| Floyd Cowan visited Calang in Aceh one year after | | | | clinic to full medical standards along with |
| the tsunami wreaked havoc on the small fishing | | | | accommodation for 12 medical staff. In addition to |
| village where he saw how a medical clinic set up and | | | | the medical facilities an administration and |
| funded by Rolls-Royce and HSBC has helped the | | | | communication centre, dining and kitchen facilities, |
| people as they struggle to recover. | | | | storage, an integral electricity generator unit, a water |
| The rotor on the Russian military helicopter throbbed | | | | treatment plant, laundry and sanitation facilities were |
| in a regular monotonous beat as we drifted down an | | | | part of the package. It was all put together in Batam |
| idyllic coastline painted with white beaches, decorated | | | | and taken by barge to Calang. |
| with odd shaped islands of rocks and cliffs and | | | | "We could not have done this without the help of |
| solitary palms. Over the green undulating forest-clad | | | | the Indonesian marines," Dr Gray emphasis. "They |
| mountains themorning sun sent gentle rays that | | | | got the containers off the barge and moved it to its |
| glimmered golden off the sea. This was perfect | | | | location, which was no easy task. There was no |
| peace and beauty and unspoiled nature. But this is | | | | harbour or docking facilities and four times the |
| the paradise that nature spoiled. This is Aceh. One | | | | temporary landings they had made got washed away |
| year after the December 26, 2004 tsunami wreaked | | | | and they had to rebuild them."The on-the-ground |
| havoc on Sumatra the landscape remains scarred and | | | | co-ordinator for this project from Rolls-Royce is Sub |
| the people deeply wounded. | | | | Manager Bachtiar, who lived for two and half months |
| We had already seen Banda Aceh and we could still | | | | in a tent while the clinic was being built. He has since |
| see the destruction the tsunami had wrought but we | | | | occupied one of the staff rooms at the clinic. "I am |
| could not see all the damage it had done. With us on | | | | like one of the local people now," he smiles. "It |
| the Russian helicopter that was doing United Nations | | | | sometimes happens that at midnight someone comes |
| duty was a Muslim lady with a gentle round face that | | | | and they need your help. You are able to help them |
| was as peaceful as the morning and as radiant as the | | | | and then you are very happy." |
| rising sun. Her eyes sparkled and her smile was warm. | | | | One of the reasons this project could be done so |
| We were told she was a midwife and she worked in | | | | quickly is because Rolls-Royce has been in the |
| the clinic we were going to visit. Elly Safri Yati was | | | | country for over 45 years and Dr Gray has been |
| one of the tsunami's victims. Elly had lived but she | | | | there for seven years. "We were able to do this |
| lost her three children. "I was holding two of my | | | | because we know the framework here. We know all |
| children when the wave hit," she said. "I couldn't hold | | | | the players. I was able to go to the right people and |
| on to them, they disappeared and I never saw them | | | | get letters that helped us cut through all the red tape |
| again. | | | | we might have faced. |
| We are all familiar with the horrible stories of the | | | | Despite the success of this clinic the work in Calang, |
| tragedy that happened that Boxing Day but we are | | | | and all of Aceh, is far from finished. "Now that we |
| not as familiar with the work that has been done | | | | have the plan we are building a second medical |
| since to repair at least some of the damage.around it, | | | | centre in Banda Aceh. The one in Calang cost |
| but it remains witness to what happenedIt was a | | | | $470,000 but the other one will come in at about |
| 50-minute flight from Banda Aceh to Calang. We flew | | | | $300,000 because we are using conventional |
| over that famous scene of the mosque still standing | | | | materials," said Dr Gray, the overall project |
| while all around it had been flattened and washed | | | | co-ordinator. "It was important that we created a |
| away. There are now buildings sprouting up when | | | | model that could be applied elsewhere. We estimate |
| that wave hit. | | | | that up to 70 such clinics could be used along the |
| As we drifted over the coast we could see | | | | coast and we hope that this pilot project will be the |
| stretches of the highway that had connected the | | | | catalyst for more such facilities, both in Aceh and |
| small towns and fishing villages. We could also see | | | | elsewhere in Indonesia |
| that in many places there was no road. Stretches | | | | "This project has brought together organisations with |
| have been washed away by recent rains. The road | | | | complementary skills and similar objectives," Dr Gray |
| had been repaired but what had once been a three | | | | added. "Collectively we have overcome some of the |
| or four hour drive became a 12 or 14 hour journey, | | | | world's most challenging terrain. Global Assistance and |
| and now it was not even possible to travel the entire | | | | Healthcare provides doctors and nursing staff until |
| length. Work has not yet been started on a new | | | | the project is handed over to the Ministry of Health. |
| permanent road and the road from the south has | | | | During this time they will train new primary healthcare |
| never been repaired. | | | | staff for Aceh. |
| We landed on an overgrown soccer pitch near the | | | | Dr Gray has worked extremely hard to help the |
| beach. The entire length of the beach remained a | | | | tsunami victims and he said it was a very gratifying |
