Underwater Paradise: Raja Ampat, Indonesia

March 21, 2024

With over 70% of the Earth covered by water, it’s only logical for the planet’s greatest beauty to lie beneath the waves. Raja Ampat holds a special place in the hearts of divers and naturalists alike.

Wayang Island within Raja Ampat. Elias Levy. CC BY 2.0.

Situated northwest off of Papua, Indonesia’s most eastern island, the Raja Ampat archipelago is heralded as a top-tier site for scuba diving and marine biodiversity. Raja Ampat comprises over 28,000 square miles of ocean and hundreds of cays and shoals still to be discovered. Plate tectonics exposed ancient limestone seabeds to tidal erosion which yielded a series of islands seeming to levitate above the waves. As the archipelago straddles the Earth’s equator, it naturally experiences a tropical climate.

But Raja Ampat’s most signature feature is its sheer scope of species diversity. Home to at least 75% of the world’s hard corals and at least 1,500 different species of fish, Raja Ampat is considered the global epicenter of marine animal diversity. Due to a confluence of warm, shallow water and nutrient-rich currents from the Pacific and Indian oceans, Raja Ampat has thrived for decades as a haven for endangered aquatics. A slew of rare sea species from dugongs and blue whales to dolphins and leatherbacks live in relative geographic isolation and pristine marine ecosystems.

Northern Raja Ampat

Marine biodiversity is unmatched within Raja Ampat. Nazir Amin. CC BY 2.0.

The northern islands of Gam, Kri, Waigeo and Batanta are bounded by the Dampier Strait. It serves as a popular entryway to Raja Ampat thanks to the city of Sorong on the west coast of Papua which hosts its own airport. With mainland access via ferries, most visitors flock to the north to dive at famous sites such as Cape Kri, Blue Magic and Manta Sandy.

Cape Kri is a renowned hotspot for marine biodiversity. Once recorded as the site with the highest quantity of distinct fish species observed in a single dive, visitors can expect to see reef sharks, moray eels, turtles, Humphead wrasse, cuttlefish, porcupinefish, crevalle jack, snapper and barracuda.

Blue Magic offers a variety of soft and hard coral reefs to check out. Though divers will face strong currents in the water, the struggle is worth the chance to meet dogfish tuna, giant trevally, spanish mackerel, bumphead parrotfish and even octopi.

Manta Sandy is a shallow site teeming with plankton, and of course, ocean manta rays. Divers must try their luck to encounter the rare black manta.

South Raja Ampat

A Wobbegong shark. Nazir Amin. CC BY 2.0.

South Raja Ampat is noticeably inaccessible to the lay visitor as overnight ferries must be taken from Sorong to reach this remote area. However, the reefs in South Raja Ampat are picturesque, with premier visibility for pygmy seahorses, colorful nudibranchs and other wowing wildlife.

The island of Misool is the pinnacle of biodiversity conservation, as much of the area is protected as part of the Misool Marine Reserve. There’s only one option for overnight lodgings: the Misool Eco Resort, an eco-friendly hotel dedicated to conservation and sustainability. The resort’s founders dedicate a portion of both their profits towards biodiversity recovery; there’s been a 250% increase in local biomass and a doubling of reef fishes within six years. Visitors are welcome to trek or boat to neighboring islands for beautiful beaches, native seabirds and rock petroglyphs dating back 4,000 years.

Hundreds of reef fish are visible from above the water’s edge. Nazir Amin. CC BY 2.0.

Raja Ampat’s natural beauty belies political and economic trouble.

Though visitors will certainly enjoy Raja Ampat’s scenic environments and exotic wildlife, they may feel the effects of local turmoil.

In 1961 the people of West Papua, an area which includes Raja Ampat, voted to become a part of Indonesia in a much disputed referendum. However, a pro-independence movement has emerged throughout Papua, eliciting police and military crackdowns alongside communal tensions. Furthermore, around 9,000 of Raja Ampat residents live in poverty, lacking sanitation facilities and healthcare. Clean drinking water is imported into the islands approximately once a month; there is no electrical or telecommunications infrastructure available for most villagers. Most inhabitants either fish or mine to earn their living, and often incur debts to small businesses for consumer goods and fuel prices. Raja Ampat’s ecotourism industry is partnering with local residents to promote their security and welfare.

