SNA MEDIA CLUB COLUMN

Please Help Lombok – Part Two

This is a follow-up article of our Lombok Part 1 article in which we called for your kind donations for the victims of the Lombok earthquake. The misfortune that befell Lombok residents was undoubtedly traumatising, but thanks to the donations that poured in from everywhere in the world, their physical and mental health is gradually recovering. The monetary donations collected by Singapore National Academy (SNA) were used to build toilets for schools and to purchase seven water tanks to provide water to the following village schools - Bagik Manis, Belanting, Labuan Pandan, Padak Guar, Sugian and Tekalok - in the subdistrict of Sambelia. With the help of Pak Saiful, a tour guide turned volunteer leader, SNA managed to reach out to Desa Kekait, one of the villages located in the west of Lombok. Although the lives of the people there seemed to have largely returned to normal, recent extensive rain has made life in some places difficult. SNA managed to build three semipermanent houses for three families whose homes were destroyed by the earthquake. Pak Saiful also helped SNA to purchase daily goods and distributed them to villagers in need. Boards to serve as walls, tarpaulins, and other basic daily needs like diapers, rice and eggs have made their way to the right people and have aided countless families. Despite being an earthquake victim himself, Pak Saiful led fellow volunteers to aid those in need. When asked what motivated him to lend a hand, he explained that as a human being he felt morally obliged to help others. Instead of wallowing in sadness he became determined to help make things right again. SNA hopes that more aid will come because the lives of Lombok residents will not return to normal until they can build replacement homes for their families. Having tourists back on the island would certainly help to get Lombok’s economy back on its feet, providing much-needed jobs and income for the local residents. Indonesia Expat and Singapore National Academy are joining forces to provide insightful articles on Surabaya. The young student journalists in the SNA Media Club get to learn valuable writing techniques with the help of the editorial staff at Indonesia Expat.