When floods strike, children are among those most affected. Their learning is disrupted, access to health services becomes more difficult, and their living environments become less safe. This situation was experienced by communities in Pante Kera Village and Batu Sumbang Village, Simpang Jernih Subdistrict, East Aceh Regency, when flash floods hit Aceh and several areas across Sumatra in late November 2025.

An in-depth assessment found that more than 66% of children experienced disruptions to their learning. Polindes and Posyandu services were also affected and could not operate optimally. These findings highlighted the need to strengthen preparedness at the village level by involving local actors who are closely connected to children and their families.

In response to these needs, Yayasan SHEEP Indonesia (YSI) organized a Flood and Climate Change Disaster Preparedness Training for village government representatives, midwives, Posyandu cadres, and PAUD, kindergarten, and elementary school teachers on 29 August 2026 at Batu Sumbang Elementary School. Around 32 participants from the two villages took part in the training.

Understanding Flood and Climate Change Risks

During the training, participants discussed their experiences with flooding in Aceh and its links to climate change. Facilitators from YSI's Disaster Management Commission also introduced the concepts of hazards, vulnerability, and capacity.

Participants then identified risks in their respective villages. The assessment in Pante Kera and Batu Sumbang showed that flooding caused more than physical damage. It also disrupted education, health services, and child protection. More than 66% of children experienced disruptions to their learning, while Polindes and Posyandu services were unable to function. At the same time, the capacity of village governments, midwives, health cadres, and teachers to prepare for floods and address climate change-related risks still needs to be strengthened. These conditions highlighted the importance of strengthening preparedness and establishing clearer roles at the village level.

“Villages need to identify their risks from the outset and understand who is responsible for what when an emergency occurs, especially to ensure that children remain safe and their basic needs are met,” said Evi Novita Setyaningrum, facilitator, summarizing the discussion.

Learning from Experience

Group discussions encouraged participants to develop preparedness measures based on their respective roles. Village government representatives discussed coordination and resource management. Midwives and health cadres discussed the continuity of health services and the needs of vulnerable groups. Teachers discussed safety, psychosocial support, and the continuity of children's education.

The discussions resulted in several agreements among the participating stakeholders as follow-up actions. For village governments, preparedness involves coordination, resource organization, and ensuring access to sanitation and clean water. For midwives and health cadres, preparedness includes maintaining the continuity of health services, strengthening the capacity of health cadres and village midwives, and paying greater attention to vulnerable groups. For teachers, preparedness also means ensuring children's safety, providing mental health and trauma recovery support, and maintaining the continuity of children's education during disasters.

Protecting Children

The experience of flooding in Pante Kera and Batu Sumbang showed that disasters have affected children's education, health, protection, and daily lives. Therefore, children's needs need to be integrated into village disaster preparedness planning.

Through this activity, YSI encouraged local actors to strengthen their capacity, coordination, and action plans to address disaster risks. For Pante Kera and Batu Sumbang, their experience with flooding has provided an important foundation for building stronger preparedness and ensuring that children remain protected when disasters occur again.