Indonesia

Context

Indonesia is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including extreme events such as floods and droughts, and long-term changes from sea level rise, shifts in rainfall patterns and increasing temperature. Semarang City, Plan International’s project location, has been vulnerable to flooding for centuries. The government and urban stakeholders have made various efforts to reduce risks such as water channels construction and polder systems. However, the occurrence and risk of flooding is still a significant hazard to this capital city, particularly for coastal communities whose lives and livelihoods are affected by flooding.

Enhanced Community Resilience

This condition has encouraged coastal communities to participate in the B-READY project implemented in five urban villages of Semarang, targeting a total population of 84,196 people. While climate change and hydrometeorological disasters are closely linked, community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) methods and tools can provide a strong capacity for adaptation to climate change and efforts to build preparedness, resilience and reducing disaster risks. Local groups at village level such as women groups (Srikandi), children’s forums, youth groups (karang taruna) and micro business unit (LPMPK) are engaged in the activities in order to build sustainability from the beginning through community ownership and capacity building.

B-READY’s community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) approach aims at enhancing community resilience through early actions based on early warnings and facilitate digital cash transfers to vulnerable household before disaster strikes. The community inclusion also happens through the creation of default flood index linked to triggers developed through consultation with local partners and communities. Financial access to cash transfers and inclusion trainings for the local community encourage preparedness and promote knowledge sharing regarding disaster risk finance. The project has allowed the understanding of community organization when faced with natural hazards threats. Indeed, even though the community as a whole is responsible for preparing and learning, it has been surveyed that younger groups and educated respondents are the actor in the household to help community on technology. These efforts and trainings altogether allow the increase of financial literacy as a way to strengthen family-based disaster preparedness. 

In the case of AA and B-READY, it has been proven that community preparedness and mitigation are pivotal for flood risk reduction, hence sustainable for communities. The work undertaken with communities has allowed B-READY and its partners to earn the trust of local authorities and develop an exit strategy together with partners and the government, leading to its integration in city/village development plans. It has also foster close coordination between Fpf mechanisms and local authorities. This strategy and the whole inclusive process preceding it have enhanced both local authorities and community’s ownership and appropriation of existing financial tools early actions and preparedness plans.

Programme Partners

Plan International UK together with Plan Indonesia in agreement with SETARA, and UK partner Global Parametrics, are partnering for the implementation of B-READY.