Send a text

In this episode we talk to Nur Febriani (Febri), whose organisation Yayasan Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI) is revolutionising how we think about protecting biodiversity by connecting human wellbeing directly to forest and planetary health.

As Director of Resource Mobilisation at ASRI, Febri brings her public health background to tackle an ambitious challenge: saving Indonesia's critical rainforests while simultaneously improving local communities' lives. Born in West Kalimantan herself, she passionately describes how Indonesia—home to the world's third-largest rainforest—faces mounting climate threats from unpredictable weather patterns to rising sea levels, yet often receives insufficient global attention despite its crucial importance for planetary health.

What makes ASRI truly revolutionary is their "radical listening" methodology. Rather than imposing solutions, they begin by asking forest communities a simple but profound question: "As guardians of this precious rainforest valuable to the whole world, what would you need to continue protecting it while thriving yourselves?" This reciprocity-based approach has led to remarkable programs addressing multiple challenges simultaneously—from healthcare clinics that reduce logging (previously done to pay medical bills) to sustainable agriculture training and chainsaw buyback initiatives.

Listen in and discover how this Indonesian organisation is creating a blueprint for global sustainability where both forests and people can thrive together.

Follow GoodGeist for more episodes on sustainability, communications and how creativity can help make the world a better place.