BALINEWSID.COM, DENPASAR — The Nagekeo-Bali Youth and Student Association (IKMAPENA Bali) has launched an emergency humanitarian response for victims of the Flores earthquake that struck on August 15, 2026. Over two days, August 16–17, dozens of IKMAPENA Bali members took to the streets across Bali to raise funds for communities affected by the disaster, particularly residents of Nagekeo Regency, which was among the areas at the center of the earthquake.

The fundraising campaign was launched spontaneously after the organization received reports of extensive damage to infrastructure and the impact of the earthquake on communities in Nagekeo.

IKMAPENA Bali Chairman Yakobus Syakur Edwin Namo said the organization immediately mobilized its members out of a strong sense of humanitarian solidarity.

“We responded spontaneously, without lengthy discussions. We worked sincerely and carried out various fundraising efforts, including sending official letters to several relevant institutions and taking to the streets for two days. We raised around Rp60 million,” Yakobus said when contacted on Friday night, August 21, 2026.

The fundraising campaign was conducted at several busy locations in Bali, including Pojok Sudirman in Denpasar, the intersection of Jalan Imam Bonjol, and the Sanur area. Around 50 IKMAPENA Bali members participated in the humanitarian campaign.

Yakobus said the amount of public support exceeded the organization’s expectations, particularly given the short period in which the funds were collected.

He expressed his appreciation to residents across Bali who entrusted their donations to IKMAPENA Bali.

“We would like to thank all members of the Balinese community who donated. We promise to deliver this mandate to those who need it most in Nagekeo at this time,” he said.

Chairman of the Nagekeo Extended Family Association (IKANA) Bali, Simon Woge, also praised the rapid humanitarian response initiated by IKMAPENA Bali.

“I highly appreciate and respect the young people of IKMAPENA Bali. They acted quickly and spontaneously. I have to admit that this rapid-response team moved faster than the units within IKANA Bali,” Simon said.

He said the strong spirit of solidarity and sincere humanitarian efforts had succeeded in mobilizing significant public support for earthquake victims in Nagekeo.

However, Simon warned that humanitarian assistance in Nagekeo still faces challenges on the ground. According to him, despite Nagekeo being one of the areas directly affected by the earthquake, the response has not yet fully met the needs of residents.

Limited access and gaps in coordination among stakeholders remain obstacles, while humanitarian assistance is still not evenly distributed.

Simon said reports from the field indicated that a number of people who had evacuated independently, particularly those living in remote villages, had yet to receive adequate assistance.

He therefore urged IKMAPENA Bali to prioritize the funds raised for independent evacuees who remain beyond the reach of government assistance and other relief efforts.

IKMAPENA Bali Secretary Silvester Lena, accompanied by Emirensiana Coo, said the organization had prepared a distribution plan based on verified information from the field.

“We have agreed that the donations raised by IKMAPENA Bali will be prioritized for independent evacuees scattered across remote villages in Nagekeo who have not received assistance from the government or other donors,” Silvester said.

He also stressed that the organization would ensure transparency and accountability in managing and distributing the funds.

“We guarantee that these donations will be distributed transparently and accountably and can be audited by anyone. This is important to maintain the trust of the Balinese public that we are genuinely working for humanitarian purposes in Nagekeo,” he said.

Over the coming days, IKMAPENA Bali plans to establish teams in seven subdistricts across Nagekeo Regency. The teams will collect data and verify conditions through official disaster-response posts at the subdistrict and village levels.

The data will then be used to determine aid priorities based on the number of affected residents and independent evacuees in each area.

“The number of affected residents is different in each subdistrict because some areas have already received government assistance. The funds will then be transferred to subdistrict coordinators, with purchasing points for essential supplies mapped out from Bali,” Silvester explained.

He emphasized that every stage of the distribution process would be supported by data and documentation.

“We guarantee that everything will be transparent, based on data and documentation,” he said.

IKMAPENA Bali expects the humanitarian assistance to reach the most vulnerable communities by the end of August 2026, with priority given to independent evacuees in remote areas of Nagekeo who have not yet received adequate assistance.