Environmental Adaptation and Disaster Mitigation Education in Remittance-Receiving Villages: A Diaspora-Linked Community Service Program with PCIM Taiwan

Sri Indarti; Titi Darmi; Afriza  Putrianti; Rice Parenra

doi:10.59535/00cc8a41

Authors

Sri Indarti Department of Public Administration, Universitas Muhammadiyah Bengkulu, Indonesia Author
Titi Darmi Department of Public Administration, Universitas Muhammadiyah Bengkulu, Indonesia Author
Afriza Putrianti Department of Public Administration, Universitas Muhammadiyah Bengkulu, Indonesia Translator
Rice Parenra Department of Public Administration, Universitas Muhammadiyah Bengkulu, Indonesia Translator

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59535/00cc8a41

Keywords:

Disaster Mitigation, Remittances, Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction, Migrant Households, Transnational Decision-Making

Abstract

Remittance-financed housing and small-scale infrastructure may strengthen household resilience but can also increase exposure when investment decisions are disconnected from local hazard information. This article documents a 2025 disaster mitigation education program implemented by Universitas Muhammadiyah Bengkulu with PCIM Taiwan, provincial disaster management personnel, and four village disaster risk reduction forums in Bengkulu Province. The participatory program combined hybrid household training, technical review of construction plans, participatory hazard mapping, and early warning protocol development. Ninety-six households and 41 forum members completed their respective training tracks; 17 forum members also belonged to participating households. Matched literacy responses were obtained from 91 households and all 41 forum members. Household composite mitigation literacy rose from 49.6 to 78.3 on a 100-point index, while the forum score rose from 59.1 to 86.9. Of 61 households reporting relevant infrastructure investment, 44 received technical review and 31 revised their plans (70.5% of those reviewed). In a purposive follow-up subsample of 26 households, 19 showed verified or credibly reported implementation (73.1%). Joint migrant–household infrastructure decisions increased from 23 of 61 (37.7%) to 44 of 61 (72.1%). Four villages adopted or revised early warning protocols, three incorporating provisions for absent migrant household members. These findings document promising program outputs without establishing causal effectiveness or verified disaster performance. Future programs should prioritize affordable technical follow-up and longer-term monitoring.

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