The all-women crew fighting Indonesia's peatland fires
Indonesia is home to the most carbon-dense peatlands in the world. The majority of these peatlands have been severely degraded to fuel the world's demand for oil palm, a common household ingredient.
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When the Power of Mama firefighting group was established in 2022, 44 women volunteered. The group now has 92 members from six local villages, with ages ranging from 19 to 60. Most of the members are housewives, but younger working women have joined the unit recently too.
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Sixty-year-old Juriah, the oldest Power of Mama member, says the women are encouraging farmers to manage their land "like people did in ancient times". "The goal is to keep peat soil from becoming acidic," she says, adding that farmers can use a mixture of brown sugar, pineapple, shrimp paste, bran and tapioca to fertilise their crops.
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"Women play a key role in boosting environmental awareness in their community", says Leli Khairnur, a women's rights and environmental activist from West Kalimantan.
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