Indonesia's Most Dangerous Job: Mining in an Active Volcano

October 11, 2023

The mesmerizing sulfur-induced blue flames of Indonesia’s Mount Ijen attract hundreds of tourists every night, but mask one of the most dangerous jobs in the world: sulfur mining.

Sulfur miners of Mount Ijen. Candra Firmansyah. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Sulphur-induced blue flames are nothing more than a mining by-product, but they have turned Indonesia’s Mount Ijen into a popular tourist attraction. Lured in by the magical phenomenon, I joined a tour group and hiked up the volcano in the hopes of getting a glimpse of the beautiful fire. But the shocking truth of what I discovered was far from magical. Sulfur miners were working in the crater. Slaving away among the fire and smoke, they wore no special clothing nor eye protection. Some did not even have gas masks. Watching the men was heart-rending, and made the blue flames seem completely insignificant. The reality of Mount Ijen is that sulfur miners work everyday in the most unforgiving environment in the world.

Blue flames at Mount Ijen. Thomas Fuhrmann. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Mount Ijen, in Indonesia, is an active volcano situated on East Java, the closest island to the holiday-maker hotspot of Bali. Possessing unique characteristics, the views at Mount Ijen are otherworldly. The volcanic crater holds the largest highly acidic lake in the world, which beams with a vibrant, almost inviting turquoise blue. Above the lake are vivid yellow rocks that have been stained as a result of sulfur gasses condensing.

Mount Ijen. Taylor Girhiny. Used with the author’s permission.

While spectacular to see, many dangers lurk in the volcano. Aside from the unpredictable volcanic eruptions, earthquakes are common and have been known to cause landslides in the crater. There was even an earthquake in 2020 that triggered a seiche-type tsunami in the acid lake. The seismic activity caused the mountain to belch poison gas and generated a three-meter wave that swept across the crater,, killing a sulfur miner.

Despite these dangers, the sulfur has drawn miners to the volcano since 1968 and has become a trade passed down through families ever since. Known locally as the ‘devil’s gold’, it is considered a commodity worth high risk. Not only do miners risk a quick death while mining, but they also experience long-term health issues and have an average life expectancy of just 50 years old.

In the dead of night, when the air is at its coolest, sulfur extraction commences. Miners start by hiking the 2000 feet incline, the equivalent of two eiffel towers, before descending into the crater. At this point, the sulfuric smell of rotten egg takes over, making it hard to breathe. Pipes that travel below the surface provide access to the sulfur. The miners use fire to heat the ground, causing the sulfur to liquidize and trickle through the pipework onto the ground outside. Left to cool and dry, the ‘devil’s gold’ takes shape in the form of rich, yellow crystalized rocks.

Melted sulfur crystallizing. Taylor Girhiny. Used with the author’s permission.

During the heating process, large clouds of harmful gas burst out from beneath the arid, rocky terrain. Each thick, opaque cloud swallows everything in its path, causing a complete whiteout. Unable to see even one meter in front of them, miners are left sightless until the miasma disperse. The atmosphere was so harsh that my throat tightened up and I was coughing after just 10 minutes in the crater. Daily exposure to these toxic fumes leaves miners with life-long respiratory issues. One miner, Udi, explained to me that his own father became blind due to repeated exposure to the fumes and, despite seeing the suffering in his family, has no choice but to follow the same line of work.

Handmade carrier full of mined sulfur. Eva Adorisio.

Once the sulfur has been processed, it must be carried out of the volcanic crater. A steep path consisting of unsteady rocks is the only way out and, with no technology to aid in their efforts, miners must physically transport every piece of the precious material. They precariously balance up to 170 pounds of sulfur, more than their bodyweight, on their handmade shoulder carriers. Without proper back support, miners suffer back problems and often swelling in the shoulders.

