Jakarta, hitclubapk3 Indonesia
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Founder
Organic Forest
Megamendung, Rosita Istiawan, shows the strength of Indonesian women in the event
The Big Idea Forum
(TBIF): Mothers of the Earth to commemorate
Mother’s Day
which falls today, Monday (22/12).
Without a background in forestry or agriculture, Rosita succeeded in turning deforested critical land in Megamendung, Bogor, into a 30 hectare organic forest with 44 thousand endemic trees.
“I’m just a housewife. There are no basic forestry, no basic agriculture. What does the KTP say? Housewife. But there is one thing, I can make a forest from critical and barren land, from 2000 meters of land now 30 hectares,” said Rosita at The Big Idea Forum: Mothers of the Earth which took place at the National Museum.
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The power of women is evident in The Big Idea Forum: Mothers of the Earth.Rosita shares her secret in building an organic forest in Megamendung, Bogor Regency.
“I bought land from the community, I made my own roads, installed electricity, I bought my own poles. I said, I don’t want to use urea, it has to be organic. So it’s not a trendy name to just be organic, from the first time I planted, I was already organic,” said Rosita.
The environmental impact of Rosita’s Megamendung Organic Forest became a hot topic of discussion at The Big Idea Forum: Mothers of the Earth.Rosita’s forest irrigates two watersheds (DAS) including Ciliwung, and irrigates two villages.
Take Care of the Forest
Rosita’s journey to build the Megamendung Organic Forest began in 2000, when her late husband expressed his desire to create a ‘small botanical garden’ in his retirement.Starting from an area of 2 thousand square meters, now Rosita’s organic forest has grown to 30 hectares.
Rosita’s journey to build and maintain the Megamendung Organic Forest is not easy.However, after more than two decades, Rosita succeeded in maintaining the Megamendung Organic Forest.Rosita wants to prove that women are also capable of maintaining forests.
“I’ve lived in the forest for 25 years. I’ve lived in the forest for years. So if you want to create a forest, don’t leave the forest, you have to be the tiger of the forest. Because of what? I dream of being with my husband. I’m responsible,” said Rosita.
“This is Mother’s Day. As a mother, I just want to give a message, don’t just men, mothers can do it too. I prove that. If you are a Jakartan, if you have 1000 meters of land at the top, you will definitely build a villa resort,” said Rosita.
Rosita admitted that she had received many offers to sell her forest, some even offered IDR 250 billion.However, Rosita rejected all the offers.On the other hand, Rosita also hopes to get support to maintain the Megamendung Organic Forest.
“I entrust it to Indonesia, to the Bogor Regency, the government, please protect this forest. Because of me, my family no longer has a forest because there is no heritage list, because it has become an organic forest foundation. But we all work together so that Jakarta doesn’t flood,” said Rosita.
In line with the Mother’s Day theme at The Big Idea Forum: Mothers of the Earth, Rosita closed with a message of empowerment.
“I also sent a message to mothers, it doesn’t have to be a man that you feel like. I am a housewife and a woman. I can make a forest and my first message was to her mother first. Improve it in your own environment first. Especially today’s children, we have to educate from our own environment,” said Rosita.
A number of other speakers who attended The Big Idea Forum: Mothers of the Earth were Deputy Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection of Indonesia Veronica Tan, Chair of the Sustainable Environmental Bamboo Foundation (YBLL) Monica Tanuhandaru, and dr.Ayu Widianingrum.
Apart from the four speakers, there were also the Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Water Issues Retno Marsudi, the Head of the Indonesian Heritage Agency (IHA) Esti Nurjadin, the Founder and Chair of the CT Arsa Foundation Anita Tanjung, and the Editor-in-Chief of hitclubapk3 Indonesia Titin Rosmasari.
(bow)
