Ministry of Social Affairs Sends LDP Team to Accompany Earthquake Evacuees in Lumajang

LUMAJANG (April 11, 2021) – The Ministry of Social Affairs through the Technical Implementation Unit of the "Antasena" Children's Center in Magelang sent a Psychosocial Support Service Team (LDP) to assist earthquake victim evacuees in Iburaja Hamlet, Kaliuling Village, Tempursari District, Lumajang Regency. The team consisting of Social Workers, Mental Advisors, and Nurses are also tasked with conducting a needs assessment for the children affected by the earthquake in the hamlet.

In accordance with the direction of the Minister of Social Affairs, Tri Rismaharini that the Centers must respond quickly to social problems found in the community, therefore the "Antasena" Children's Center sent the LDP Team to provide psychosocial assistance and assess the needs of children who were victims of the earthquake in Lumajang.

"Antasena Children's Center needs and must provide psychosocial support services to reduce psychological trauma to children who are victims of the earthquake," said Kristin Anita Sufiani, a young social worker representing the head of the center.

Based on field monitoring and information obtained from Evacuation Command Post officers, in Iburaja Hamlet, Kaliuling Village, Tempursari District, there were 59 evacuees, consisting of 18 toddlers, 18 children, 8 elderly, and 15 adults. Currently, they are sheltering under evacuation tents with the arrangement that every 10 houses that are heavily damaged or uninhabitable occupy one tent.

Even though the epicenter was in the south of Malang Regency, the 6.1 magnitude earthquake caused quite severe damage to Lumajang Regency. Data on damage to buildings in Kaliuling Village recorded 447 damaged buildings, with details of 141 buildings heavily damaged, 305 moderately damaged, and 1 building lightly damaged. The process of collecting data on evacuees was slow because the houses of many village officials were heavily damaged, including the houses of the Village Head and the Village Secretary.

The LDP team at "Antasena" Children's Center provides psychosocial support to earthquake victim children through a holistic approach so that they can slowly get rid of the psychological trauma caused by the natural disaster they just experienced. On average, children are still experiencing significant trauma, inviting children to play together so that they can start to open themselves up to smile and accept the presence of outsiders as well as carry out assessments of children affected by the earthquake to find out their urgent needs.

"Please have the synergy of various parties in handling the impact of the victims after the earthquake both morally and materially," said Peny Tumitah, Head of Kaliuling Village.

Based on the results of the assessment that has been carried out, currently, the urgent needs to be met are food and beverage supplements for children, school equipment, and children's educational facilities. Considering that almost all of their houses were leveled to the ground so that their school equipment could no longer be used and the weather conditions often changed because they were entering the transition period.

One of the evacuees, Riris, said that there should be swift action from the officers in handling the houses that were destroyed to the ground, "Because we stay under the evacuee tents and if it rains everything gets wet," he said.

As for the current condition of the evacuees, on average they are in good health, although some have bandages on their heads, hands, and feet due to the ruins of building materials and wood. "Antasena" Children's Center also deployed medical personnel to help the health of evacuees to get better and recover both physically and psychologically. For the needs of adults, the elderly, and people with disabilities, Disaster Voluntary Workers (Tagana), who are in the soup kitchen, have fulfilled them.