InJourney Community Care Trains 300 Students to Prepare for Earthquake Disasters

InJourney Destination Management held an InJourney Community Care Earthquake Disaster Response Training attended by 300 students from SMA 5 Yogyakarta, SMA 1 Sewon Bantul and SMA 1 Patuk Gunungkidul, on April 21-22, 2026. This activity was held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Yogyakarta earthquake as well as to increase students' understanding, awareness and basic skills, especially in dealing with natural disaster emergency situations.

This activity is a form of intensive collaboration between IDM and the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture and in collaboration with the Yogyakarta Special Region Education, Youth and Sports Agency (Disdikpora) through the Joint Secretariat of Disaster Safe Education Units (Sekber SPAB) in each school unit.

InJourney Destination Management Operations Director Indung Purwita Jati said that the initiative, which has been running in five high schools in the Bantul, Gunungkidul and Yogyakarta City areas, is expected to increase understanding, awareness and basic skills in dealing with disaster emergency situations.

"Our target is high school students, as disaster response programs must begin early. We hope that with their literacy and understanding, they can disseminate information about disaster preparedness and educate those around them, enabling them to respond quickly and ultimately ensure safety," he explained.

The InJourney Community Care earthquake response training program targets 1.000 participants from 10 schools in Gunungkidul, Kulon Progo, Sleman, Bantul, and Yogyakarta City. The program is expected to be completed before the 20th anniversary of the Yogyakarta earthquake in May 2026.

"Through this synergy between the business world, local government, and educational institutions, the 20th anniversary of the Yogyakarta earthquake will not only be a moment of reflection but also a wake-up call to build a more resilient Yogyakarta that is ready to face future disaster risks," he explained.

The coordinator of the DIY SPAB Joint Secretariat, Budi Santoso, explained that the schools participating in the InJourney Community Care program are schools located in areas at risk of earthquake disasters, considering that their location is in the Opak fault area that stretches from the south of Yogyakarta to the Klaten area, Central Java. 

"Over the two days of training, participants received a series of intensive materials covering initial mitigation, including an understanding of the potential for earthquakes in the Yogyakarta area, as well as rescue and evacuation techniques. The final stage of the training concluded with a simulation of earthquake emergency response, participated in by students and school teachers," he explained.

The principal of SMA 5 Yogyakarta, Siti Hajarwati, said that this disaster simulation activity complements the set of facilities and infrastructure that the school already has.

"This training complements the existing infrastructure. If our knowledge of disasters isn't supported by our own knowledge, it's a lie. Therefore, this material must be continuously reviewed to ensure the knowledge, understanding, and behavior necessary to respond to a disaster," he explained.

One of the students of SMA Negeri 1 Patuk, Gunungkidul, Rahmat Sholeh Setiawan admitted that he had never experienced a major disaster like the one that occurred in 2006. This 11th grade student born in 2008 only heard stories from his parents and siblings about the major earthquake that hit Yogyakarta.

Rahmat said that participating in disaster training like this has made him calmer in the face of natural disasters. He believes that calmness is necessary for focusing on one's attitude and determining the appropriate position and behavior in disaster situations.

"The first step is calm. If you panic, you lose focus and can endanger yourself and others. Calmness comes from mastering the appropriate disaster response materials. Hopefully, this training will further hone your disaster response skills," he explained.

Through the InJourney Community Care initiative, InJourney Destination Management (IDM) emphasizes that disaster preparedness is a key pillar in creating a sustainable tourism ecosystem. The 20th anniversary of the Yogyakarta earthquake was chosen as a reminder to build a more resilient future through education for the younger generation.

"This commitment to disaster preparedness is part of IDM's strategy to integrate security and safety aspects across all its managed destinations. IDM hopes that through this training, students can become agents of change, able to spread disaster literacy within their families and the wider community," concluded Indung Purwita Jati.