Sugi Wiyono, Mutihan village, Klaten

When the earthquake hit Mutihan village, Klaten district, on Saturday morning 27 May 2006, Sugi
Wiyono lost his house and almost his life. The traumatic experience turned him from an optimistic person into a gloomy and grumpy old
man.

The 75-year-old grandfather of seven says his world seemed to have come to an end when the
earthquake caused his house to collapse on him and left him severely injured that fateful morning. The house was the only property he had always thought would be his proud legacy for his children and grandchildren. “I thought that morning was the end of my world,” he says.
Pak Sugi says he has survived living alone in his former house after his wife left him when their three children were still small.

Now his children and grandchildren live far away from him, in Lampung and in Jakarta. Pak Sugi’s life spirit returned after he learned from his nephew that he might be eligible for assistance made available under the JRF for permanent housing, which could help him to rebuild his house. Pak Sugi says he and his group of 11 villagers received the first Rp 6 million JRF installment in January 2007, after having applied for the grant in late 2006. “Without the JRF assistance, there is no way I would have been able to rebuild my house,” says the man who earns his modest living by working on whatever jobs off ered him. Over the past few months, he and other JRF benefi ciaries have been working to slowly rebuild their houses. Now, Pak Sugi still has to make do with living in his donated temporary house, which he also
uses to keep construction materials, mostly leftovers from his neighbors. He says some of his fellow villagers have almost completed their house reconstruction, either
because they have their own money to match the JRF grant or they dare to take out loans. “Whereas for me, how can I aff ord that? Even to have meals for today I have to struggle very hard,” says Pak Sugi.

But he says the best policy today is to remain steadfastly patient, rather than be grumpy about whether or when the next installments will come. “I believe the money will come and my house will be standing there again in time,” he says. To share the burdens, Pak Sugi and other JRF benefi ciaries have worked together to rebuild their homes.

“I help them, they help me. We are rebuilding our houses together. They were especially helpful with the preparation of the necessary report. I’m just too old for an administrative thing like that,” he says laughing.

Pak Sugi says his future 24-sqm house will have two bedrooms, one small living-room and a kitchen. “I really look forward to hosting my children and grandchildren in my house in the next Lebaran holiday season.”