Power of Mama, a group of women fighting forest fires and society alike Women News | Lifestyle

Power of Mama is an all-female firefighting unit protecting the rainforests and tribes of Borneo. Established to protect the forest and their communities from forest fires, Power of Mama is a testament to the strength and resilience of women. These brave women have undergone intensive training to become skilled firefighters. They have learned the knowledge of forest fire management and how to operate fire fighting equipment by fighting not only the forest fire but also the community they belong to. They often face challenging situations and risk their lives for the greater good. Their tireless efforts to prevent and control forest fires have won them praise and recognition locally and globally. But their journey to this achievement was never easy.

Indonesia has some of the most carbon-dense peatlands in the world. All the forests here are being cut down to produce palm oil. As a result, regional areas of Indonesia today are experiencing the disasters of climate change. Depleted wetlands are vulnerable to severe wildfires, which pose a great risk to wildlife, people and biodiversity living in the surrounding area.

The island of Borneo, which includes the village of Pematang Gadung, is located between two peatland areas covering 70 square kilometers (27 sq mi). Every year during the dry season, the villagers here face the greatest threat of forest fires.

Forest fires and deforestation are major threats to the island of Borneo. But with life-threatening forest fires, this all-female group is fighting to change attitudes towards women. When the Power of Mama fire brigade was founded in 2022, 44 women came forward to become members. Today the group has 92 members from six villages. It has people aged 19 to 60 years. Most of the members are housewives. Young working women are also now coming forward to join the group. When the morning dawns, they start their duties by doing all the other chores in the house, cooking food and cleaning the house. At 9.30 she goes to the forest with six other women on their motorbikes. Her attire consists of a long-sleeved brown hijab with the inscription “The Power of Mama” and knee-length rubber shoes. Mamas will be on patrol duty visiting farmers who grow beans, bananas, chillies, cabbage and pumpkins. They are trained to raise awareness about hazards, fight fires, operate drones and give public speeches.

The Power of Mama Sanghagams say that initially the community was against their decision, but attitudes are slowly changing. It’s hard to change a man’s character, but the Power of Mamas says that they feel that small changes at the village level are a good start and are determined to carry on with the task gracefully, even if men scoff at it. Who dares to stop these women who are braver, more determined and braver than a forest fire, because they are fighting not just human emotions but nature itself.

English Summary:

How an All-Female Firefighting Brigade is Saving Borneo’s Rainforests and Challenging Gender Norms