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Maria’s project, AKSI BIRU PLASTIK, focuses on strengthening youth leadership in marine plastic pollution awareness on Tahima Soroma Island. It was built on the belief that youth are critical change agents in environmental protection, especially in remote island communities where waste management infrastructure is limited. The project’s two main goals are to build the capacity of young people and to increase community awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and how to reduce waste.
To achieve these goals, Maria conducted capacity-building workshops on advocacy, public speaking, leadership, and waste management, involving 5 youth from Karang Taruna (a local youth group) and 5 project team members. The team also collaborated with local authorities, including the Jayapura Environmental and Sanitation Agency, WWF Papua, a local influencer, and INSPIRASI alumni, to deliver training and amplify impact. Participants learned how to lead environmental campaigns and began applying their skills in community discussions and digital outreach.
While the project is still in its early stages, it has already shown promising results: youth have increased their environmental knowledge and begun to engage the government directly. The project uses Instagram and TikTok to document activities and reach broader audiences, especially other young people in Jayapura. Notably, one participant spoke up during a session with local officials, reporting village waste issues—demonstrating the empowering effect of the initiative. Maria reflects that leadership means knowing when to seek collaboration, and this project has deepened her skills in planning, budgeting, and team coordination.