Sulfur produced at Mount Ijen is sold on and used in a variety of products including detergents and cosmetics, and is even used to whiten sugar. According to Udi, one kilogram of sulfur is sold for 1000 Indonesian Rupiah ($0.065). If a miner sells a full load of sulfur that may have taken all night to produce, he will make 75,000 Rupiah (approximately $5). Surprisingly, this makes sulfur mining one of the better paid jobs in this remote area of Java. With high poverty rates, it is clear why locals risk their lives to sustain a livelihood.

Miner selling miniature baskets of sulfur as souvenirs for tourists. Eva Adorisio.

The shocking reality is that local men are putting their lives on the line for what most in the West would consider pocket money. Witnessing them work tirelessly in the most inhumane conditions is an inconceivable sight, yet has become a spectacle for tourists to gawk at. The promise of stunning blue flames may sound alluring, but in truth Mount Ijen is a merciless place that no one should have to call work.

In 2017, Ijen Assistance raised $15,000 for relief work in the region from a music video following Bas, a sulfur miner, and his family.

Novo Amor & Lowswimmer - Terraform (official video)

TO GET INVOLVED

Providing aid after natural disasters, Islamic Relief has been working in Indonesia since 2000. After the earthquakes of 2006 and 2009, the organization responded immediately, distributing emergency supplies and later rebuilding a hospital and school. They also work to reduce the effects of poverty and have a variety of development projects across Indonesia.

Currently, there are no organizations working directly to improve the conditions for sulfur miners at Mount Ijen. Despite previous campaigns raising awareness and money, such as the ‘Terraform’ music video, miners continue to work in the same harsh conditions.

Eva is an avid traveler and writer from Bristol, England. In her writing, she aims to show the true nature of what a place is really like. Her Italian roots have led to a love of food, culture and language. She also spends her time staying active out in nature and is always searching for the next adventure.

5 Islands to Visit in Indonesia Not Named Bali

November 28, 2022

While the famed island has its charms, visitors have largely overlooked the rest of this sprawling archipelago’s natural and cultural riches.

So much of Indonesia, such as Bunaken Island near Sulawesi, is relatively undiscovered – for now. Niek van Son. CC BY 2.0

Indonesia is made up of over 17,000 islands – yet the world’s attention focuses squarely on Bali. Yet, from the enchanting temples of Java to the crystal-clear waters of Raja Ampat, Indonesia’s less-known islands hold endless opportunities for exploration and enlightenment.

Sumatra

Indonesia’s westernmost island offers up excitement and relaxation in equal quantities. The languid shores of Toba, the world’s largest volcanic lake, beckon visitors to its isolated islands, gushing waterfalls and unique Batak subculture. Elsewhere on Sumatra, adventure reigns supreme: track down orangutans in Bukit Lawang, surf mammoth waves on the surrounding Mentawai and Nias Islands or hike up the still-active Mount Sibayak volcano. Travelers can finish by polishing off some of Sumatra’s famously delicious cuisine in Medan and Padang, Indonesia’s most acclaimed culinary capitals.

Raja Ampat

Located just off the coast of New Guinea in Indonesia’s far east, this under-the-radar archipelago provides visitors with some of the most pristine reefs in the world. Skilled divers dream of traveling to these idyllic islands for all-but-assured sightings of sharks and manta rays and the discovery of over 1,000 different species of fish and coral. The views on land rival the bounty below, with a hike up Piaynemo Island revealing a dreamscape of verdant forests and crystal-clear waters obscured only by the flight of tropical birds.

Java

The world’s most populous island, Java remains the heartbeat of Indonesia. Frenetic and colorful Jakarta is a mixing bowl of Indonesia’s countless cultures as it attracts locals from every island. When the capital’s crush of humanity gets a bit too much, travelers can escape to atmospheric Yogyakarta, renowned as Indonesia’s cultural and artistic capital. Just outside of town are the architectural masterpieces of Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist temple, and Prambanan, Indonesia’s largest Hindu temple. Nature lovers appreciate a morning hike up Mount Bromo, while divers enjoy getaways to the tropical paradise of Karimunjawa.

