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| HSI 2007 |
| Students and faculty tour the rebuilt school |
The day after Christmas, Dec. 26, 2004, a tsunami of unprecedented ferocity hit Indonesia and its neighbors in the Indian Ocean. A 9.0-magnitude earthquake on the ocean floor near Sumatra sent the tsunami's powerful waves across the Indian Ocean from Indonesia to Thailand to Sri Lanka and India. It destroyed everything in its path and washed the remains out to sea.
No place was the storm's impact more evident than in Banda Aceh, located in the northern region of Sumatra. There, the storm caused massive loss of human and animal life. It leveled the town and outlying areas; only a few buildings remained. Thick mud, wood and other rubble—averaging six feet deep—made getting around difficult. The few surviving animals were hungry, and there was no food to be found.
Counting Losses
Prior to the tsunami, the community had no local private veterinary practices. All veterinary care was provided through the provincial government service. The provincial ministry of animal health was based in Banda Aceh, and the loss of its facilities, equipment and staff (approximately one third of the staff are unaccounted for and presumed dead) in the catastrophe severely compromised the service.
Located in Banda Aceh less than a kilometer from the ocean, the University of Syiah Kuala and Teaching Farm suffered severe damage to all of its facilities and its school family. The school served as the main veterinary center and teaching facility for northern Sumatra, a region that depends heavily upon farming and livestock production.
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Communities depend on working farm animals for their livelihoods and survival. In most cases, animals are the crucial lifeblood of the community. |
Pre-tsunami, the school boasted 75 lecturers and 571 veterinary students. Following the devastation, 10 faculty (8% of the teaching staff) and 40 students (7% of the student body) were confirmed dead or missing. Of the surviving 531 students, 151 students had to drop out after the tsunami.
In addition to the loss of human life, the tsunami either destroyed or damaged school buildings and their contents, as well as animal care facilities. Losses included the infrastructure and contents of classrooms, barns, corrals, and feed stations. The school's teaching farm (which served for practical training) suffered severe damage as well.
The loss of the veterinary school handicapped economic recovery in the region. Without healthy animals, revenue-producing activities were not possible. Companion animals that were not neutered and vaccinated were set to grow to unmanageable populations, increasing the risk of disease for both animals and people. Teachers, veterinarians and government animal workers based at the school were no longer available to serve the community. The school had also contributed to the community's economical health through jobs, services, and products the school used from the surrounding region.
The loss of the school's veterinary students and staff would have a lasting impact for years to come.
Recovering from the Devastation
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| HSI 2007 |
| Entering the Teaching Farm |
The first international animal welfare organization on the ground after the tsunami, HSI immediately began efforts to assess the situation, to stabilize the welfare of the animals affected by the tsunami, and to improve their care prior to the tsunami.
HSI Executive Director, Neil Trent, explained the importance of getting a grip on the animal issues in the midst of the human loss and suffering. "Throughout the affected region, communities depend on working farm animals for their livelihoods and survival. In most cases, animals are the crucial lifeblood of the community," said Trent.
Not only is it necessary to dispose of animal remains and control animal populations in order to contain the spread of diseases, but it is vital to jump-start the economies of these devastated communities—economies largely built on animal agriculture. Rebuilding the agricultural infrastructure can help a community feed its own citizens and become self-sufficient again.
Anxious to get the animal welfare infrastructure in Banda Aceh back on track after the tsunami's devastation, the HSI assessment team developed a proposal for rebuilding the Teaching Farm at the university. In addition to the rebuilding of the physical facilities and replacement of equipment, the plan included support to introduce and implement the veterinary teaching syllabus for animal welfare: Concepts in Animal Welfare.
Teaching Farm Spells Hope for the Future
In 2006, Giant Steps Foundation provided the funds for the project and joined with HSI to make this vision a reality. The team responsible for completing the task of rebuilding the school eventually consisted of HSI, Giant Steps Foundation, World Society for the Protection of Animals and local animal welfare group, Yayasan Yudisthira Swarga (The Bali Street Dog Foundation).
Using a local contractor and workers, construction began in August 2006. The transformation unfolded over the next eight months, and construction was completed in April 2007.
On May 3, HSI hosted a celebration at the new facility. HSI Executive Director Neil Trent and HSI Asia's Sherry Grant attended. Representatives from WSPA and Yayasan Yudisthira Swarga were also present, along with members of the local government and the University of Syiah Kuala. As part of the ceremony, the Teaching Farm was formally turned over to the university dean.
The farm will be an effective teaching unit, emphasizing animal welfare practices and the proper care of agricultural animals. The completion of the Teaching Farm is a major step in the recovery of the animal welfare system in the region as well as the economy and hope of the Banda Aceh people.
