Indonesia Indah Foundation Enlists 1 Million Volunteers for Clean-up Indonesia Day
On 19th February, one million volunteers will take to the streets, mountains, rivers, and oceans to pick up litter and make a change on Hari Bersih Indonesia (Clean-up Indonesia Day).
Hari Bersih Indonesia invites citizens and residents of Indonesia to care for the environment by spending two hours on the morning of 19th February picking up litter from their neighbourhoods. The event challenges people to raise awareness to the problem of waste and littering while helping to reduce the amount of litter that ends up in rivers and waterways, and ultimately, the oceans.
The initiative is volunteer-based, and volunteers will be cleaning up in teams spread all across Indonesia in 34 provinces. This year’s theme centres around volunteers being superheroes in the fight against trash, who will be seen wearing cosplay and superhero costumes as they pick up litter.
Hari Bersih Indonesia works with communities and NGOs such as Fornas Rintara Jaya and Drivers Clean Action to mobilise clean-ups in rural areas and on Indonesia’s islands. On the Island of Bali, Hari Bersih Indonesia is collaborating with One Island One Voice, an island-wide clean-up run by Bye Bye Plastic Bags. The Island of the Gods will be cleaning up at the same time, welcoming 10,000 volunteers on streets, rivers, and beaches in the fight against Bali’s mounting plastic problem that has recently made international news. In other parts of Indonesia, businesses will also be cleaning up, including PT Adaro Energy, Eiger and Trakindo, who are mobilising employees at all of their nationwide branches.
In Jakarta, volunteers will be picking up litter while marching on Car Free Day along the Jl. Thamrin corridor. The march will end at Thamrin 10, where Festival Hari Bersih Indonesia will take place in collaboration with Jakarta’s Government, and in honour of Hari Peduli Sampah Nasional (National Trash Awareness Day). The Festival will showcase organisations working to reduce Indonesia’s waste footprint, and will feature performances by rock artist Nugie, and welcome VIPs such as acting Jakarta Governor, Dr. Heru Budi Hartono, M.M.
Founders of this national-scale event born in 2019 are non-profit organisation, Indonesia Indah Foundation (IIF). Joining forces with the foundation for this colossal event this year, are award winning advertising agency M&C Saatchi Indonesia, who have been running the event’s marketing campaign in previous years. Together, the organisers aim to change mindsets and behaviours towards waste with the aim of reducing Indonesia’s waste and plastic consumption.
Angela Jelita Richardson, founder and chairwoman of Indonesia Indah Foundation, highlights the effectiveness of having one day a year dedicated towards taking action and volunteering against the growing litter and plastic problem.
“I have been conducting clean-ups in Indonesia for over a decade,” Angela says. “I find it the simplest, most effective way to fight the very serious issue of litter and plastic waste, as volunteers experience the scale of the problem first-hand and are able to then make a commitment to make a change. A bonus is that we are cleaning up our local environment at the same time.”
Anish Daryani is the founder and president director of M&C Saatchi Indonesia, who also serves on the board of IIF. His decision to join forces for Hari Bersih Indonesia was inspired out of a sense of duty to make a positive contribution in the country he calls home. “I feel inspired by Angela and her team’s vision to lead change. While the world sits and talks about environmental issues and how they are aggravated by plastic waste, IIF actually chose to do something about it,” Anish says. “This is our first clean up activity post-pandemic, and we’re lending our full support to Hari Bersih Indonesia, helping not just with communications, but also enhancing the execution and experience of the engagement, leading to a bigger, better turnout for the event.”
