YOGYAKARTA – UGM Disaster Response Unit (DERU) and the women association, Tetes Embun for Merapi, distributes 109 relief package to 261 households (families) who live in temporary shelters at Kuwang sub-village, Argomulyo, Cangkringan sub-district, Sleman regency on Saturday (26/2). Delivery of the aid was conducted symbolically by the representatives, Mrs. Koento Wibisono and Ana Budiono Sri Handoko, witnessed by Chairman of DERU, Slamet Widiyanto, S.Si., M.Sc., to one of the residents.
The aid package in form of 10 items of cooking utensils, according to Slamet Widiyanto, is given in order to help ease the burden of the Merapi survivors who now occupy the shelter. "In addition to channeling the aid, DERU is also involved in the assistance of the economic recovery for the residents," said Slamet.
Slamet said the DERU was also building 52 shelters in the Kuwang sub-village. Interestingly, the model does not use bamboo material, but plywood, lumber, and concrete foundation instead. "Now we’ve completed about 27 shelters. This week they are already able to be occupied," said Slamet.
Ana Budiono Sri Handoko said this aid package is the result of donations from the colleagues of wives of UGM lecturers, both at the country and abroad. The donation then distributed through DERU. One aid package contains 10 items of cooking utensils, a kettle, frying pan, thermo-can, cups, plates, ladle, kettle, and so on. "At the request of residents, in the future we will provide assistance of traditional cloths," she said.
Ana hoped that the assistance can complement the needs during their stay in the shelter. "This assistance is a manifestation of a sense of concern and share. I hope they can be useful," she said.
The residents came from 10 sub-vilages around the slopes of Merapi, among others Bakalan, Mbronggang, Gadingan, Banaran, Jetis, Karangelu, Jaranan, Liwang, Teplok, and Manggung. The chief of Bakalan sub-village, Eko Bejo Subekti, said that the people currently no longer have a house because of the damage caused by the Merapi pyroclastics and lava. However, they are still try to endure while waiting for the certainty of the relocation from the government. “All of us do not have a home. So, any assistance provided would be very useful for us," he said.
Dr. Hargo Utomo, one of the members of economic recovery team from UGM, explained that he would involve 20 lecturers and hundreds of students to provide economic recovery assistance to residents. In addition, the assistance delivery was also conducted at Gondang and Turi. "This week we started to do the initial mapping process," he said.