader, Christian B. Usfinit christian.usfinit@undp.org

UNDP Indonesia Communication Specialist, Tomi Soetjipto, suryo.tomi@undp.org

UNDP Indonesia Communication and Advocacy Specialist, Ranjit Jose ranjit.jose@undp.org