'Power of Mama': Indonesian women take on Borneo fires, sexist backlash
KETAPANG: Housework in the morning followed by several hours of firefighting: women in Indonesian Borneo risk life and limb to battle blazes making their communities sick, all while shouldering a sexist backlash.
In the Indonesian part of Borneo, women are taking on the dangerous task of firefighting in an initiative known as "Power of Mama." Formed in 2022, the group consists of over 100 women, many of whom are homemakers. They patrol daily for smoke and flames, and jump into action when needed to put out fires. The women, who set out on motorbikes or in pickups with water pumps, wear protective gear and masks to combat the toxic smoke.
Despite facing sexist backlash, the women have gained community acceptance as they prove their capabilities. The initiative was inspired by the devastating wildfires that ravaged the region in 2019, which were largely caused by slash-and-burn land-clearing practices. Nearly 900,000 hectares of land have burned in Indonesia this year, leading to the closure of schools, respiratory infections, and harm to wildlife.
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