KAMI Bay is a community group for the Hawke’s Bay Indonesian community. Its name comes from keluarga, which means ‘family’ and masyarakat, which means ‘community’.
Hawke’s Bay was badly impacted when Cyclone Gabrielle struck in mid-February 2023. Homes were destroyed, families were displaced, and several people died. Large parts of the community had no power for days. Communities relied on each other to get through some of their toughest days.
There are about 150 regular members of Kami Bay, board member Dwi Wangsawidjaja says. Another approximately 160 members join from May through to November when they are in the country as seasonal workers. It was the seasonal workers who suggested they help impacted families in the immediate aftermath of the cyclone.
“It was originally offered to KAMI Bay members, then we seized the opportunity of having so many manpower to help the wider community,” Ms Wangsawidjaja says.
“They didn’t even live here but they were so willing to help.”
In groups of 9-10, the workers volunteered their time on the weekend to help clean up people’s properties. Ms Wangsawidjaja coordinated the response, finding affected families on social media and through word of mouth, and directed the volunteers to their homes. Other community members cooked food for the volunteers so they could focus on the clean-up. Restaurant Indonesia also provided food for free to the local community.
KAMI Bay secured a generator following the cyclone, in case of future severe weather events, and many members now have their own portable gas cookers, Ms Wangsawidjaja says.
The community was able to effectively communicate with one another through its WhatsApp group chat. Following the cyclone, they now check in with each other on a more regular basis, including when there are any power outages, road closures or weather warnings.
They exchange information about government support and services and help one another with language support. The group has also introduced a “buddy system”, where people are buddied in small groups. They are encouraged to check in with their “buddies” and report back to the wider group whenever there is a significant event or emergency.
These efforts help the community feel better prepared should it be affected by another severe weather event.
One of their own families’ home was flooded during the cyclone and they were unable to return. The family purchased their own home several months later, and community members visited over days to bless the home and pray for them. It was a happy end to a sad situation.