Hijroatul Maghfiroh: Addressing Ecological Challenges through Interfaith Environmentalism
Hijroatul Maghfiroh believes that small changes will eventually add up to something impactful. This hope has guided her to plant the seeds of environmental awareness in the hearts and minds of hundreds of young people.
With fellow alumna of the 2018 Australia-Indonesia Muslim Exchange Program, which is supported by the Australian Government, Firoh, as she is known, began the Pesantren Hijau or Green Islamic Boarding School program.
Collaborating with Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest Muslim organisation, the program has introduced guidance on waste management, water management, green open spaces and hydroponic planting to around 30 Islamic boarding schools (pesantren).
'Pesantren have great potential because the habits learned there can be spread to family members at home. At the same time, pesantren stakeholders, like teachers, influence the community around them,’ said Firoh, who has just completed her studies for a Masters of Environment and Sustainable Development at Sydney's Macquarie University.
Connecting Environmental and Interfaith Concerns
When Firoh joined the Australia – Indonesia Muslim Exchange Program in 2018, she was the Program Manager for Climate Change at the Nahdlatul Ulama Disaster Management and Climate Change Institution (LPBI NU). She was eager to learn about life for Muslim people in Australia, and how Australian women were actively involved in caring for the environment.
‘My participation in the program inspired me to take the issues I had learned about and look at the broader issue, specifically that of the environment as an interfaith issue,’ she explained. ‘I wanted to share my experiences as a Muslim woman, and one primarily focused on women and the environment.’
In 2019, Pesantren Hijau expanded its reach following a successful application to the Australian Alumni Grant Scheme (AGS). The grant funded an environmental module, which was distributed via NU Online, NU's digital media platform. The module was supported by Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi). It has been downloaded more than 1,000 times.
‘The AGS helped resolve my concerns about how to disseminate the Pesantren Hijau module as we did not have funds and donors to distribute it,’ said Firoh. ‘It gave me the confidence to continue pursuing small initiatives, like Pesantren Hijau, which hopefully would eventually add up to something big.’
Building a Larger Youth Environmental Movement
Additionally, the AGS supported Firoh to create a strategy for her broader vision. In 2020, she launched a larger interfaith environment-based program, Eco-Peace Indonesia.A national nonprofit community dedicated to developing knowledge, Eco-Peace Indonesia brings together young people from diverse religious backgrounds to learn about the environment. The community collaborates with LAZISNU, the NU philanthropic institution that collects, manages and distributes zakat (alms) and other religious social funds to support community wellbeing.
‘I was deeply moved when the registration for our membership opened, due to the high number of people of the many different religions and ethnicities in Indonesia,’ said Firoh, who manages and seeks funding for the community.
Through workshops and online articles, the members learn about interfaith values relevant to environmental challenges. They are supported in developing responses and implementing them on the ground. Critical thinking is encouraged to help young people make better choices for the environment. Members learn about the environmental impacts of mining and how some cosmetic ingredients can be linked to child labour, for example.
Linking Environmental Damage and Disasters
The Pesantren Hijau program continues today, with the boarding schools committed to addressing the environmental issues they face. ‘I truly feel this movement is alive and well,’ Firoh said.
In late 2025, several regions in Indonesia were hit by major disasters, primarily flash floods and landslides. Both Pesantren Hijau and Eco-Peace Indonesia have programs focused on disaster mitigation and risk awareness, particularly in areas prone to disasters.
‘We introduce the causal link between environmental damage and disasters and how we can take preventive measures as early as possible through awareness and environmental protection,’ said Firoh.
‘We are more critical in mapping and understanding disaster patterns globally, and especially in Indonesia, and then we use religious principles. For example, in Islam, God has warned, “Do not cause harm on the land and in the sea after He has given you so much, for the harm will impact you”.'
It's no surprise that the One Million Trees Movement Day holds profound meaning for Firoh, who interprets it as a rekindling of hope for humanity. Workshops and interactions at Eco-Peace and the Pesantren Hijau consistently echo the hadith (sayings and traditions) about how the Prophet Muhammad encouraged his followers to plant trees, even if the apocalypse were to come today.
‘If we believe in the Quran, we should not only follow the symbolism but also the Prophet Muhammad's compassionate actions,’ she said.
Becoming an Advocate and Agent of Change
Looking to the future, Firoh said she wants to be an agent of change in her own community in Brebes, Central Java, even if it starts with small things. She views self-development and the growth of her technical skills as crucial to achieving her vision.
‘I want to learn more about the practical aspects of simple technologies, such as electricity, waste management, organic farming, and wastewater management,’ she explained.
‘I want to be a sustainability advocate, have my own laboratory and have a community that truly embodies Islamic values related to environmental issues, coupled with scientific knowledge.’
Firoh's mission is to establish a pesantren with a sustainable development approach, encompassing both school-age children and the elderly.
Her broader vision is to become a regional leader and advance her hopes for Indonesia's environment. Leveraging her experience working with and within the government, Firoh’s ambition is to be part of a government that has the knowledge, commitment and ability to create truly pro-environmental policies.
‘I believe there is hope, considering the 35-year-old Mochamad Nur Arifin as Regent of Trenggalek, a regency in East Java, who is relatively young, has a knowledgeable environmental perspective and is open-minded. I truly hope to reverse environmental damage in Indonesia by starting with policy and systemic changes,’ she concluded.
