Restoring Education Post-Disaster in Sumatra, PMI and HKRC Distribute 8,000 School Supply Kits

Thousands of students in Indonesia are getting back to school thanks to a significant aid package from Hong Kong. A total of 8,000 school supply kits have been distributed to children in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra who were impacted by recent floods and cyclones.

The initiative is a collaboration between the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC), with funding from the Hong Kong SAR Government's Disaster Relief Fund (DRF). In Aceh, 4,000 kits were given to students in Pidie, Pidie Jaya, and Lhokseumawe. North Sumatra received 2,500 kits for children in Sibolga, Langkat, Tapanuli Tengah, and Tapanuli Selatan. West Sumatra distributed 1,500 kits to students in Tanah Datar, Agam, and Pesisir Selatan.

The distribution, which took place from June 1-5, 2026, involved local PMI branches working with schools and local governments. Each kit contains a backpack and essential school supplies like stationery and notebooks, aiming to ease the burden on families who lost belongings and struggled to meet basic needs after the devastating floods.

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Based on the assessment results, we decided to allocate support for the procurement and distribution of school supply kits to 8,000 disaster-affected students.

Jean Lin, Programme Coordinator for the International and Relief Service at HKRC, stated that the school kits represent the solidarity of the Hong Kong community. "As part of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and a close partner of PMI, we immediately mobilized resources from donors and conducted a needs assessment in the affected areas," Lin explained. Based on this assessment, HKRC decided to allocate support for the procurement and distribution of school supplies to 8,000 affected students.

Areis Indrawan, Head of the Disaster Response Sub-Division at PMI Central, highlighted that the post-disaster recovery efforts extend beyond basic needs. "This support not only helps meet the school supply needs of children affected by the disaster but also forms part of the effort to ensure that children can return to learning comfortably and have a better future," Indrawan said.

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This support not only helps meet the school supply needs of children affected by the disaster but also forms part of the effort to ensure that children can return to learning comfortably and have a better future.