The First Trash Raft Race, Made in Nias

INVOLVE YOUR COMPANY:

and become a sponsor of the first TRASH RAFT RACE to raise public awareness of plastic reduction, reuse, and recycling. And be part of «Made in Nias», a new cultural Innovation Center in Nias for sustainability, participation, exchange, innovation, and environmental education.

Visualize the problem and enable participation!

How can a remote island of 650,000 people, which according to the NPAP (National Plastic Action Plan) is too small/remote to economically transport plastic waste to collection points, meet Indonesia's goal of reducing its plastic waste by 70% by 2025?

Only when the inhabitants start to question their own behavior and their impact on the environment understand, it will be possible to find new solution. That this happens, it's necessary to raise the awareness for sustainable and economic coexistence on Nias. In order to initiate a change, the participation and involvement of the general public is needed. The best way to do this is to have fun together.

First Trash Raft Race for public awareness of sustainability

At the International Plastic Bag Free Day on July 3, 2023, we would like to launch the first Trash Raft Race in Nias. Rafts, made of collected flotsam, plastic bottles and other trash, will race against each other. Fun, sportsmanship and team spirit offer the opportunity to bring the topic of sustainability and environmental education closer to the general public and help to raise public awareness about protecting nature from further pollution of the oceans by plastic. The key message is that dealing with problems can also be fun.

The Trash Raft Race is one of several events the new Innovation Center «Made in Nias» organize this summer. For two weeks we would like to bring people together who actively believe in the power of community to have a positive impact on society and, indirectly, on the environment on Nias. «Made in Nias» promotes initiatives and the entrepreneurial spirit of young people in Nias by promoting social participation and co-determination through intercultural project work as well as educational projects. The Innovation Center creates incentives for a young, socio-politically active, and ecological movement on Nias and can become the birthplace for new projects, jobs, business ideas, local start-ups and economic growth and development.

«Made in Nias» provides you with the perfect opportunity to interact with committed people. It allows access to new resources, projects, and ideas.

Let’s reduce plastic through reliving traditional handicraft techniques

How can new approaches to reduce plastic be developed? We believe the unique culture of Nias should serve as a starting point. Because solutions and the change required can only be sustainable if it is embedded in the given culture. In atelier and by workshops, knowledge of local traditional, resource-saving manufacturing processes for everyday items will be rediscovered, communicated, and taught. Inputs on project development, design thinking, will encourage the participants to experiment, tinker and develop new products. For this purpose, we collaborate with Kuverum, the Swiss education program for cultural mediation, which supports us with their experience as a project incubator. As well as with the Museum Pusaka Nias, the place with the most knowledge about the culture of Nias. In summary, «Made in Nias» simultaneously revives the unique island culture that is being lost over the last decade, and seeks answers to environmental problems in it.

Become a partner of Made in Nias

In our Vison anyone who uses a desk at «Made in Nias», attends a workshop, works in the studio, drinks a coffee, or supports us becomes part of this interdisciplinary community of committed pioneers. This makes «Made in Nias» the local center for sustainability issues. Help us to invite the residents of Nias this summer for two weeks to help shaping the future of the innovation center. This allows testing the concept with committed people and thereby gathering experience, learning from mistakes, and evaluating the project. But also, it will enable us to discuss the needs of the innovation center and to define focus points for further training. This phase will enable initial meetings and a lively exchange with potential pioneers. It should be the beginning of a future cooperation and collaboration with partners. The conclusions from this pilot phase should, last but not least, provide information about the question of financing and ensure a concept for permanent continuation.

Changing habits is hard because change triggers fear and encounters resistance. But innovation comes about when people with energy and ideas compete against it. Help us to lead Nias towards a sustainable, environmentally sound future.

Made in Nias contact:

• Gaby Ruppanner / Coordinator & Initiator of Made in Nias / gabyruppanner@gmail.com
• Faozisökhi La’ia / Pusaka Nias Museum / www.museum-nias.org/en / ifaozisokhi@gmail.com
• Yafaowoloo Gea / Organisa: Organizer of the Trash Raft Race and Founder of Yayasan Terang Nias Ehowu / www.terangnias.or.id /  yayasan.tne@gmail.com
• Franziska Dürr / Leadership Kuverum / www.kuverum.ch / info@kuverum.ch