Flores

Known by intrepid travelers for its Komodo dragons, Flores gives visitors a glimpse of an untouched Indonesian island tailor-made for adventure. Tracking down the region’s best-known inhabitant is a must, but travelers would be remiss to skip Flores’ less popular attractions. Padar Island’s coves alternate between white, black and pink sand, with their gorgeous beaches offering the perfect respite after a long day of trekking. Mount Kelimutu also revels in multihued splendor, with the volcano’s three lakes ranging in color from an intense red to cool shades of green and blue. Intense hikers will adore the overnight trek to Wae Rebo, an excursion through dense jungles to a traditional village set up by the Manggarai tribe.

Funeral ceremonies in Tana Toraja are a cause for celebration, as death is the most revered state of one’s life. Arian Zwegers. CC BY 2.0

Sulawesi

Sulawesi holds an incredibly broad array of activities within its oddly shaped borders. The clear highlight is Tana Toraja, a highland region studded with rice paddies and filled with houses bearing a close resemblance to boats. The area is home to the world's most elaborate and celebratory funeral rituals, which mesmerize all who attend. Visitors take a bumpy ride into the jungles of Lore Lindu National Park to discover monkeys, snakes, and tropical flora and fauna that remain untouched by the outside world. A journey to Rammang Rammang passes by the sweeping limestone cliffs of the world’s third largest “stone garden,” and the Togean, Wakatobi and Bunaken Islands further entice with world-class diving opportunities.

Stephen Kenney

is a Journalism and Political Science double major at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He enjoys sharing his passion for geography with others by writing compelling stories from across the globe. In his free time, Stephen enjoys reading, long-distance running and rooting for the Tar Heels.

3 Asian Theatrical Traditions

October 25, 2021

The cinema may be the world’s most prominent entertainment, but recorded film screenings cannot match the liveliness of performing theater. Learn about three theatrical traditions beloved by their Asian audiences for their craftsmanship and cultural significance.

Stage Theatre. AndyRobertsPhotos. CC BY 2.0.

Theater is a unique art in its ability to elicit both laughter and tears within the same showing. Throughout these three Asian nations the stage is a place where performers can bring imaginary worlds to life, or inspire their audiences to better their own.

1. Japan’s Rakugo

Rakugo. Isabelle + Stephanie Galley. CC BY 2.0.

Rakugo (fallen words) showcases a storyteller’s skill to enthrall their audience without the use of any costumes, scenery or special effects. Rakugo was developed during Japan’s Edo Period (1603-1868) by Buddhist priests who recounted dramatic tales to illustrate the impermanence of life and the sufferings elicited by materialistic attachment. Soon non-religious performers regaled crowds with parodied interpretations of those parables. A specialized sect of storytellers has emerged since, termed the rakugoka, who rely upon improvisation, exaggeration and, most critically, wordplay for their performances. A rakugoka presents upon the spartan kōza stage while dressed in traditional Japanese garb, and has only a sensu (paper fan) and a tenugui (hand towel) as props to aid them. With pantomime, voice and facial expressions the rakugoka will narrate one of 300 stories inspired by the realities of ordinary people.

The stories of rakugo are structured as back-and-forth dialogues between a set of archetypal characters and generally culminate in a funny climax. Popular character archetypes include cunning tricksters, miserly merchants, arrogant authorities and kaidan (ghosts or other apparitions). Each narration ends with an raku (fall), a humorous linguistic twist which serves as a punch line for the whole performance. Rakugo is analogous to a one-man show of sit-down comedy.

2. India’s Nukkad Natak

Nukkad Natak. DLF PUBLIC SCHOOL, INDIA. CC BY 2.0.

From universities to slums throughout India, nukkad natak (street drama) serves as a medium of entertainment as well as social commentary. India has a rich heritage of theater which traces back centuries, but nukkad natak was shaped very recently among the country’s schools and streets. In the 1980s, left-wing grassroots activists started to put on plays for the lay public to highlight major social and political issues. Nukkad natak grew especially popular among college students who identified an outlet through which they could express their unacknowledged emotions and views. Nukkad natak has since become a channel for communication and information among the uneducated masses.

