GoodDeeds International has been actively working to provide aid and empower remote group of communities with a population of about 1,500 people on the islands of Mabong, Buyu Besar, Buyu Kechil and  Pasir Panjang  in the far Eastern corner of the Riau Province in Indonesia. Why these places? Due to their remote location these communities have been neglected and are in need of serious aid. 

Marlina is a 15 year old daughter of a fisherman living on the island of Pulau Buyu Kecil in Indonesia. She had been. experiencing severe stomach pains for several days. Her shouts of pain and tears immensely worried her parents. On 27 August, when the pain became unbearable, her parents took her to the nearest clinic at Tajur Biru, 50 km away by sea, as that was the nearest and only place to find a qualified doctor. 

On examination, the doctor diagnosed her as suffering from Appendicitis. They were advised to go to the hospital immediately as the Appendicitis may burst making it septic and causing further complications. On the same day, the family took the next available ferry to Tanjung Pinang, where the hospital is located, 120 km away by sea.

The family barely makes ends meet and this extra medical expense has put them into a very desperate situation. In the name of medical facilities, the islanders only have a poorly equipped clinic that is manned by a midwife. Access to medical facilities and a qualified doctor is only available at Tajur Biru which is 55km away. What makes the matter worse is that there are no readily available means of transport in cases of emergencies.