By Siska Nurfitryani, EMpower Youth Facilitator
On a bright and sunny morning last Friday, 27th January morning, we headed enthusiastically by Trail bike up Mount Abang slopes to finally meet our Darmaji School students who we’d not seen since last month, when we held their final Creative Projects’ presentation in Darmaji community meeting centre (bale banjar). In the class, we were evaluating the last Creative Project and preparing the next one. During the class, heavy rain started, stopping intermittently - and starting again!
The class finished in early afternoon, yet it was still raining cats and dogs. After waiting for the rain to stop so we could return to Ban office, it never ceased so we decided to go through the rain when it was drizzling, after making sure all the students had got back home before we left.
On the way back, we found the road more slippery to pass and some parts of the road were almost impassable due to landslides. I had to get off the motorbike for our safety. I was staring at the road while my teammate carefully rode the bike, passing the slope. Suddenly, I shouted: “the road in front of us is blocked by a landslide”!!!
There was no way around and we had to turn back and find another route. Fortunately, Darmaji village had an alternative road; otherwise, we would have been stuck there until the road reopened.
We then came across a previously dry river-bed, overflowing onto the Darmaji road to Ban. Some parts of the road are flooded, making it difficult for vehicles to pass. Besides flooding, the roads are also covered in gravel that has been washed down by the floods from the volcanic ash mountain slopes, making them slippery.
Thank God! Finally we arrived in Ban office, whew!!
It was a long day for me, and I was thinking about my students at that time. I hope my students arrive to their homes safely. •
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