Without any audiovisual equipment or cosmetic crew professionals nukkad natak troupes are forced to capitalize their bodies to the fullest. The troupers’ voices vary in pitch and volume as they undertake in constant physical motion. Troupes will not shy away from controversial scenes like sexual assault but will act them out publicly to provoke emotions. Some troupes dedicate their performances towards the portrayal of exemplary civic behavior. Even India’s private sector recognizes nukkad natak’s enormous influence on public society; some multinational corporations sponsor their own performances to advertise their products.

3. Indonesia’s Wayang Kulit

Yogyakarta, Wayang Kulit. Arian Zwegers. CC BY 2.0.

Although its origins are disputed to date, there is no debate as to the renown wayang kulit (shadow leather) holds today in Indonesia and neighboring countries. Intricately detailed leather puppets are deftly maneuvered by a dhalang (puppeteer) between a light source and a blank screen to portray a story via shadow. Performances feature plots derived from a bevy of sources, ranging from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana or Mahabharat to the East Javanaese Prince Panji cycle.

A show of wayang kulit may carry on through the night for eight hours and is usually accompanied by a gamelan bronze orchestra. A single performance may entail the use of hundreds of puppets, all of whom are designed with utmost faithfulness to visual symbolism. Puppets portraying noble heroes, for example, are crafted in accordance with the Javanese ideal of male beauty: slender build, long and pointed nose and eyes shaped like soya beans. A puppet’s colors represent characteristics; gold indicates dignity whereas white is the color of youth.

INDONESIA: The Kingdom of Bantar Gebang

May 5, 2017

“The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” — Mahatma Gandhi

On the Indonesian island of Java, twenty kilometres from the fast-growing capital city Jakarta, is a malodorous, contaminated world with towering hills of half-decomposed waste, that stretches as far as the eye can see. This monstrosity is Bantar Gebang, the largest uncovered landfill site in Southeast Asia. It is also home to over 3,000 families, many with young children, who make a living amongst the garbage, scavenging what they can.

Jakarta, home to over 10 million people, produces more than 7,000 square metres of garbage per day — a figure that is still growing — and every year hundreds of thousands of tons of trash are indiscriminately dumped here, in the nearby district of Bekasi, at the massive Bantar Gebang landfill.

For the few outsiders who come to experience this place first-hand, it is a shocking wake-up call for the consequences of our over-consumption of the planet’s resources and the desperate need for better waste management. In a society enamoured with all things disposable, we are constantly having to find somewhere to put our rubbish. As general rule, far out of our sight.

On the road towards Bantar Gebang, what hits you first is the smell. Even before you arrive at the site, an overpowering stench of decomposing organic matter steadily invades the atmosphere. Next, the buzzing clouds of flies appear, and finally, the first mountains of waste come distantly into view. Many workers who move here say that when they first arrive they cannot eat, and that the smell makes them vomit constantly for the first few weeks.

Working day in, day out at the landfill, handling the rotting, decomposing rubbish with little to no protection takes a serious toll on the basic health of all the inhabitants here.

Yet, Bantar Gebang has become the poorest people’s El Dorado, a lucrative and chaotic place of individual enterprise where hundreds of families come to salvage what can be resold or eaten. Alongside the stray cats, goats, and cockroaches, they wade knee-deep through decomposing vegetables, soiled clothes, broken furniture, and festering waste of every kind, loading their baskets with glass bottles, tins, and plastics. Business here is booming, and the scavengers, some of them children as young as five, make around 30,000 rupiah (£2.20) a day. For many, this is as good a wage as they will find.

Every day new trucks arrive with more than 8,000 tones of rubbish from Jakarta, depositing their load anywhere they can find space, while bulldozers giant mechanical arms shift and mould the ever-growing mountains of waste.

Many families are accompanied by their young children, who live in the most insanitary conditions imaginable, in this breeding ground for germs and disease. You often see them padding about, barefoot in the rubbish, looking for something which could be used as a toy. Some children slip and injure themselves, and when wounds become infected, there is no medical service available on-site to help them. Many also suffer from suffer skin infections, bronchial problems, and intestinal worms from working on the landfill.

Amir, whose home is amongst these mounds of rubbish, waits for his mum who is working behind him. His favourite toy? A digger.

