Gampong Cot is 250 Ha and was one of the hardest hit of 13 villages on the west coast. This village is in conjunction with Pucok Lueng and Lhok Bubon where coordination of series of activities on community-based recovery efforts took place. Gampong Cot is striving to rebuild its economy through a locally led economy group. The population is 294 people (139 households) consisting of 167 men and 127 women.

SSGF supports the construction of a community-owned building for community use. It serves as venue for village gatherings and a management house for local economic governance. SSGF funding also provides working capital for village economy start up; the micro-industry packages for women?s groups and small food vendors; 6 boats for fisher groups and collectively owned fishing gear; and the establishment of a handicraft workshop and small scale wood work.

Some of the USD 20,000 grant obtained from SSGF was already used to build a community building to house a locally led Community

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Economy Institution (Lembaga Ekonomi Masyarakat-LEM). The remaining grants will be channeled to community groups as a revolving fund managed by LEM elected administrators.

As an emerging community group, LEM Gampong Cot called for help from Yayasan Pengembangan Kawasan (YPK), an important player and GEF SGP partner in reconstruction of livelihood in Samatiga district, West Aceh. YPK has provided mentorship and administration costs to enable SSGF funding meet the community?s needs.

The communities main challenge is to strengthen and exercise its institutional capacity in organizing themselves. Distrust as a result of decades of armed conflict has contributed to fragmentation of society that challenges LEM as the best available and affordable village institution to address the multilayered problems of building new community in Aceh. The goal of LEM is to coordinate all assistance and donation to the village in a one door policy system so that community can access reconstruction assistance equally.

Beneficiaries:
Indirect: 294 communities, 127 women and 167 men (113 households), Direct: 200 people (in 75 households)

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