Living with Forces of Nature

Sixty percent of the world’s largest archipelago is covered by rainforest. Indonesia is home to a wealth of natural resources, but for its inhabitants life can be treacherous, as it is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the densest volcanic belt in the world. This zone is prone to heavy earthquakes, which often cause tsunamis. In December 2004, such a tsunami killed 165,000 Indonesians.

Few Profit from Growth

With the help of its tourism industry and the export of oil and gas, Indonesia’s economy quickly recovered from the disaster in 2004. The newfound wealth, however, is unequally distributed. Almost a third of the population lives in extreme poverty, and 60 % of Indonesians have to survive on 2 US Dollars a day. Progress has yet to reach remote provinces such as West Papua, where only major cities have paved roads, electricity, and local physicians.

Poverty in Cities

New and modern high-rises shape the landscape of major Indonesian cities, but slums also continue to expand steadily. Poor living conditions in the slums boost the spreading of diseases such as cholera, and residents cannot afford expensive medical treatment. The situation is related to the high rate of youth unemployment of about 30 %.

Marked Regional Inequality

Often, residents of smaller islands or remote villages are cut off from educational institutions and medical care. Compared to the national average of 71 years, Papua’s life expectancy rate ranks very low– only between 40 and 45 years. Only half of the children attend classes, and many have to travel far to reach a school. The HIV / AIDS rate is particularly high, and other diseases such as malaria are often left untreated.

Prepare for Disasters – Foster Health

Johanniter International Assistance has been active in Indonesia since 2005, after the deadly tsunami devastated the country. Following the initial disaster relief phase, Johanniter implemented projects of primary healthcare, literacy, disaster preparedness as well as first-aid programmes.

Currently, Johanniter is preparing the population of the coastal area of West Papua for future natural disasters, and also supports healthcare programmes in the slums of Jakarta and Bogor on Java. Johanniter also provide primary medical care and schooling for residents of the remote Tello islands in north Sumatra.

Please click here for additional information pertaining to disaster preparedness in Papua and West Papua.

Please refer to the table below for information on current Johanniter International Assistance projects in Indonesia.