When a disaster strikes, ordinary life comes to an end. Fifteen-year-old Rudi* was playing volleyball when the earthquake hit. He rushed back home to make sure his dad was okay.
Although the house had collapsed, the walls had fallen outwards. So, miraculously, Rudi’s dad had escaped unharmed.
On 28 September 2018 a 7.5 magnitude quake struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, bringing down buildings and severing communication networks. In some areas the ground turned to liquid as a tsunami swept through towns and villages. Eye witnesses described whole buildings sinking into the ground.
More than 4,300 people were killed and many more lost homes and livelihoods.
After the earthquake, Rudi and his dad had no choice but to live in a tent made of tarpaulin sheets next to their collapsed home.
Swift response
In the following days Tearfund partner MDS made a rapid assessment of the area to prioritise people in most need. More than 90 per cent of the houses in Rudi’s district were damaged, many of them completely destroyed.
Rudi’s family were given materials including wood, nails and hammers, as well as technical support to build a new home. To help it withstand any further quakes, MDS taught them to add a metal plate on each corner of the house to strengthen the foundation.
