Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
Survivors of the earthquake that jolted the island of Java and devastated parts of Yogyakarta and Central Java have been compelled to be creative in reorganizing their lives.
Take, for example, Sumarah, 21, from Payak Cilik hamlet in Bantul, who completed building his temporary house on Monday. Sumarah used material he had salvaged from the rubble, to the wonderment not only of his neighbors but of relief agencies.
""It's amazing looking at what the survivors can do to help themselves get on their feet again,"" said special emergency coordinator of the Sydney-based humanitarian aid and development organization, Austcare, Nickola Krey.
""We are pleased to know that what we give is really helpful to this resourceful community,"" said visitor Peter O'Neill. He is representing the Wollongong community in New South Wales, Australia, which donated funds for quake survivors through Austcare.
The May 27 earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale toppled Sumarah's house to the ground. Nonetheless, he was able to reuse remnants from the building, such as the wooden door and window frames, as well as the roof tiles.
So, when Austcare provided assistance in the form of nails, tools and woven bamboo sheets for walls, Sumarah immediately took the opportunity to build a temporary home.
The assistance was distributed through Austcare's local partner, the Yogyakarta-based Institute for Rural Empowerment and Global Studies at the Cindelaras Paritrana Foundation.
Helped by his elder brother Ponijo, 32, Sumarah cleared the rubble and built the temporary house on the place where his old house once stood, so that he could make use of its cement flooring.
""There happen to be a lot of bamboo plants in our backyard, so there's no need for us to buy any building material,"" said Sumarah's wife, Supriyati, 20.
They started building the house in the middle of June and finished it in two weeks. The four-by-six-meter house appears tiny amid the debris from the earthquake.
The color scheme of natural green and yellow from the plaited bamboo and bright orange from the wooden frame gives the impression that this is not just any temporary house.
The woven bamboo wall sheets provided by Austcare are used for the back part and kitchen, while the middle part of the house uses woven bamboo walls made by Ponijo. The top half of the front wall is made from woven bamboo and the other half from the orange wooden frames from the old house.
Bamboo and timber are used for supporting pillars, and cupboards acts as dividers. Even though one has to sit on mats on the floor because the furniture was damaged in the quake, the interior of the house has a nice, homey atmosphere.
""I suppose this house can stand for several years before my brother builds another house that's more permanent,"" said Ponijo.
