Clean River Movement

KOMPAS/SUCIPTO

Misman (left) and Bachtiar.

Misman, 60, and Bachtiar, 49, met each other in Samarinda by chance through two things: a friend and a river. Later, they worked together to improve the quality of water in the river so that their children and grandchildren could continue to enjoy it. Their story goes on, but it is not a simple one.

Before 2015, Misman was a journalist in Samarinda who often spent time collecting garbage from the Karang Mumus River. The 40-kilometer river flows through the East Kalimantan city of Samarinda, providing clean water and irrigating community farms.