Some of these children were born here, brought into the world amongst the towering mounds of rotting waste that dominate the horizon. Every day, while parents are retrieving what they can resell or eat, these young children wait patiently for the next meal they will share as a family. This meal is often consumed directly off the ground, amidst the flies, foul odours, and trash.

The Bantar Gebang landfill was built on rice paddy fields in the district of Bekasi in 1989, and for some here, this is all they have ever known. Many are unskilled workers who have been scavenging in streets and rubbish bins their whole lives. Others, who once made their living digging the earth, are the former rice farmers whose land has been swallowed up by the relentless tide of garbage. Today, they all make a living by digging the ever-expanding “mountains” of Bantar Gebang, searching for their own personal treasure.

In this filthy and chaotic universe, I begin to understand how one man’s trash becomes another man’s means of survival.

Here, everything old finds a new purpose. Abandoned sofas and tables are often huddled together in impromptu ‘cafes’ where workers will pause to share a cigarette or have a cold drink, while ... You will also hear the call of Bantar Gebang’s resident imams wafting out over the landscapes of trash, but despite a strong sense of community at the landfill, many workers say that they are stigmatised and avoided if they ever cross its boundaries.

Today, the landfill is home to an estimated 3,000 families, and as Jakarta’s waste keeps growing, so does its population. Almost all residents live in makeshift shelters built from tarpaulins and scraps of metal as protection against the sun and rain. Those who have been there longer have fashioned huts from pieces of scrap wood, cardboard, old rugs, plastic advertisements, and nails rummaged from the landfill. During the rainy season, flood water rises and seeps into these dwellings. The water that is used to fulfill their daily needs is drawn from groundwater infected by leakages and sewage.

During the days I spend documenting life at Bantar Gebang, I do my best to show humanity, to take an interest in those living here, to simply be myself, and to convey that I consider those living and working here my equals.

Yet the foul smell is inescapable, the heat suffocating, and whenever I move I sweat, though I make no effort. When you find yourself in conditions like these, in an environment rife with the evidence of inequality, the only thing you feel is an overwhelming sense of gratefulness to have been able to satisfy your basic needs and a burning desire to do something to help. With my foreigner’s gaze, I cannot help but compare my everyday life to that of the men, women and children whose photographs I take. Some of them simply have no point of comparison, and live in acceptance of their condition.

Nila, one of the children who is growing up at the Bantar Gebang landfill, bathes her little brother in their family’s shelter.

Following the day-to-day existence of the people who call Bantar Gebang their home was also a lesson in the incredible strength and resilience of the human spirit. In the midst of these challenging conditions, people of all ages proved to me that love and joy will always exist even in the worst of places.

Andi, only a few years old, plays amongst the mounds of rubbish as his mother sifts through to salvage what she can.Andi, only a few years old, plays amongst the mounds of rubbish as his mother sifts through to salvage what she can.

On this occasion, I had travelled to Bantar Gebang to learn how I could assist the remarkable Resa Boenard. Brought to the area by her parents when she was just ten months old, Resa grew up one of Bantar Gebang’s children, surrounded by these vast, decaying mountains. At first her parent’s home was among rice fields, today, fifty metres of trash tower outside her windows.

Unlike so many others who live and work here, Resa had the chance to attend secondary school and to complete her studies, experiencing life outside this place, despite frequent bullying by her classmates for living on a landfill. Later, unable to afford the fees to attend university or to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor, Resa felt compelled to move back to Bantar Gebang, deciding that she would dedicate her time to helping the people here.

“Just because we are born among rubbish, doesn’t mean we are rubbish. My commitment to the people and young people here, it is still big in my heart. I have to do it.” — Resa, founder of BGBJ

Determined to give other children living on the landfill the same opportunity she had, Resa has re-named the landfill ‘The Kingdom of Bantar Gebang’ and started an organisation called BGBJ, which stands for ‘the seeds of Bantar Gebang’, along with her British friend and co-founder John Devlin. Resa believes that the children at the landfill are like seeds, and when nurtured and supported, they will be able to gain an education and to see that they can become something else. At first, with no funding or other support, Resa simply opened her home to the children living on the dumpsite, and began.

