Banda Aceh, 7 Juli 2025 –
The Graduate Program in Disaster Science at Universitas Syiah Kuala held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) titled “Strengthening the Resilience Strategy for Coastal Communities in Banda Aceh Based on the 11 IFRC Indicators.” The event, part of a master’s thesis research project led by Dr. Rina Suryani Oktari, S.Kep., M.Si., aimed to gather insights from key stakeholders to develop a community resilience strategy grounded in field data.
The FGD took place at the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) of Universitas Syiah Kuala and began with a presentation of preliminary findings by Tibyan Asyukri, a graduate student in Disaster Science. He presented the current resilience level of a coastal village in Banda Aceh, using a bottom-up approach where data is directly collected from the community and discussed with policymakers.
The outcomes of this FGD will be compiled into a policy brief to support evidence-based decision-making and reinforce collaboration among government agencies, NGOs, and academia to enhance coastal community resilience.
Participants included representatives from the Banda Aceh Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Health Office, Department of Public Works and Spatial Planning (PUPR), Department of Food, Agriculture, Marine and Fisheries, Community and Village Empowerment Agency, Regional Development Planning Agency (BAPPEDA), PDAM Tirta Daroy, Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Banda Aceh, and Human Initiative. The discussion was framed around the 11 community resilience indicators developed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), covering disaster risk management, health, water and sanitation, shelter, food security, economy, social cohesion, inclusion, infrastructure, natural resource management, and inter-agency connectivity.
This FGD served as a collaborative platform for stakeholders to share perspectives, validate field findings, and strengthen cross-sectoral synergy to improve the resilience of Banda Aceh’s coastal communities.
The event concluded with remarks from the lead researcher, Dr. Rina Suryani Oktari, who expressed gratitude for the active participation of all parties. She emphasized that the FGD reflects the academic community’s contribution to advancing evidence-based policy.
