Providing aid to flooded communities in Sulawesi

In July 2007, torrential rain fell on the steep slopes of Morowali Province in central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

The downpour resulted in floods and landslides that engulfed a number of villages, killing more than 50 people and forcing thousands to abandon devastated homes.

It was a major disaster that was little reported in the West, but triggered an immediate reaction from Rio Tinto Indonesia. The company swiftly implemented a relief programme that, as well as providing immediate aid, gave damaged communities long term assistance.

Rio Tinto's interest in Sulawesi follows exploration work in the early 2000s that demonstrated the presence of a huge nickel deposit in the centre of the island, enough to support between 40 and 100 years of production. This project, together with another nickel project - Eagle, in the US - mark a return to nickel for Rio Tinto. Though in the past the company mined nickel in Brazil and Zimbabwe, the metal has not recently featured in its mining portfolio.

"We committed US$250,000 to providing relief in the areas affected by the flooding," said Mike Jolley, president director of Rio Tinto Indonesia. We began with an immediate contribution of food, medicines, clothing and temporary accommodation. Rio Tinto purchased the materials and arranged shipment to Sulawesi, where the aid was distributed by teams from Tadulako University, with whom we were already working closely on the mining project."

"We then asked local communities and the university what we should do next, and together we created a scholarship programme that will ensure that the education of 50 children from flooded communities is not adversely affected. A second Rio Tinto funded project, again managed by Tadulako University, and which will re-house an entire village, involves the construction of 46 houses using traditional designs but modern materials and techniques. I'm pleased that both projects have been well received by local people and by local and national governments."