| scene of complete devastation. Not a single home | | | | moment when we arrived at the clinic and he saw all |
| had survived and nothing had been rebuilt. We knew | | | | the shoes outside the door. He knew that people |
| there had been homes there, the concrete | | | | were using the facility and that it had become a focal |
| foundations and steps remained. As well as debris | | | | point for the community, which he had hoped it |
| from shattered homes and lives that were no | | | | would be.Perhaps one of the most poignant |
| more.It was because of Calang's isolation and | | | | moments of our tour was a meeting between Dr |
| because of the force with which the tsunami hit it | | | | Gray, Mr Ralph Murphy, Director of International |
| that Dr Mike Gray, Regional Director for Rolls-Royce, | | | | Affairs Rolls-Royce and Ir Zulfian Ahmad, Bupati of |
| working out of Jakarta, decided to help here. Soon | | | | Aceh Jaya. The respect for each other was evident |
| after the disaster he met with Col Stuart Jarvis, | | | | as they discussed the situation through an interpreter. |
| British Diplomatic Attaché in Jakarta, Aji | | | | Ir Zulfian Ahmad was obviously appreciative of what |
| Sularso, with Indonesia's Ministry of Maritime Affairs | | | | Rolls-Royce, and in particular Dr Gray, had done for |
| and Fisheries and Richard McHowat CEO of HSBC. | | | | his community but he was also compelled to press |
| "We wanted to do something that would help the | | | | for more help. The economy of the village is not self |
| people right away," Dr Gray states. "We wanted to | | | | sustaining and there is still extensive reconstruction to |
| do something that would become a focal point for | | | | be done. |
| the community. There were other projects that we | | | | Dr Gray, knowing that the Bupati had lost all of his |
| could have done, but if you provide instant solutions | | | | family to the tsunami, obviously felt great |
| it is not necessarily the best answer. | | | | compassion for him and the survivors but he also |
| This clinic is an entirely Indonesian solution." | | | | knows full-well the challenges of getting needed aid |
| It was obvious that long-term medical care would be | | | | to the community. "We will try to help you with |
| needed as McHowat explains, ''The impact of the | | | | other projects," Dr Gray promised. "When people |
| tsunami in Sumatra has been catastrophic. Providing | | | | want to do something, things get done. We will |
| basic healthcare after the field hospitals have left | | | | speak to our friends in Jakarta and we will urge them |
| Aceh remains a challenge since Aceh lost 10 percent | | | | to continue with their assistance. |
| of its 9,800 healthcare workers and towns along the | | | | When I had walked down to the shipyard where |
| west coast have lost 60 percent of their healthcare | | | | men building fishing boats I was struck by how happy |
| centres. For us," the CEO continued, "building this clinic | | | | the people looked. They waved and smiled at me |
| represents a very innovative way to bridge the | | | | and if I didn't look up when they passed in their |
| period between army field hospitals leaving Aceh and | | | | vehicle they would sound their horn to get my |
| more permanent reconstruction of healthcare facilities | | | | attention. I asked Ir Zulfian Ahmad what was the |
| in the future. We hope that this pilot project of an | | | | mental state of the people and his response brought |
| Indonesian built clinic will be the catalyst for more | | | | the reality home, "After a year, they are getting a |
| such clinics to be built.'' | | | | little bit better." Then he added, "We can lose |
| It was not only that Calang was very badly hit -- | | | | everything, but we cannot lose our spirit. We can |
| prior to the tsunami over 40,000 people lived there, | | | | only go up from here. |
| after the tsunami only 6,000 remained -- that the | | | | How long will that take? Can one ever forget losing |
| contributing partners, which includes Global Assistance | | | | all your family or having your children swept from |
| and Health Care, decided to help this town. "Calang, | | | | your arms? |
| because of its isolation, was one of the most difficult | | | | Though facilities such as the medical clinic, which the |
| places to do something," Dr Gray states. "We | | | | people now refer to as the Rolls-Royce clinic, address |
| thought that if we could do something here than we | | | | their physical needs, it also helps the mental well-being |
| could help anywhere in Indonesia." With US$500,000 | | | | of the residents. Bachtiar related a story about an old |
| in cash donated by HSBC and its employees and with | | | | man who was in a very bad state so he was |
| another half a million dollars in operational help, | | | | brought to the clinic. "When the old man came here |
| designing and co-ordinating the construction of the | | | | he was amazed at the clinic. He said, "This looks like a |
| clinic, and maintenance coming from Rolls-Royce the | | | | hospital." It revived his spirits and he said that it gave |
| clinic was built and began treating patients just nine | | | | him the will to live again. |
| weeks after construction started in March. The clinic | | | | There is more to be done and Dr Gray put it |
| now helps with the medical needs of between 50 to | | | | succinctly to the Bupati, "When I came here 10 days |
| 100 people every day. | | | | ago you said to me "Remember Calang". What I say |
| The clinic was constructed on the Indonesian island of | | | | to you is, "Always Remember Calang. |
| Batam. Five 40ft containers were converted into a | | | | |