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Wayame River School and Kids Rafting Sport: Save Our Rivers, Save Our Ocean

29 May 2021

Wayame River School and Kids Rafting Sport: Save Our Rivers, Save Our Ocean

Project leader: Mrs. Julia Novrita

Level of education and university: Non Degree, Australia Indonesia Institute

Collaborating Organisations: -

Project Location: Maluku

Activity Type: Community development activities

Sector: Activity Type

Project Rationale:

The project is very important especially because Ambon Bay suffers from large-scale plastic pollution creating environmental concerns for local, national and international environmental groups. Most litter flows from rivers and creeks to the bay. The data from government (BPS) indicates that at least five of the 15 biggest rivers draining into Ambon Bay have been highly polluted. The research from LIPI shows that the bacteria in the Ambon Bay waters have exceeded the safe threshold for marine tourism activities. In 2020, every day, at least 5 tonnes of waste is taken from Ambon bay. During rainy season, the volume of waste in Ambon Bay increases, which often causes flooding and threatens the life of communities living on riverbanks.

The Wayame River also contributes to plastic pollution in Ambon Bay. Located strategically at the capital of Ambon Bay sub-district, 9.39 km from Ambon city by land transportation or 10 minutes by crossing the bay with regular boat transportation, this river has great potential for edutourism development. The community members living on its riverbank rely on this river for clean water. They use it for cooking, washing, and bathing. The river is also a playground for children in the area because the water is not deep, even more so since the pandemic because schools have been closed. Nevertheless, the local community do not take care their source of clean water wisely. They leave their waste in the river. In some neighbourhoods, they even use the riverside for landfill.

Additionally, considering Ambon as a city with history of civil war (1999 - 2004), transforming Wayame River into an edutourism site through the implementation of the Wayame River School and Kids Rafting Sport program is not only a strategy to create public awareness of the importance of protecting rivers for local community and beyond. It also serves as a medium to promote peace through the environment, by creating positive intergroup contact for Muslim and Christian community groups in the area that will lead to stronger social cohesion.

Project Beneficiaries:

The project will directly benefit 60 children and 15 mentors

Priority Development Area:

Human development for a productive and healthy society

Link with Australian organisation: -

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