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On 30 September 2009, a massive earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck West Sumatra province of Padang, Indonesia. The earthquake caused the collapse of thousands of buildings and a heavy downpour which caused massive landslides within the Padang and Pariaman districts.

Six SP-CD Lionhearters embarked on their maiden humanitarian mission to earthquake-hit city of Padang in Indonesia to assist Mercy Relief in the distribution of relief aids such as food, water and medical supplies to the earthquake victims. Temporary tentages were also set up for a collapsed school building.

From 7 – 16 December last year, 20 members from the ITE- CD Lionhearters Club (College East Chapter), together with four club advisors and five SCDF volunteers, went on a Overseas Humanitarian Rebuilding Project with Mercy Relief to Mount Merapi , Magelang, Java, Indonesia.

Together with the five SCDF Volunteers, the CD Lionhearters and their Club Advisors imparted important emergency preparedness skills namely fire fighting and first-aid to more than 150 villagers and 50 school children. Tan Huisi, one of the CD Lionhearters expressed her joy at being able to contribute useful emergency preparedness skills on this mission trip. She stated, “I am so happy that the skills I have learned in school and in SCDF can be so useful to them. I really feel good when the kids and villagers can correctly demonstrate the fire fighting skills that I’ve shared with them”. The village head and Principals of these schools had highlighted that the programmes conducted by the CD Lionhearters were well received. 

CD Lionhearters Imparting First Aid Skills To The Villagers and School Children

CD Lionhearters Imparting Fire Fighting Skills To The Villagers and School Children

Practical Fire Extinguisher Training Session conducted by the CD Lionhearters

The CD Lionhearters were also given the opportunity to facilitate and assist in a village-wide Disaster Preparedness Evacuation Drill for the local villagers. Through such evacuation drills, important knowledge is imparted which can help local villagers be familiarised with proper evacuation procedure in times of crisis (such as volcano eruptions). This will enable more lives to be saved.

CD Lionhearters facilitating and assisting in the Disaster Preparedness Evacuation Drill. 

Other than the impartation of knowledge and skills, the CD Lionhearters and their lecturers also contributed to the local community by helping in the construction of the local evacuation route where they helped to lay the cement and foundation. They also assisted in a chilli planting project with the local farmers.

Local Community Projects – Construction of Evacuation Route

Of the twenty Lionhearters who embarked on this meaningful trip, eight amongst them were nursing students and their skills were put to good use during this trip. Together with their lecturer Ms Lo, these eight nursing students were given the opportunity to be attached to the local polyclinic to assist and observe the doctor and nurses in the daily medical operations and consultations. Afifah Bte Royan, one of the nursing students who went on this trip said, “the scale of the evacuation exercise is big. I like the part where I work with the local nurses in the ambulance to evacuate the casualties to the designated evacuation camp.”

Site Visits To Ground Zero – Villages and rivers damaged by cold larva

Lastly, the Lionhearters had the opportunity of visiting ground zero where they witnessed the devastating after effects caused by the eruption of Mt Merapi in 2010. It was an eye-opener for them and such site visits would aid in helping them to better appreciate the humanitarian work that they were contributing to the local villagers.  It also serves to inculcate National Education values in this group of Lionhearters, allowing them to reflect on their life in Singapore, which is devoid of natural disasters and to help them appreciate their homeland better.

Through daily debriefings and self-reflections, this group of CD Lionhearters had indicated that they had benefitted and gained useful insights and experiences from this Overseas Humanitarian Rebuilding Project. As put across by one of the club advisors, Mr Boo Wei Ping, “our students have learned a lot from this project, from appreciating the life and culture of the people at the foot of Mount Merapi, to understanding the different roles of volunteers in a humanitarian mission. They were very impressed by the enthusiasm of the villagers in learning the various life saving skills and also the high awareness of the people in term of emergency preparedness.” It was indeed a fruitful and insightful ten days which was well spent for a worthy cause.