Does MSF use the same approach across Aceh?
No. We’re acutely aware that every context is different. Banda Aceh is an urban setting where 60% of the town was destroyed and where there is a concentration of NGOs. Unlike other areas there is no one single identifiable group – the population in each sub – district is too big – so the community approach that we use in Lamno to the east and in Sigli to the west are not so appropriate. Instead we have concentrated on certain areas where we identified the greatest needs and that were not covered by other actors. Lamno was a much smaller and more isolated community, even before the tsunami struck. There, it is much more important to work with the community as a whole and to gain their trust. We’ve tried very hard to listen to what they themselves say they need most and so far we have concentrated on group activities as this is what the community is most comfortable with. Once we have their trust it is much easier to then work on the referral system and individual counselling. Community
