Media Releases

6 April 2006

Further community services are restored in Aceh

Today, further community services in Aceh are restored with the reopening of Baitussalam Sub-district office in Aceh Besar and the Muhammadiyah Midwifery Academy in Banda Aceh. The Australia Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development (AIPRD) provided a total of A$730,000 to support the reconstruction and the rebuilding of these two community facilities.

Head of AusAID Indonesia, Allison Sudradjat attended the reopening ceremony and emphasized the need to also build the skills and capacity of the local governments and community in order to sustain development in Aceh.

“A strong local government that responds to the communities needs is an essential ingredient in the Aceh reconstruction effort,” says Mrs Allison Sudradjat.

“This is why rebuilding the skills and capacity of local governments and community will remain a priority for the Australia Indonesia Partnership's reconstruction work in Aceh,” Mrs Sudradjat added.

During the earthquake and tsunami in 2004, many community facilities were badly damaged. To date, Australia has committed over A$220 million to activities, particularly in the health, education and governance sectors to rebuild Aceh. In the local governance and community infrastructure program for example, Australia is providing buildings, equipment and training to 17 Tsunami-affected Sub District offices in Aceh.

The Midwifery Academy (AKBID) of Muhammadiyah was also severely damaged during the tsunami when three lecturers and forty student midwives lost their lives. Australia then assisted in the repair and refurbishment of this teaching facility, and equipped the Academy with appropriate clinical teaching aids and relevant textbooks that will enhance the competency-based training of midwives.

With the assistance of the Australian Government AKBID Muhammadiyah is once again equipped and ready to carry out its responsibility for training approximately half of the midwife workforce in the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

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