Agustina Iskandar

Agustina Iskandar - Indonesian, Asia and the Pacific

2019 Winner | Environmental activist | Indonesian

Indonesia produces 170,000 tonnes of waste per day and 69 percent ends up in landfill or in the rivers and ocean surrounding our islands. Only 31 percent of this waste is managed and recycled. After successfully leading World Clean-up Day in Indonesia in 2018, which attracted 7.6 million volunteers through a public selection process - working with 300 students, community managers, business people and government representatives to make changes in waste regulations and start awareness campaigns - I founded the 10 islands project. If we can focus on making a positive change in 10 islands, then we can use our experience to help other islands. We aim to gather ideas, opinions from local people, community and government, to work together on a grassroots, bottom-up strategy to tackle waste.

When I witnessed conflict in Aceh, Indonesia, and my house was destroyed in 2011, I moved to Jakarta. Many people told me that as a woman, I could not be a leader. But I was concerned about our waste management problem on the 17,000 islands of Indonesia and I wanted to do something.

Disclaimer: NOTE: This content was shared online for the 2019 cycle of the Young Champions of the Earth programme and has not been updated. This listing does not constitute any endorsement by nor status with the UN Environment Programme.

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