SurfAid’s mission is to improve the health, wellbeing and self-reliance of people living in the Mentawai and Nias islands, off Sumatra, Indonesia, where it runs water and sanitation, disaster preparedness, and health programs.
The infant mortality rate (children under five) in the Mentawai Islands is 93 per 1,000 live births – nearly one in 10. In Nias, the rate is 66 deaths per 1,000 births. In industrialized countries, on average, there are six deaths for every 1,000 live births.
Preventable diseases such as chest infections, diarrhoea, malnutrition and malaria cause much of the death and suffering, and natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis add to the volatility of the region.
SurfAid’s main goal is to empower the communities so as to foster health and resilience that is sustainable.
