[vc_row row_content_width="grid"][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Balantieng watershed in South Sulawesi, rich in biodiversity and known for its clean water, is under threat. Despite being a critical source of drinking water and irrigation for local communities, household waste—especially plastic—continues to pollute the river. Heavy rains carry plastic waste into farmlands, affecting crops such as rice and cloves, and impacting coastal areas, including seaweed farms and marine biodiversity. Engaging communities in tackling plastic pollution Plastic waste pollution in the Balantieng River is driven by a lack of awareness and inadequate waste

[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

Makara and Dutch creative agency NorthernLight are launching a new initiative: YUYU.

[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