As part of the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, A-PAD Indonesia established Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) – Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Forum and the team has been working to create disaster-resilient tourism villages. 

The forum, based in Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara, aims to build resilience in tourism village communities and acts as a multi-stakeholder platform to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate activities to reduce disaster risk and adapt to climate change. At the same time, the forum is contributing to educating and empowering local communities, promoting inter-sectoral collaboration and raising disaster preparedness awareness.

A-PAD spoke with regional leaders from each province to discuss their experiences, reflections on recent activities, and goals for the future.

Interview #3: Mr. I Nyoman Suastika from Tulamben Village in Bali Province

Q1. Prior to A-PAD’s project, had you ever learned about disaster preparedness at school or elsewhere?

No, I have never received any training before.

Q2. Which part of the year-long workshop did you find most interesting?

The process of formulating the village’s disaster management plans and program was particularly interesting. We gained significant practical experience through a wide range of activities, including conducting casualty evacuation drills, developing community evacuation maps, and executing full-scale disaster simulations.

Q3. What was the most challenging aspect of the program?

One of the challenges was managing residents who leave their designated shelters. In the aftermath of a disaster, physiological trauma makes it difficult and time-consuming to restore a sense of order. This reality required us to approach every aspect of our planning with extreme care, particularly when conducting evacuation drills for persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations.

Q4. What are your future goals for disaster preparedness in this village?

Our primary objective is to ensure that all community members acquire comprehensive knowledge of disaster management before, during, and after an event. By applying this expertise, we aim to minimize casualties and damage, ensuring that residents can return to their daily lives without enduring excessive long-term trauma.

Q5. Do you have any additional comments?

I hope that through the continuous implementation of these disaster preparedness activities, we can further strengthen Tulamben Village’s overall response capacity and resilience.

 

Forum members from Tulamben Village