Indonesia’s high vulnerability to natural disasters is compounded by its increasingly urban population, with over 56% of citizens living in urban areas. DKI Jakarta’s 10 million residents, plus millions of daily commuters from surrounding cities like Tangerang and Bogor, face significant disaster risks. The high mobility between cities creates unique challenges that require holistic disaster risk reduction strategies.

The USAID KUAT (Komunitas Perkotaan Untuk Aksi Tangguh) Activity aims to reduce disaster impacts in Greater Jakarta by increasing disaster risk awareness and preparedness in high-risk urban and peri-urban villages. The program works to enhance capacity and coordination among local communities, civil society organizations, and public and private sector actors as partners in disaster risk reduction.

Implemented by a consortium of Miyamoto International, Catholic Relief Services, and Wahana Visi Indonesia, KUAT collaborates with key stakeholders including the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, Jakarta’s Disaster Management Body, and several other organizations. The program focuses on understanding disaster risk, strengthening risk governance, investing in risk reduction infrastructure, and enhancing disaster preparedness through a ‘Whole of Settlements’ approach.

KUAT engages governments, households, communities, and businesses to build awareness and improve planning while also analyzing housing vulnerabilities and developing retrofit strategies. The program promotes financial access for community-based disaster risk reduction and demonstrates the value of private sector involvement. Through these efforts, KUAT aims to improve risk data availability, increase multi-stakeholder participation in disaster management, share practical tools across stakeholders, and strengthen recovery capabilities.