3 Indonesian Women Leaders in Disaster Management

In disaster situations, women have a higher vulnerability than men. The lack of access and participation of women is the cause of the high number of disaster victims.

On the one hand, men still dominate disaster management activities. Whereas women also have an important role in disaster management efforts. Women have strong and useful knowledge and expertise in disaster mitigation and disaster reduction and adaptation strategies.

Let’s take a look at 3 profiles of Indonesian women leaders from Plan International APAC and Plan Indonesia below! Their profiles and good practices are included in the book Profiles of Indonesian Women Leaders in Disaster Management.

1. Fredrika Rambu Awa – Climate Change Specialist Plan Indonesia

Fredrika Rambu Awa, aka Kakak Ika, is Plan Indonesia’s Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist. A graduate of Industrial Engineering, she specializes in emergency response knowledge and the formation of disaster resilient groups. Ika has been with Plan Indonesia since 2012.

She has held various strategic positions. Starting from the Disaster Safe School Project Coordinator in NTT, to the Building Back Safer School Project in NTB and Central Sulawesi.

Work in Disaster Management

Kakak Ika has also supported the implementation of the Building Resilience Adaptive and Disaster Ready Communities (BREADY) program in North Semarang. In the program, she had the responsibility to increase knowledge capacity related to the analysis of tidal flooding as an impact of the climate crisis. She also advocates for the government on action plans and disaster early warning systems.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ika supported an education project in North Lombok, NTB which took place from June to November 2021. Her role is to coordinate teaching method training activities and advocate for the government regarding learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During her work in the world of disaster, Ika has participated in various policy and regulation formations. The first policy is the South Central Timor District Government’s policy to encourage the involvement of vulnerable people in Disaster Risk Reduction. Then the Disaster Safe Education Unit (SPAB) Implementation policy and its regulations in NTT and Central Sulawesi.

2. Ida Ngurah – Humanitarian and Resilience Program Manager Plan Indonesia

Ida Ngurah graduated with a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from Gadjah Mada University.

She has worked for 16 years in various humanitarian institutions and organizations, such as Julita Joylita Training Center Surabaya, International Relief and Development, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Papua Knowledge Center, The Netherlands Red Cross, UNESCO Jakarta Office, and Save The Children Indonesia.

Her work focuses on issues of women’s empowerment, climate change, disaster risk reduction, disaster emergency response, especially the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector, and SPAB.

Since February 2018 until now, Ida Ngurah has worked at Plan Indonesia as Humanitarian and Resilience Manager. He is responsible for program quality and implementation. In addition, he also manages partnerships for humanitarian and resilience programs with various stakeholders.

Voices Humanitarian Issues and Resilience

Ida Ngurah actively voices humanitarian and resilience issues, including in the field of education. He became the presidium of the national disaster education consortium and became the national focal point of Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA).

She is also involved as a trainer for teachers in implementing the three pillars of safe schools, introduction to the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies, psychosocial support, and emergency curriculum at the national level by the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Ida Ngurah was also involved in emergency response in the Lombok earthquake (2018), Palu earthquake, tsunami and liquefaction (2019), and Semeru Volcano eruption (2021).

He has written books and modules. Among them are Local Practice on Infusion System to Reduce Risk Water Scarcity in Timur Tengah Utara (TTU) District: A Case Study on Child-Centered Climate Change Adaptation Project of Plan Indonesia. There is also Digital Learning for Safe School, Resilient Education Book Edition 1 and 2, Facilitator Handbook for Safe School, Education Module for Children on Integration of CCA and DRR, and Training Module of Water Hyacinth Products.

Women and girls have their own needs and interests during disasters. Having women involved meaningfully in DRR activities as change-makers who can provide more inclusive risk reduction activities, helps cover all people and recognise our diversity. – – Ida Ngurah

3. Vanda Meyfa Lengkong – Head of DRM Plan International APAC

Vanda Meyfa Lengkong is a humanitarian worker who has been in the field for 18 years. During her career, she has dedicated 15 years to the disaster risk management sector, especially in the preparedness and response phases, by prioritizing a community-focused approach, especially for children.

Vanda started her career as a humanitarian worker after completing her undergraduate degree from the Faculty of Theology, Christian University of Indonesia Tomohon in 2001. At that time she joined as a Program Officer for Church World Service (CWS) in Manado, North Sulawesi. Vanda joined CWS until 2008 with her last position as Program Manager.

In 2008, Vanda joined Plan Indonesia as Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Program Manager. She was heavily involved in various DRR activities in Indonesia. Two years later, Vanda then led the disaster risk management team working on DRR, climate change and disaster response until 2012.

Starting 2013, Vanda joined Plan International Asia Pacific (APAC) as Disaster Preparedness and Response Specialist for Southeast Asia. She provided technical support on disaster risk management in seven countries. From April 2014-2017, her area expanded to 14 countries including the South Asia Region.

Humanitarian Response Leader

During her time at Plan International, Vanda has also participated in leading disaster emergency responses both in Indonesia and other Asia Pacific regions. In various disaster responses, Vanda has served as Emergency Response Manager (ERM), Deputy ERM, Technical Specialist for child protection and education issues, as well as Team Leader. Vanda has been involved in disaster response since 2002. She started her response experience by working to help Maluku conflict survivors who fled to Manado, North Sulawesi, and then began to be involved in various disaster responses in Indonesia.

Vanda’s disaster response experience includes the eruption of Mount Merapi and the Jogja earthquake in 2006, flooding in the Central Java region, the Padang earthquake, and the tsunami in the Mentawai Islands. Since 2011, Vanda has been involved in disaster response outside Indonesia including during the tsunami in Japan, typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and several other disasters in the country, Nepal earthquake, Myanmar and Laos floods, Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh and Myanmar, as well as refugee influx from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq with an assignment in Germany in 2016.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, she served as the coordinator for Plan International APAC’s COVID-19 response in 15 countries. Vanda’s leadership in the disaster preparedness and response phase shows that women can also play a substantial role in this male-heavy sector.

Vanda currently serves as Head of Regional Disaster Risk Management for the Asia Pacific region covering 15 countries. As a female leader in the disaster field, she has also demonstrated her ability to build networks, cooperation, and coordination with various parties. These include UN agencies, ASEAN, Emergency Preparedness Working Group, Asia Pacific Coalition of School Safety, Children and Youth Network in Asia Pacific, AADMER Partnership Group, Children in Changing Climate Coalition, Regional Technical Working Group on Anticipatory Action, and Regional Gender in Humanitarian Action. At the global level, Vanda is currently a board member of Sphere and is the first woman from Indonesia to be elected as a board member.

Life must be loved boldly and meaningfully! The DRM sector needs strong women who play an active role and are ready to lead and must be able to humanize and advance fellow women. Women’s leadership in DRM must be able to provide color, promote inclusion and gender equality. – Vanda Meyfa Lengkong