Liagu, Indonesia, July 11, 2025 – In a small hamlet called Siandau in Liagu Village, 30 minutes from Tarakan, North Kalimantan, a big story is slowly unfolding. Not through physical development or big projects, but through the hands of women who persistently guard the sea, process their catches, and protect the mangrove forest, which is their last defense.

The Sea and Women

Communities in Siandau, North Kalimantan, sun drying their sea catch. Photo: GGGI

For Sri Wahyuni, 34, a Javanese woman who now serves as the head of Siandau’s neighborhood unit (Rukun Tetangga), survival is a daily challenge. She and other women often do domestic work while processing their husbands’ catches. “We are proud to be able to live off the sea, although electricity is only available at night and clean water is still a challenge,” she says.

The same goes for Aisyah, 32, a Buginese woman who taught in an elementary school before becoming a fisherwoman with her husband. According to her, “Fishing is not just a job, but a form of love and responsibility for my family.”

The sea in Siandau is not just a source of food; it is also a home, a workplace, and a source of hope. Women in this place are not just companions; they are the main actors, creating value from every catch.

Mangroves: Home, Protection, and Legacy

Mangrove and marine landscape in Siandau Hamlet. Photo: GGGI

The mangrove forests around Siandau have been part of the community’s life for a long time. Not only do mangroves protect them from waves and strong winds, but they are also a natural habitat for shrimps, crabs, shellfish, sea snails, and mangrove mussels, which are now a local specialty.

“I still remember, api-api fruit used to be boiled, mixed with coconut and sugar, so it was our food in times of trouble,” Aisyah recalls. “The leaves could also be used as medicine.”  But now it’s increasingly difficult to find.

Generations who have lived before the 1990s could see how the mangrove landscape was changing drastically. As a result of pond clearing and landscape changes, the living space for marine ecosystems has decreased, and catches have declined. People are slowly realizing that without mangroves, their lives are also threatened. This realization has led to collective action to protect nature and find ways to survive.

The Role of Government: Training and Infrastructure Expectations
This transition needs real support. Previously, the Liagu Village Government and the Bulungan Regency Government had provided assistance with household production tools to support community livelihoods. This intervention was then strengthened through the Ecosystem-based Approach/Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Smart Livelihoods in Mangrove Landscapes (NASCLIM) program, funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and Wetlands International. The NASCLIM program aims to restore degraded mangrove forests and protect intact forests in the Kayan-Sembakung Delta in North Kalimantan and the Mahakam Delta in East Kalimantan, through natural regeneration and without planting mangrove trees.

Protected mangrove ecosystems can increase marine and pond yields, which in turn will help improve the economic conditions of the communities. In response to this challenge, communities receive capacity-building in aquaculture to improve the processing of seafood into ready-to-sell products. This training not only aims to enhance economic skills but also fosters an understanding that preserving mangroves means preserving their livelihoods.

Women in Siandau Hamlet practice making milkfish products. Photo: GGGI

Previously, women’s roles were often limited to processing marine or aquaculture products caught by male family members. But now, more women in Siandau are going to the sea or the river deltas to catch a wide variety of marine products – some of which, like crabs and shellfish, can be found by the water gates of shrimp ponds. The women also learned basic financial literacy skills, such as managing income, savings, production costs, and others.

“I hope this program can help Siandau Hamlet develop and progress, and provide sustainability in food production such as shredded fish,” said Wahyuni, who also joined the training program.

However, limited infrastructure in the hamlet remains an obstacle. According to Titin, the Secretary of Liagu Village, the need for clean water and electricity for production is crucial. “For this reason, we are reviewing the budget so that clean water drilling can be carried out to accommodate Siandau’s needs,” she said.

Other efforts continue to be promoted, such as the plan to form a women’s group to process innovative seafood products, such as shredded fish and chili sauce with smoked fish, and to learn how to grow hydroponic plants.

Small Steps for Big Change

Siandau Hamlet is quite small, with no more than twenty families living there. Through the support of the Bulungan Regency Government and the NASCLIM program, their lives are now a little brighter with opportunities to build a more sustainable and profitable livelihood through mangrove rehabilitation and protection. Mangroves are the basis of culture, economy, and sustainability in the lives of the Siandau Hamlet communities, and it’s the women who are at the forefront of these resources.

Siandau Hamlet, North Kalimantan, Indonesia. Photo: GGGI