Today, with both a hostel and community hub on the landfill, BGBJ aims to develop a healthy and sustainable way out of poverty for the children and families who live and work here, through education and employment. Since 2014, volunteers and travellers have been helping Resa to expand her work and to turn her neighbourhood into what she calls, “the best dump ever”.

Here you can watch a short video interview I made with Resa during my time there. The positive spirit in Reza’s home and at BGBJ is simply amazing.

Sita, one of the young children whose families call the landfill their home, searches for toys amongst the rubbish.

Last year, waste management in Jakarta underwent a major shake-up, with multiple blockades and protests preventing trucks from entering the landfill, after disputes erupted between the Jakarta administration and their Bekasi counterparts. Angry at the stench of the never-ending stream of passing garbage trucks hauling waste to the landfill, which were now violating working hours and using a prohibited road, the protesters nearly paralysed Jakarta’s waste management during early November. The disputes were finally resolved when the city’s acting governor visited Bantar Gebang and promised to double the compensation provided for households located near the landfill to Rp 600,000 (around USD $45) every three months.

Ina, one of the luckier Bantar Gebang children, whose family have a small home with some concrete walls.

Though officials have admitted that Jakarta may need at least ten years to start fully addressing its significant waste management issues, some things look set to change. Recent initiatives to trap methane produced by the landfill and build on-site recycling facilities have eased Bantar Gebang’s pollution, and in 2016 a landmark agreement was made with Finnish energy company Fortum to develop an intermediate treatment facility (ITF) in the capital.

Despite expert concerns that the incinerator at this new ITF may emit hazardous substances if plastic waste is not properly removed, it is expected to process 2,000 to 2,200 tonnes of waste per day, and is intended to help reduce the city’s long-term dependency on the Bantar Gebang landfill. Three more bids are currently being conducted for further ITFs in the city.

For now, however, life remains the same for the families and children of the Kingdom of Bantar Gebang, where Resa is affectionately called the ‘queen’.

Taking things one day, and one project, at a time, BGBJ is not waiting for the government to take action and has ambitious plans for improving the lives of the children and families living at Bantar Gebang, such as a new school, a workshop, a tool shed, improved sanitation, and a computer lab. For the past year, they have also been hosting backpackers and travellers, who come to offer English lessons and to go on jalan-jalan or walkabout around the dumpsite. Providing an amazing opportunity for eco-tourism and cultural exchange these events have been a wonderful success with the kids.

So far, BGBJ has been completely independent, funding improvements with their own personal savings, with money generated from the day trips and overnight stays, and with donations from individuals and groups.

Today, they are raising USD $5,000 in seed funds for a workshop that will enable BGBJ to establish a sustainable social enterprise, called ‘BGBJ Style’. With the goal of producing a range of merchandise and upcycled products from the landfill, they have already begun by developing and producing their own natural insect repellant, balms, and candles. Offering alternative employment to some of the parents of BGBJ kids, this enterprise will generate an income so that BGBJ can continue to pay for and improve its services.

Nila, who lives with her family in a homemade shelter at the Bantar Gebang landfill, peeps out from behind a makeshift curtain.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” and it is up to all of us to do our bit. For my part, I have been inspired to do everything I can to help support Resa’s work. I hope you will join me.

Resa Boenard, the inspiring founder of BGBJ, with some the kids growing up at Bantar Gebang landfill.

Please help me support this amazing local organisation through their current GoFundMe campaign, where you will find more stories and details. More information can also be found about their work through the BGBJ website.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAPTIA.

ALEXANDRE SATTLER

Alexandre Sattler is a photographer, traveler, and producer of audio documentaries on our planet's diverse cultures, our shared humanity, and the environment.

INDONESIA: Life Is Short

December 30, 2015

Explore coastal Indonesia with Etienne Calmelet, who journeyed to West Sumatra with AIESEC, the world’s largest student-run organization, which focuses on providing a platform for youth leadership development. Etienne’s video diary documents the four months he spent in the city of Padang, where he worked at a radio station and lived with a local family. Each day, Etienne was visited by dozens of locals who had never met a foreigner before.