On 27th May 2006 an earthquake struck just off the coast of Java, Indonesia.
Whilst many communities were affected, the worst damage occurred in Bantul (population approx. 750,000), a region on the outskirts of Yogyakarta. The immediate death toll was 5,761 and reported injuries were 37,339. The total number of homes destroyed or severely damaged was 610,551. The total number of schools destroyed or badly damaged was 2,912.
With limited government support, it took the area over three years to get back to any sort of normality in their lives. In that time, a number of other quakes took place, the area had floods, mudslides and the active Merapi volcano erupted. Through education, sanitation and healthcare, SIRF worked alongside MUM Bali to restore normality to these fractured communities.
