Indonesia: Mudfish – No Plastic!

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Educating rural communities to reduce single-use plastic.

“We only have one planet, we need to protect it.”, says Mora, co-founder and co-director of Mudfish No Plastic. “Protecting our planet means protecting our own future and the future of our children.” But her home country, Indonesia, is the world’s second-largest plastic polluter, she explains. It produces more than 64 million tons of plastic waste every year. Over 3.2 million tons of which get dumped into the ocean. The once pristine white sand beaches have been flooded with countless plastic bags, bottles, shoes and toys of all colors and shapes.

Stopping this calamity from killing the colorful life in our oceans is an effort that requires large initiatives on a global scale. After all, over 1 million marine animals of 700 species (including mammals, fish, sharks, turtles, and birds) die an agonizing death each year due to plastic debris, which they mistake for food. Every day, 500 million plastic straws are thrown away. It is estimated that to date there are around 100 million tons of plastic in oceans around the world. That’s the weight of approx. 12 million elephants.

At present, Indonesia does not have a proper waste management system. Illegal dumping, littering and burning of garbage are common practices in local villages. Toxic smoke even on school yards and playgrounds is the result. Many people lack awareness of the problem, and access to education and practical solutions. “People are so used to the piles of plastic in their villages and rivers. They don’t even realize how harmful it is and that there is another way”, explains Mora.

This is where Mudfish No Plastic comes in. Together with some friends, Mora decided that they can no longer just stand idle in the face of the pollution on the island of Bali, the home of their choice. “We know that we cannot fight the big companies that produce all that plastic”, Mora says, “so we decided to do something else.” They founded the grass-roots organization Mudfish No Plastic to provide remote Indonesian communities with the necessary education and introduce solutions to reducing single-use plastic.

“Their approach is based on the belief that young people can be catalysts for change”, explains Gidon, a co-founder of Business Makes Sense. “In our joint projects, we empower village kids through knowledge and practical tools.” In this way, the young generation gets inspired to take responsibility for their actions. Mudfish has set up an interactive, colorful education program, and brings across their message through arts and music.

In a series of engaging workshops, the kids learn about the damaging effects of the pollution trough single-use plastic on the environment and human health. Moreover, Mudfish provides practical solutions such as water filters, reusable bottles, tote bags, and trash bins. They involve teachers and parents to include the entire community. Besides workshops for kids, they also organize regular beach and river clean-ups and offer an educators’ training program and a women’s hygiene program.

So far, the organization has reached over 4,000 children on different islands in East Indonesia. Mora and her friends aim high: Over time, they want Mudfish to be recognized as a local educational resource in Indonesia. They know that to solve the problem of plastic waste requires a more comprehensive education about waste management and other environmental issues. “Ultimately, our goal is to inspire a generational shift within the communities”, says Mora. “We want these kids to become educators and advocates for a clean and green Indonesia!”

For more information see: our project partners mudfish no plastic

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