Part 11/13:
The impact on Aceh’s local economy was profound. The fishing industry, vital to the region’s livelihood, was decimated—severely damaging the community’s economic backbone. Many survivors lost loved ones, and thousands of bodies remained unidentified, buried in mass graves, with the fate of many still marked by grief and survivor’s guilt.
Notably, Susi Pudjiastuti, a former seafood business owner and now a prominent politician, was among the first responders. Utilizing her small aircraft, she delivered relief supplies to remote communities where infrastructure was destroyed or inaccessible. Her efforts epitomized how individual initiative can make a difference.