IDDRR
Indonesia: Financing community evacuation centres
SHEEP Indonesia Foundation built multi-purpose Community Evacuation Centres in disaster-prone areas, combining local financing, community participation, and DRR training to strengthen resilience and reduce future disaster losses.
ORGANISATION
SHEEP Indonesia Foundation
LOCATION
Bangga (Sigi) & Lombonga (Donggala), Central Sulawesi; Santong Mulia (North Lombok), West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Indonesia is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, facing frequent earthquakes, flash floods, and extreme weather events. Traditional reactive approaches – waiting for disasters to strike before responding – are no longer sufficient. Recognising this, the SHEEP Indonesia Foundation (YSI) invested in proactive community-based disaster risk reduction through the construction of Community Evacuation Centers in three high-risk areas: Bangga, Lombonga, and Santong Mulia.
These centres are more than emergency shelters. They serve as multi-functional spaces used daily by the community for training, meetings, and disaster literacy programmes. By integrating preparedness into everyday life, the centres strengthen social cohesion, foster local ownership, and build a culture of resilience.
Local financing for real solutions
The evacuation centres demonstrate how directing funding towards resilience can yield tangible, lasting benefits. Local governments contributed land, while communities actively participated in planning, construction, and management, ensuring that the facilities address local needs. The use of local materials and engagement of local builders not only reduced costs but also developed skills and capacity within the community.
By prioritising prevention over costly post-disaster recovery, these centres exemplify how strategic investments in DRR save both lives and resources. Every rupiah spent on preparedness reduces future losses, while empowering communities to respond effectively to hazards.
Investing in resilience, not disasters
The initiative highlights the importance of financing that builds resilience rather than simply covering disaster costs. Through the construction of Community Evacuation Centres, SHEEP Indonesia Foundation shows that early investment in safety, planning, and community ownership strengthens the ability of vulnerable populations to withstand crises. These centres protect lives, safeguard livelihoods, and provide a sustainable model that can be replicated in other disaster-prone areas.
This International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, GNDR calls for governments, donors, the private sector and financial institutions to prioritise funding for resilience, not just funding for disasters when they strike.
All photos: SHEEP Indonesia Foundation