Indian Ocean tsunami survivors reunited with childhood drawings

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/dec/25/indian-ocean-tsunami-survivors-sumatra

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After the Boxing Day tsunami, World Food Programme staff, who were in Aceh province on the island of Sumatra to set up a school meals programme for survivors, invited children to draw pictures of their experiences. A decade after the disaster, 10 of those young people, now students, or working locally, share their stories.

Sayu Firdaus (known as Fir) and Gustidar (Gus) are both from Meulaboh in West Aceh, Indonesia. Fir, now 21, is working in his community as a police officer.

Fir was one of the luckier people in the province as his house was not affected by the tsunami. However, he was devastated when he learned that he had lost eight relatives who were living in a neighbouring district right by the sea. He drew his picture to honour those he’d lost.

“It was bittersweet. I am really glad that my house and [immediate] family were not affected, but on that day I lost something greater, my relatives,” he says. “After the tsunami, people were in shock, the economic activity in the area was pretty much on standstill for the next few months. I remember receiving food assistance at home and in school. It was not easy to purchase food at the time.”

Gus is a university student who also teaches Islamic studies. Before the tsunami hit, Gus had already lost her father, and, as her mother was struggling to support her daughter on her own, she had been adopted by another family.

Even though the waves did not reach their house, parts of it were destroyed by the earthquake.

“We managed to run to the hill and took refuge there for three days,” she says.

Gus, now 20, makes and sells cookies and snacks to support herself through university.

When the tsunami hit, Zikra was at home with her family: “We suddenly felt the earthquake. When we got outside, the water was already there. I saw people and debris carried by the water.”

They ran to the mosque and took refuge there until the water levels dropped. From the rooftop, she remembers seeing water all around her.

They spent one night on the mountain: “We were quite lucky since our house was not affected too much. We could go home the next day,” she says. Now 22, Zikra waitresses at a seafood restaurant in Banda Aceh.

Fadli was watching TV at home with his family as the earthquake hit. “When we got outside we heard people yelling ‘the water is rising!’ When we looked back it was true that water had risen. So we were all running to the mosque. After the tsunami we lived in tents and barracks.” At 21, Fadli works in the family business processing sea cucumbers, which are sold on to Medan on the north coast of Sumatra.

Fachri Ramadhan, now 21 and an engineering student at Universitas Syiah Kuala (Unsyiah), was separated from his family.

“I first felt the earthquake so I went out of the house. The next thing, I saw a massive wave. I was panicked, so I ran. But I didn’t run fast enough, so I got carried by the water and [nearly] drowned. Luckily I managed to hold on to a house structure so I survived.”

His family managed to find him on the street, but his father, who was out fishing, was lost at sea.

“After the tsunami, my family and I lived in the refugee camp for about six months,” he says. He remembers receiving assistance the next day from an airdrop. Even though Fachri’s house was not entirely destroyed, the family only returned there in mid-2005 due to the trauma.

“I now study technical engineering. I would very much like to work in a chemical processing company after I graduate.”

Nurul Latifah, who wants to be a famous painter and designer, is now 18 and also studying at Unsyiah, majoring in fashion design.

Nurul was in her room changing her clothes when she felt the earthquake. She heard a loud noise which she at first thought was an aeroplane, and now realises was the sound of the wave about to crash.

“I ran out of my house with my siblings. We all got into the car and tried to [escape] from the water. I saw a person get carried by the water already.” From the mosque, she saw her house being flattened.

“I remember I looked back for a couple of seconds when I was running and saw a guy on a motorbike; he got swallowed by the wave and disappeared.”

Ummi Safrianti and her family were watching TV at home: “I first felt the earthquake so I went out of the house. The next thing I saw a massive wave, taller than a coconut tree. We managed to run to the house next door and went straight to the second floor; that’s how we survived. Unfortunately my dad was out fishing in the sea so he fell victim to the tsunami. We never found his remains,” she says.

Ummi is now studying industrial engineering.

“My name is Yuliza Irnanda, I am now 21 years old and, 10 years after the tsunami, praise the lord that I have achieved my dream goal to be a nurse – I’ve graduated from nursing school in Banda Aceh. My next goal is to serve my country and to help people in need during emergencies.

“I was just waking up when I felt the earthquake. I was only with my aunt at the time. When we got out, our neighbour’s house was already collapsed. A few minutes later the quake stopped and the water came. When we were running, I saw a woman with her organs coming out of her body because her abdomen was slashed. That’s when I was inspired to be a nurse, so I can help people like her.

“That image is still etched in my memory like it just happened yesterday. I studied really hard. I remember how helpless I felt when I saw that woman. I want to help people who are suffering like her if there are other emergencies in the future.”

Asmaniah, now 21, was at home with her family when the earthquake struck. She was shocked when she saw the water rushing from the ocean towards her village: “We were hanging out at home and then the earthquake hit so we all ran out from the house and immediately we saw the water rise so we all ran to the mountain.” They spent one night there before a neighbour picked them up using a small fishing boat and they all went to the refugee camp.

Asmaniah now works at one of the department stores in Banda Aceh as a shop assistant.

Alfia Rahmi was at home with her younger sister when the tsunami came. She was only eight at the time and was especially panicked since neither of her parents were at home. When they finally returned, they all set off for higher ground but couldn’t outrun the water. Alfia got carried away by the current.

“I could not stop crying when I was separated from my parents. I remember I was holding my mom’s hand and suddenly I felt the water hit us from behind and I could not feel my mother’s hand any more,” she says, welling up. In the end it was a stranger who saved her life. While she was separated from her family, she could not help but think the worst had happened to them. Yet the next day they were reunited.