When many people hear of disasters, they often want to donate food or clothing to send to survivors, like those of last week's deadly earthquake in Indonesia. But goods reach people fastest when they're acquired close to where the disaster hits, and delivering large quantities from outside can distort local markets. Recognizing this, CARE has established an innovative system to help affected families in Indonesia while also regenerating the local economy.
The system, called the market-based food approach, will provide 20,000 earthquake survivors with vouchers for goods from local vendors, whom CARE selects and helps to meet the demand.
The approach was honed during CARE's experience responding to the December 2004 tsunami that hit Indonesia and other Indian Ocean nations. In the quake-affected Yogyakarta area, CARE is expanding this approach to include essential household items such as toothpaste, sanitary napkins, and soap.
Traditional packages of relief goods can be inefficient, delivering sanitary napkins to men, for example, says Johan Kieft, CARE's emergency team coordinator in Java. The voucher system, however, has been proven both to address food insecurity efficiently and to help local economies recover. Local merchants in Java are eagerly approaching CARE staff asking to participate in the program, he added. CARE will strive to ensure small merchants and women-owned businesses get a fair share of sales.
"CARE's program is using local resources, local staff and local solutions to provide swift and effective relief to survivors," Kieft says. "We're building on lessons learned during the tsunami."
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