Jakarta, Indonesia-Relief -- Development International Inc so far has provided 1,4 million dollar of USAID recycled grant to help relief and rehabilitation activities in Aceh tsunami zone. The money came from USAID grant for Support for Peaceful Democratization (SPD) project, which already started since 1998 in Indonesia.
SPD project is normally in the business of disbursing grants to local and international civil society organizations. Since 1998, the project has provided grants management and technical assistance for media programs, voter education campaigns, and conflict mediation and reconciliation initiatives across all of Indonesia, with a special focus on troubled provinces such as Aceh.
The SPD project office in Banda Aceh, which was established in 1999, was washed away in the tsunami. Less than two weeks later, the project had reopened at a new location, which serves as a communications hub, flexible office space, meeting facility, and sleeping quarters for U.S. government staff and DAI staff who rotate in from Jakarta as necessary.
On January 19, DAI approved three sub-grants to Indonesian organizations working in tsunami-affected areas. Muhammadiyah, the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia received $62,688 for a school clean-up and cash-for-work program in Banda Aceh. In addition, Yayasan Rumpun Bambu received $74,725 to implement cash-for-work rehabilitation activities in Banda Aceh city and Aceh Besar District, and Satkorlak Aceh, the provincial disaster management agency, received $15,000 for disaster management training.
DAI claimed in January the total disbursements have exceeded $1.6 million. But according to USAID report on June 5, from $5 million allocated for ‘‘immediate relief and rehabilitation interventions through local and international NGOs’’, the company has only disbursed $1.4 million of grant.
US grant channeled through DAI is part of $350 million of aid that US government pledged for tsunami victims. © che