Projects

[vc_row row_content_width="grid"][vc_column][vc_video link="https://youtu.be/eS8uuVawIY4" align="center"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text] De Balantieng rivier raakt vervuild door plastic De Balantieng-rivier, de levensader van lokale gemeenschappen in Zuid-Sulawesi, raakt steeds verder vervuild door plastic afval. Bij hevige regenval overspoelen plasticstromen de rijstvelden en visvijvers, terwijl de vervuiling in de rivier zelf de watervoorziening bedreigt. Dit heeft grote gevolgen voor de gezondheid van duizenden mensen. De kracht van vrouwen: Ibu Fatma komt in actie Ibu Fatma, boerin en leider van Komunitas Merdeka Sampah in Batukaropa, mobiliseert haar gemeenschap—vooral vrouwen—om plasticvervuiling aan te pakken. Samen met Makara en

Projects

[vc_row row_content_width="grid"][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Balantieng River Basin in South Sulawesi, rich in biodiversity and known for its clean water, is under threat. Despite being the source of drinking water and irrigation for local communities, household waste—especially plastic—continues to pollute the river. Heavy rains cause the river to flood farmlands with plastic waste, affecting crops like rice and cloves, as well as coastal areas, which impacts seaweed farms and fish biodiversity. This environmental crisis demands urgent action. Empowering communities for change The root causes include a lack of awareness

Projects

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Women in East Java are stepping into roles they may never have imagined—organizing, innovating, and collaborating to revive the river and protect their livelihoods. They’re not just cleaning a river; they’re reshaping what’s possible for their communities. It is part of AKSI Brantas, a collaborative effort uniting Indonesian and Dutch organizations to protect and restore the river. By combining local knowledge with international expertise, the initiative has made significant progress in restoring ecosystems and empowering grassroots communities to take charge of the Brantas River Basin. The Brantas river’s

Projects

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Discovering the beauty of rivers Makara is launching a new initiative: the traveling YUYU River Education Exhibitions. YUYU River exhibitions are organized to inspire and connect upstream communities to protect their rivers from pollution. We study the biodiversity and water quality and learn about life and communities along the river. We show how much waste ends up in the river with photography and plastic installations. River pollution: a global problem Rivers around the world carry tons of waste, microplastics and other pollutants into the ocean every day,

Projects

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] AksiBrantas is an initiative of Makara, the Indonesian environmental NGO Ecoton, the Delft University of Technology and the Dutch consultancy and engineering company Tauw in collaboration with three local authorities: the river authority BBWS-Brantas, the state-owned water supply company Perum Jasa Tirta-1 and the provincial department of Environment and Forestry. AksiBrantas is a unique Dutch-Indonesian partnership: Indonesian environmental activists join forces with authorities and mobilize community groups to stop household waste ending up in the river. Dutch and Indonesian experts research water quality with the latest