Power of Mama

Project Summary

In the heart of Borneo, a remarkable group of women are leading the fight to protect one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. The Power of Mama is the first-ever female firefighting team in Borneo—local women taking a stand against devastating forest fires that threaten their homes, their health, and the critically endangered orangutans that share their land.

These brave women patrol fire-prone areas, extinguishing fires and educating their communities on sustainable land management. They are transforming not only the landscape but also their own lives—breaking gender stereotypes and becoming powerful role models.

But they can’t do it alone. Your support can help equip and train these courageous women, ensuring they have the tools and resources needed to protect Borneo’s forests and the wildlife living in it, as well as safeguarding their communities.

Local Partner: YIARI

Project aims and impact:

The Full Story

The Power of Mama is a community-led initiative supported by YIARI, our implementation partner in Indonesia, which is inspiring local women to play an active role in forest protection and fire prevention. Fires are one of the biggest risks to the rainforest and to the survival of the critically endangered orangutan. The 50-strong team of women who make up the fire prevention and firefighting force are between the ages of 25 and 50 and many are mothers, even grandmothers. They have taken on roles traditionally held by men, revolutionising attitudes towards the role of women in their societies and working to build a better future for the next generation.

Every year, wildfires (known locally as Karhutla) destroy thousands of acres of Indonesia’s tropical rainforests, causing countless human and wildlife casualties and releasing millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Fire prevention and suppression are vital to ensure these wildfires don’t negatively affect humans or animals. This is where the Mamas come in. YIARI’s aim is to support the all-female front-line team across four fire-prone forested areas in West Borneo, namely Pematang Gadung, Sungai Besar, Sungai Awan Kiri and Sukamaju.

As long as forests and wet, carbon-rich peatlands are drained for industrial agriculture, ordinary Indonesians who live in villages close to the fire sites will be forced to live with the consequences. Through the Power of Mama, local women are able to find their voices, take control and take action, together with government firefighters and other community members, to protect their native wildlife, their homes and families, and the air they breathe.

Every day the Mamas patrol their respective forested areas and the land around their local villages on motorbikes and on foot, identifying fire hotspots, putting out fires, talking to farmers about land clearing methods that don’t involve ‘slash and burn’, and ensuring their forests stay intact. During the rainy season, they also support communities impacted by flooding and provide education and resources to improve sanitation and quality of life. For example, they teach communities about the importance of appropriate rubbish disposal and show them how to clear gutters and waterways of rubbish to prevent flooding.

We are a group of mothers who take action to protect the forest around us.

Mrs Mai

Power of Mama

Also, supporting our female-lead forest fire prevention teams, we expect to:

Restore peatlands to their natural waterlogged condition, reducing Karhutla events. As waterlogged peatland rarely burns. If untouched, tropical peatlands/rainforests are fire-resistant;
Increase forest-edge communities’ health and well-being;
Safeguard orangutans in (fragmented) habitats by eliminating fire risks in vulnerable forests;
Protect wildlife, empowering women and uplifting forest-edge communities;
Increase forest-edge communities’ awareness about the protection status of orangutans and the importance of their conservation and protection of forest habitats; and,
Increase the education level of local communities, especially of the youth and women, to promote critical thinking, higher development opportunities and environmental consciousness.

As champions of wildlife conservation, role models, educators and as beacons of hope, the Power of Mama teams are not only transforming attitudes towards the role of women around their villages, they are also highlighting the capabilities and success of females in traditionally male roles. Most, perhaps even all of these inspirational women have overcome adversity, poverty and marginalisation. Their roles as firefighters have and will continue to empower them, enabling them to earn their own living and giving them a voice. They are living proof that females can achieve their goals and realise their dreams and they are showing other young girls that anything is possible.

YIARI’s long-term goal is to provide these inspirational women with the support and the tools to build long-lasting, meaningful careers in conservation.

Mrs Mai, a proud member of the Power of Mama who leads patrols says: “We are a group of mothers who take action to protect the forest around us. I play an active role in patrols to prevent forest and land fires, as well as speaking with local communities about how we can all play a part in improving the health, wellbeing and safety of our families and our entire community. In addition to fire prevention, we also support communities impacted by flooding and provide education and resources to improve their quality of life. I hope that the Power of Mama will grow and that we can inspire our children to share our passion for protecting the forest we call home.”