"Representing Palu authority and residents, I expressed our gratitude for humanitarian assistance from Turkey and other parties involved in our reconstruction effort following the September 28, 2018 earthquake and tsunami disaster," Deputy Mayor of Palu, Reny A Lamadjido, stated during the handing over ceremony of the Poboya Public Elementary School building in Palu, Central Sulawesi on Tuesday.
She said the completion of the school building would help revive the quality of education and kickstart school activities in the region, which was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami three years ago.
"The Palu authority welcomes all humanitarian organizations who want to participate in the recovery effort for the best interest of the survivors," Lamadjido said.
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She said she hoped the Turkish Red Crescent would continue to contribute to other reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the city.
She also deemed the organization's role in recovery efforts as evidence of Indonesian-Turkish friendship.
"The Turkish humanitarian organization did not only participate in school reconstruction, but also provided medical support during the disaster response period after the earthquake," Lamadjido noted.
Meanwhile, a representative from the Turkish Red Crescent, Teyfik Cem Binatli, said the organization had spent around Rp6.8 billion (around US$476 thousand) on the reconstruction of the Poboya Public Elementary School. Work on the school commenced in 2020.
The facilities at the two-storied school include classrooms, a teachers office, sports facilities, and a prayer room, Binatli said adding, the school building design follows the Turkish architecture style.
"We are glad to see the completion of the building, and we hope the school would provide a safe learning environment for the students," Binatli remarked.
The Turkish Red Crescent was one of the first responders to assist the Indonesian Red Cross in disaster recovery efforts in Palu, he said. The organization dispatched personnel from its Bangladesh office and provided assistance via two military cargo aircraft, which arrived at the city's airport on October 9, 2018.
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Translator: M Ridwan, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
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