Water Purifying Powder Helps Community to Get Clean Water during Flood

Floods hit West Kalimantan, precisely in Sintang, Melawi and Sekadau regencies. This   flood was caused by the overflow of water from the Kapuas and Melawi rivers due to high rainfall since mid-October. Based on information from the National Disaster Management Agency, to date as many as 140,468 residents have been affected by floods in Sintang. Meanwhile, according to the Regional Disaster Management Agency of Melawi Regency, the flood height has so far reached one to one and a half meters in several roads. The flood also cut off the road connecting Melawi and Sintang regencies.

As a result of this flood, people were evacuated from their homes, but there were also some who remained in their homes because road access was cut off. Most of the villages in the two regencies were affected by the floods including the villages assisted by Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI). To respond to this situation, WVI collaborates with local governments to provide basic assistance for flood-affected communities such as food and clean water. To solve the need of clean water in a flood situation, WVI distributes water purifier packages to affected residents. The package contains purifier powder and water purification equipment.

One of the beneficiaries, Wawan, was grateful for the assistance he received in the Sintang area,

“I am very grateful for the assistance provided by WVI. We have been evacuated for 2 weeks and no help coming to us. I am grateful that WVI is here and taking care of us. This assistance is very useful because currently, we cannot go to work while the need for food is limited in the shop," he said

Besides distributing food and water purifier packages, WVI also opened a Child-Friendly Space for the children affected by the flood. In this space, children receive psychosocial assistance through various activities. Through the flood response in the West Kalimantan region, especially Sintang, Melawi, and Sekadau Regency, to this day as many as 588 households affected by flooding have received food assistance. As many as 901 households have received assistance from hygiene promotion activities including the distribution of water purifier packages.

The current condition is getting worse because the rainfall is also getting higher in the Sintang and Melawi areas. Together with partners, WVI will continue this flood response until January 2022. Various efforts will also be made to meet several important needs needed by flood-affected residents such as clean water, sanitation facility, cleaning equipment, and the program of additional food for under-five children.

Written by Rena Tanjung, Communications Officer, Wahana Visi Indonesia