The NGO tries to elevate gender equity in local communities by highlighting the capabilities and success of women in traditionally male roles (Photo: The Orangutan Project)
In conjunction with International Women’s Day, global conservation organisation The Orangutan Project celebrates Borneo’s first women-led ranger team, collectively called The Power of Mama.
Established in 1998 with a critical mission to ensure the orangutan species is protected against extinction, the NGO has worked with Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Yayasan International Animal Rescue Indonesia (YIARI) to elevate gender equity in local communities by highlighting the capabilities and success of women in traditionally male roles.
Every year, precious tropical rainforests in Borneo are threatened by voracious wildfires that lead to deadly casualties and spikes in carbon emissions. The Power of Mama will work together with frontliners to prevent and fight forest fires, known as karhutla in Indonesia.
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Key outcomes of the project include restoring peatlands, protecting wildlife and increasing education for women and children living among forest-edge communities. This will also make them more aware of the environmental issues plaguing their livelihood such as deforestation, climate change, poor water quality and soil erosion.
The Orangutan Project, founded by Leif Cocks, consists of wildlife experts who have been working for over 20 years to protect the great apes native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. Leif has been a significant player in developing conservation plans for orangutans and influencing positive change, including the first ever successful reintroduction of the zoo-born orangutan
This article first appeared on Mar 6, 2023 in The Edge Malaysia.
