After finding success in scaling their trash barriers to intercept plastic waste before it enters the ocean, Sungai Watch launched the Cleanup Collective as the next step in expanding their impact. The program transforms financial contributions into direct, measurable waste removal, tackling plastic pollution not only in rivers but also in mangroves, rice fields, and coastal areas.

North Bali provides a powerful example of why adaptability matters. The region is drier, with steeper landscapes and less flowing water, which makes barrier installation less effective and requires more intensive, human-powered cleanups. Through the Cleanup Collective, we’ve shown that scalable solutions must be flexible to local realities, proving that with the right model, communities can support waste removal at three times the rate of barriers and help build a path toward a cleaner and healthier planet.

Our speaker, Dika, is the Partnerships Manager of Sungai Watch, an NGO focused on river conservation and community-based environmental efforts.

Since 2020, Sungai Watch has collected more than 3.6 million kilograms of non-organic waste in Indonesia's rivers and beyond, installed 380+ trash barriers across 37 subdistricts, engaged over 19,000 community members, and built a team of 160+ River Warriors who are fully local, fully insured, and employed full-time under fair and secure working conditions.

Sungai Watch is a 501(c)3-certified entity in the US with offices based in Indonesia.

"To learn more, go to:

https://sungai.watch

https://sungaidesign.com/

To see the slides from this presentation, go to:

https://tinyurl.com/bdcnd6jb