Markus Sababalat (41), the sub-village head of erkat Lama since 2012, recalled the impact of 2010’s tsunami that destroyed infrastructure including water tank in Berkat Lama sub-village. “The rehabilitation and reconstruction program from government has failed to address the need of the community in this sub-village. Five years after the 2010’s earthquake and tsunami, government failed to reconstruct the broken facilities for clean water in this sub-village. For 5 years, 231 villagers here struggled to walk 1 km to get clean water from the mountain, the only water source around and often conflicted one another for getting clean water” Markus recounted.

Markus recounted how then in 2016 the community in his sub-village managed to rebuild water tank jointly with CDRM&CDS “Every year since 2010, CDRM&CDS has facilitated community and village government to develop village disaster risk reduction and development plan. In 2016, the Sikakap Village’s Community Development Committee (LPM) and Berkat Lama sub-village’s Community Resilience Unit (SATLINMAS) developed a proposal for rebuilding water tank in the sub-village. CDRM&CDS and community have jointly rebuilt the water tank. Community contributed building materials such as sand, pebble and timber, while CDRM&CDS contributed manufacturing materials like cement for the building. Now villagers can get water easily. The water tank has recovered the community peaceful life as they can get water close to their house from the water tank” said Markus proudly.

Written by: Elyandu, CDRM&CDS Community Empowerment Facilitator in Sikakap Village, Mentawai Islands