Original author: Gabriella Alodia, Ph.D.
Original editor: Muhammad Efriza Pandia
Curated and updated by: Rasya Intishar
This article is a curated and updated version of “Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration Fosters a Culture of Disaster Preparedness in Pulo Madu Village, South Sulawesi,” first published on itb.ac.id on June 23, 2026 (Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration Fosters a Culture of Disaster Preparedness in Pulo Madu Village, South Sulawesi). It has been condensed for length and now includes the programme’s recognition as one of ITB’s Top 5 Impactful Community Service Programmes (PM Berdampak) of 2026, details on the children’s disaster roles, and new documentation of student activities.
PULO MADU, Indonesia – A team of lecturers and students from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), together with partners from various sectors, conducted a community engagement programme in Pulo Madu Village, Pasilambena District, Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi, on June 20–23, 2026.
The programme, titled “SADAR Bencana: Participatory Mapping and Placemaking of Evacuation Routes for Multi-Hazard Resilience in Pulo Madu Village,” was implemented through ITB’s Bottom-Up Community Service Programme under the Directorate of Community Service and Expertise (DPMK ITB). SADAR Bencana stands for Siaga dan Antisipasi Daerah Rawan Bencana. The initiative has been named one of ITB’s Top 5 Impactful Community Service Programmes (PM Berdampak) of 2026.
Led by Gabriella Alodia, Ph.D., from the Hydrography Research Group, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Technology (FITB ITB), the programme involved the karasa.bdg Community, RumahKebun, the Selayar Islands Marine and Fisheries Agency, and the Selayar Islands Tourism and Culture Agency.
As the outermost island in South Sulawesi, Pulo Madu is highly vulnerable due to its exposure to natural hazards and its distance from government service centres. Geological and hydrometeorological hazards threaten local infrastructure and can disrupt logistics and inter-island transport.
“The people of Pulo Madu depend heavily on supplies such as rice, poultry, and fuel from neighbouring islands. Unpredictable weather and sea conditions can make it difficult for these essential goods to reach the community,” explained Hasriani from the Selayar Islands Marine and Fisheries Agency.
The programme began with focus group discussions to identify hazards and significant local incidents over the past four decades, followed by participatory mapping through which residents collectively identified evacuation routes and assembly points.
“We involved all segments of the community, including community leaders, fishers, homemakers, youth, healthcare workers, and persons with disabilities, so that the selected locations can accommodate the needs of different groups during an emergency,” said Difa Kusumadewi, a doctoral graduate from ITB’s School of Architecture, Planning, and Policy Development (SAPPK ITB).
Elementary and junior high school students joined a series of disaster education workshops, explored the mapped evacuation routes, and created a “SADAR Bencana” mural at SMP Negeri 3 Pasilambena, one of the designated evacuation sites. Working in groups, the children practised five roles they could take on during a disaster: Leader (Pemimpin), Guide (Penunjuk), Guardian (Penjaga), Caregiver (Perawat), and Communicator (Penghubung).
“Students, especially at junior high level, can influence both younger children and the adults around them. The mural serves as both a statement and a reminder of the established assembly points and evacuation routes,” said Andi Abdulqodir from the karasa.bdg Community.
The team also installed a Marine Automatic Weather Station (MAWAS), developed by Dr. Iwan Pramesti Anwar (FITB ITB) and his team in collaboration with PT Samudra Sains Teknologi. The programme concluded with the station’s inauguration and an evacuation simulation competition for students.
“We hope this station will give the community easy access to marine and weather information. The simulation was designed as a competition to embed the SADAR Bencana culture in the children’s core memories, so the lessons can be put into practice should unforeseen events occur,” said Gabriella.
The entire programme will be documented in a short film by RumahKebun, a youth-based community organisation from Selayar Island.