Eni (50) is a committed housewife whose daily activities revolves around taking care of her home, children, and husband. Albeit her routine, she carries a deep sense of social responsibility and is always eager to contribute to her community activities. She is an active member of the Disaster-Preparedness Village Team (or KSB) in Katimbang Sub-district, formed by INANTA-YCWS through the CLEAR program, with the support of Makassar City Social Affairs Department.
As a part of disaster mitigation team, Eni holds a crucial role in delivering early weather warnings from the BKMG (Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency) to the community. Once the BKMG issues an alert for extreme weather or a possibility of flooding, Eni, along with her team swiftly spread the information and provide instruction – ensuring residents are prepared. This is no easy task, as she must ensure that people understand what to do –whether safeguarding their valuable possessions or evacuating when necessary.
“As KSB member, I have to be on alert under any circumstances, which mean I need to take care of my health and immunity… since I am responsible for helping the flood-affected residents. We must prepare ourselves – especially our families and for our own well-being.” said Eni passionately when she told us about her experiences as KSB member.
When flood strikes, Katimbang Sub-district has several severely affected areas. The KSB team, including Eni, works tirelessly to evacuate residents living in those flood-prone zones. Eni told us that some residents chose to stay in their homes despite worsening conditions, as long as they had enough basic necessities. However, for those who lacks essential supplies, Eni with her team personally delivered aids to their homes, even though her own house was also affected by the flood.
Evacuation process possess its own major challenges, according to Eni and her team. One of the most pressing issued was the lack of rubber boats. Katimbang Sub-district had only one rubber boat, while the majority of the Katimbang residents, especially in two particular areas (called the block AF and Kodam areas), desperately needed evacuation. With limited transportation, evacuations became even more difficult, as many people urgently sought safety.
Thankfully, with the support of the CLEAR program, the KSB team received additional equipment, including stretchers. While not ideal for flood conditions, these stretchers proved to be lifesaving tools. The team was able to use them effectively to safely carry immobile residents to evacuation centres or safer locations. This equipment played a significant role in improving evacuation efforts, particularly in locations where access was severely restricted by floodwaters.
“… when we evacuated, there was an elderly person who needed to be transferred to the hospital, but the rubber boat was still far from the area. So we improvised using the stretcher,” recalled Eni.
Eni’s sense of social responsibility and solidarity did not stop there. Beyond direct involvement in rescuing activities, Eni also helped in the community kitchen team, preparing meals and other essentials for displaced residents.
“… the KSB team does not just focus on one task – we try to handle everything. For example, during the first few days of flooding, there was yet received assistance from the government, so I took the initiative to help in the community kitchen. I packed the meal, delivered them to those in need”,
Despite her own home being flooded, she never hesitated to lend a hand. Living just 150 meters from the evacuation centre, she was always present, making sure the needs of the affected residents were met. Her selflessness and dedication are not just for her family, but also to her wider community. That made her a true example of a compassionate and courageous leader.
Fortunately, under the CLEAR program, the Katimbang KSB team is now better organised and more prepared to respond to future disasters. They no longer have to wait long to establish emergency posts and can carry out their task more efficiently – hence more lives can be saved.
Despite facing countless challenges, Eni never backs down. Her spirit of solidarity and service has earned her the respect and admiration from many. She proves that courage, resilience, and the power of community can overcome even the toughest challenges – no matter how devastating the floodwaters may be.
