In early January 2024, Mount Lewotobi erupted, impacting five districts. Mount Lewotobi is one of the active volcanoes located in East Nusa Tenggara, surrounded by the districts of Walangitang, Titehena, Demon Pagong, Ile Bura, and Larantuka. The eruption lasted for 14 days, from January 1 to January 14, 2024, and was declared an emergency alert status (BNPB, 2024).
The clean water crisis became one of the most significant impacts of the eruption, especially in meeting the daily needs of the residents around the slopes of Mount Lewotobi, particularly in Dulipali and Klatanlo villages. Residents of these two villages reported difficulty accessing clean water during the eruption because the water was mixed with volcanic ash.
In response to this emergency situation, the Westerlaken Alliance Indonesia and Westerlaken Foundation, through its Emergency Relief program, conducted observations and site visits to Dulipali and Klatanlo villages. The observations revealed that both villages were still struggling to access clean water, and they were among the most affected by volcanic ash. Furthermore, the emergency relief team targeted households most affected by the eruption, specifically those with infants or toddlers, the elderly, and the sick.
On April 26, 2024, the Westerlaken Alliance Indonesia Foundation, in collaboration with the Neba Foundation, distributed 300 water filters, with 176 filters given to Dulipali village. On April 27, 2024, they continued the distribution by providing 124 water filters to Klatanlo village. The aim of distributing these water filters was to assist the residents of both villages in obtaining adequate access to clean water, ensuring that more than 1,300 people benefit from the water filters provided by the Westerlaken Alliance Indonesia Foundation as part of the Emergency Relief program.
During the distribution of the water filters, the Emergency Relief Team from the Westerlaken Alliance Indonesia also provided education on how to use and maintain the water filters to ensure they are utilized effectively and last for the long term.
The enthusiasm from the residents of Dulipali and Klatanlo reflected the need for continued strong communication between the Emergency Relief Team and local stakeholders, and the team will continue to monitor the use of the water filters by the beneficiaries
The community is very grateful for the water filters, which have greatly helped in accessing clean water, especially given the contamination of their well water with sulfur.
This mission would not have been possible without the support from the NEBA Foundation. We, the Westerlaken Alliance Indonesia Foundation, Westerlaken Foundation and the beneficiaries, would like to express our deepest gratitude to the NEBA Foundation for their trust and support.
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