[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In June, Stichting Makara won the Gender and Inclusion Award from Wilde Ganzen. Wilde Ganzen made two short films about it, and both are at the bottom of this post. In the first, Wilde Ganzen explains what the award is about. In the second, I talk about our work along the rivers in Indonesia and about the women who make the difference there. As gender ambassador I will also speak this autumn at a gathering for Wilde Ganzen's partner organisations in the Netherlands. I will

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In juni won Stichting Makara de Gender en Inclusie Award van Wilde Ganzen. Wilde Ganzen maakte er twee korte films over. Ze staan onderaan dit bericht: in de eerste film legt Wilde Ganzen uit waar de award over gaat, in de tweede vertel ik over ons werk langs de rivieren in Indonesië en over de vrouwen die daar het verschil maken. Op 30 oktober ben ik als gender ambassadeur te gast bij de workshop Inclusief en effectief projectontwerp van Wilde Ganzen. Ik vertel daar hoe

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Stichting Makara is door Wilde Ganzen uitgeroepen tot Gender Ambassadeur 2026-2027 en wint daarmee de Gender  en Inclusie Award. De prijs is een erkenning voor de manier waarop Makara, samen met haar Indonesische partners, vrouwen een leidende rol geeft in het herstel van rivieren. Uit veel sterke aanmeldingen koos de jury voor het werk van Makara. Wat eruit sprong, was de aanpak waarbij vrouwen zelf data verzamelen en concreet bewijs leveren over de vervuiling in hun omgeving. Met dat bewijs in handen staan ze sterker

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Wilde Ganzen has named Stichting Makara Gender Ambassador 2026-2027, awarding it the Gender and Inclusion Award. The prize recognises the way Makara, together with its Indonesian partners, gives women a leading role in the restoration of rivers. From many strong applications, the jury chose Makara's work. What stood out was the approach in which women gather their own data and produce concrete evidence about the pollution in their surroundings. With that evidence in hand, they stand stronger in conversations with community leaders and decision-makers, and

Stichting Makara presenteert haar eerste jaarverslag. Hierin blikken we terug op ons eerste jaar als zelfstandige stichting en kijken we vooruit naar de opschaling van ons bewezen model voor rivierbescherming in Indonesië.

[vc_row row_content_width="grid"][vc_column][vc_column_text css_animation="none"]We zijn heel blij dat ons project op Sulawesi is gekozen als Project van de Week bij Wilde Ganzen en nu te zien is via NPO Start. Het is mooi dat het werk van onze lokale partners en de vrouwen met wie we samenwerken zo een groter publiek bereikt. In ons project pakken we een probleem aan dat daar dagelijks voelbaar is: de vervuiling van drinkwater en voedsel door plastic. Tijdens de Vakantiebeurs in Utrecht vorige week merkten we hoeveel mensen dit ook hier bezighoudt. We voerden mooie

[vc_row row_content_width="grid"][vc_column][vc_column_text css_animation="none"] Over the past year, communities along the Balantieng River in South Sulawesi have shown what becomes possible when women are supported to lead solutions to plastic pollution. Plastic waste affects everyone in the watershed, but women are among the most impacted. They are responsible for household water, waste and family health, and they are often the first to experience the consequences of polluted rivers. At the same time, they are proving to be the strongest drivers of change. From vulnerability to leadership In six villages

The KALI SURABAYA DETECTIVE SCHOOL program is an inspiring example of enabling children to protect their river. Equipped with research instruments, children visit the river and analyze water samples under the microscope. This time they found plankton, but also microplastics. In a creative workshop the children visualized their findings and concerns.

In the remote village of Panglungan, East Java, a group of determined women is leading the charge to protect and restore their forest. Under the banner of KTH Kepuh, a women-led agroforestry cooperative, they have been working for over two decades to rehabilitate the land, safeguard water sources, and create sustainable livelihoods. Over the past five years, our local partner ECOTON has worked closely with them as part of the Indonesian-Dutch AKSI Brantas partnership, providing training in water quality monitoring, coaching in environmental advocacy, and

Women in East Java are stepping into roles they may never have imagined—organizing, innovating, and collaborating to revive the river and protect its legacy.