In the new year, Jakarta was struck by a natural disaster. Floods overwhelmed five administrative regions of Jakarta. As a result, according to the National Emergency Response Agency (BNPB) a number of residential areas and highroads were submerged by the flooding with water levels reaching anywhere between 30 cm to 2.5 meters high.
The Head of the Communication, Information and Data Center (Kapusdatinkom) of the BNPB, Agus Wibowo, stated that there were at least 63 flooding locations in Jakarta and at least 31,232 inhabitants had been forced to seek refuge ,with at least 1,500 sheltering in 23 emergency coordination post in North Jakarta, one of which was located in Kapuk Muara.
These floods not only had an impact on adults, but also on children. Moreover, the impact was even worse for children. In the aftermath of the flooding a number of children remained sad and moody, with decreased motivation and enthusiasm, particularly for their studies.
This situation was made worse by the inability of their parents to provide psychological support to their children. Economic factors meant that parents had to focus on how to survive following the floods. “The aims of the activity today are, first, to see changes in the children’s behavior in the future so that they become role model adults. For example, learn not to litter the streets, to take care of the environment as well as flood management,” said Diena Hariani of Sejiwa, an organization that focuses on children and bullying, online addiction and pornography.
The impact of the floods on children is frequently overlooked. Sejiwa with support from Pundi Hijau provided services and activities to strengthen the motivation of child victims of the Kapuk Muara floods in order to motivate the children and encourage them to take care of their environment.
This is one of the ways Pundi Hijau and IKa provide support to communities. Pundi Hijau raises resources (grants, knowledge, networks and volunteerism) to rehabilitate and empower victims of and activists focusing on food sovereignty and ecological justice.