News Alert: As Ramadan Begins, COVID-19 Takes Hold at the Worst Possible Time for Disaster-stricken Indonesia

As the world’s largest Muslim population prepares for Ramadan, COVID-19 threatens to devastate communities in Indonesia already living on the front lines of the climate crisis.

Mercy Corps’ Indonesia Executive Director, Ade Soekadis, says:

“For hundreds of millions of people across Indonesia, COVID-19 is the latest in a long line of crises they are learning to live with, and that are devastating their communities and livelihoods.

On average, one natural disaster has occurred every other month in Indonesia since the 2004 tsunami. COVID-19 threatens to not only match the devastation of some of these past disasters, but potentially act as a deadly multiplier.

For many Indonesians, only now recovering from the significant New Year flooding that displaced thousands and destroyed homes, COVID-19 has hit at the very worst time possible. Many are now preparing for the holy month of Ramadan worried not only about far-too-regular natural emergencies, but also about losing their jobs, making ends meet, and now COVID-19, which has already taken more than 600 lives.

We must support the Indonesian people to build resilience against disease, climate change and economic shocks so that disaster does not become their new normal. Mercy Corps is working with the government at both the national and local levels and in partnership with communities around the country to help them respond to and cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Mercy Corps is providing emergency COVID-19 support to fragile communities in  Indonesia, including building handwashing stations in North Jakarta, raising awareness of COVID-19, and continuing with programming to build resilience to the impacts of the climate crisis.