Turning Sorrow Into Blessings

A number of women on the coast of Kendari Bay, Southeast Sulawesi, turning waste into baskets, flower vases and bags. They try to turn their sorrow into a blessing.

KOMPAS/SAIFUL RIJAL YUNUS

Sabaniah (72), a member of the garbage bank group, processes plastic waste into handicraft products in Lapulu, Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, Saturday (27/3/2021).

Holding a small knife in her right hand, Sabaniah, 72, skillfully cut the base and mouth of a beverage can on March 27 (27/3/2021). Along with 11 colleagues who are members of the Coastal Women\'s Group Waste Bank in Kendari Bay, the grandmother of 10 grandchildren processes and cleans various kinds of packaging waste.

"I worked in a timber company until it went bankrupt several years ago. I cut wood using a chainsaw, so it\'s normal [for me] to hold a knife,” she said with a laugh, showing her six remaining teeth.

Formed in January, this group uses a plot of land of one of its members as an activity post. Roofed with tents, pillars of bamboo and flooring made of used banners, the post is where they work. Various forms of plastic waste are recycled into handicrafts with economic value.

Also read: Bay Cities Face Silting Impacts

Nearly all members of the group have grandchildren and are elderly. Amid the current uncertain economic situation, the women try to utilize the potential that exists around them.

Anita Hayati, 40, is a member of the group who is also a garbage collector. Every day, she walks along the coast to villages, markets and restaurants. She collects waste in the form of beverage bottles, empty oil bottles, straws, cans, among other things.

"This morning, I walked again. Collected three sacks. Alhamdulillah [praise be to God]," she said.

After selling two sacks of package waste, she usually saves half of what she sells for the needs of her family. The other half is set aside for group needs. The other sack obtained from scavenging is taken home. Plastic is the raw material for the crafts.

That afternoon, they made baskets from beverage bottles. A number of handicrafts were displayed on the table. Vases and flowers, bags and baskets lined up. The results of their work are to be bought by the Kendari city administration.

KOMPAS/SAIFUL RIJAL YUNUS

A number of women process various types of waste into handicraft products in Lapulu, Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, Saturday (27/3/2021). This group of the Coastal Women\'s Network of waste banks processes waste generated from scavenging for environmental sustainability and the welfare of members.

Care for the coast

Theresia, the chairperson of the Lapulu Branch of the Coastal Women\'s Group Waste Bank, explained that the garbage bank was formed three months ago. However, the practice has long existed in society. For example, she has attended various craft-making workshops. The knowledge she obtained was then shared to other members.

With the waste bank, women have new activities every day. Apart from skills, they can also earn income from waste, at least to buy basic necessities.

Not only that, processing waste helps clean up the environment. One of the problems faced by coastal communities is garbage. Garbage that is not broken down by the environment then fills the coast and bays. As a result, the bays are polluted and marine life continues to die off.

We look for trash not only in the bay but also in the city.

Based on research, the total sedimentation in Kendari Bay reaches 66 million cubic meters. Most of the sedimentation comes from the flow of 13 rivers that empties into the bay, as well as from reclamation. It is estimated that 4 percent of the total sedimentation, or about 2.6 million cbm, is in the form of plastic waste.

"We look for trash not only in the bay but also in the city. A lot of garbage from residents in the city is not properly handled and enters the waterway, ending up in the bay. It is better for us to take it before it fills the bay,” Theresia added.

The chairperson of the Coastal Women\'s Network of Southeast Sulawesi, Mutmainnah, said the waste bank was one of the methods used to clean the city. So far, coastal and urban areas have been filled with plastic waste.

This group also has a cooperative with 40 members. They have an initial membership fee of Rp 100,000 (US$6.83). After that, the monthly contribution is Rp 5,000 per person.

A part of the income from the waste bank goes to the cooperative. Later, the cooperative will cooperate with the government, especially in relation to the procurement of basic necessities. From there, it is hoped that the women will no longer have trouble meeting their daily needs.

RUMAH BAKAU JAYAPURA

Five men plant trees in the buffer zone of the Cycloop Nature Reserve in Jayapura City, Papua, on March 25, 2021. The tree planting is intended to rehabilitate the damaged environment.

The initiative to save the bay is also carried out by the Jayapura Mangrove House Community (RBJ). Since its establishment in 2018, this community has voluntarily held hundreds of environmental conservation activities. One of them is saving Jayapura Bay from waste and silting.

The community, which has 60 members, has held environmental conservation activities in the mangrove areas, rivers, buffer forests of the Cycloop Nature Reserve and the coast of Jayapura. On March 24, when RBJ commemorated its third birthday, they planted 100 tree seedlings in a hilly area.

"We found that in many locations in the Cycloop buffer zone, forest encroachment for cultivation activities has occurred. In fact, this region functions as a water catchment area. This causes landslides during heavy rain," said Theresia Paganggi, one of the RBJ coordinators.

Also read: If the Forest is Damaged, The Lives of Residents will be Under Threat

Based on data from the Papua Forestry and Environment Office, about 3,000 hectares of land in the Cycloop Nature Reserve and its buffers have been degraded. The cause is mainly encroachment and natural factors.

Apart from planting trees, the RBJ community is also involved in cleaning beaches from waste.

The efforts carried out by residents in Kendari and Jayapura in curbing the rate of damage to the bays should be appreciated. They work to maintain hope for the sustainability of the bays.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.