“When I saw the news about the waste problem in Jakarta, I suddenly realized that this was the code, the signal (to act). I knew that inside me there was interest and energy to be part of the solution,” Mohamed Bijaksana Junerosano, Founder.

Waste4Change won a grant from the DBSF Grant Program in 2020 and was also awarded as one of the 10 DBSF Honourees in 2024.  The support from the DBS Foundation Grant has catalyzed significant growth with the following achievements

• Growth of Recycling Partners: More than 10-fold increase, from 50 partners to 500 partners.
• Waste Reduction: Successfully reduced more than 10,000 tons of waste per year.
• Operation Expansion: From only 2 cities, now expanded to 10 cities in Indonesia.
• Training and Empowerment: Trained over 550,000 people on responsible waste management and increased the income of 918 waste pickers.
• Rapidly Increasing Income: Monthly revenue grew more than 10 times between 2021 and 2023.

Waste4Change is also the waste management vendor for all DBS offices in Indonesia, demonstrating the tangible implementation of sustainability practices.

With an innovative and sustainable approach, Waste4Change continues to contribute to a greener future and support the well-being of vulnerable communities in Indonesia.

She Can Programme’ Launches in West Kalimantan to Benefit 80,000 Vulnerable Women with Financial Resilience Skills

Programme partnership between The Asia Foundation and DBS Foundation in Indonesia

May 2025 - In West Kalimantan, lots of women from low income and marginalised family continue to face significant barriers in accessing and using financial services. A qualitative study conducted in March 2025 under the SHE CAN Program, which involved in-depth interviews with 40 women experiencing socioeconomic barriers—including micro-entrepreneurs, plantation workers, informal teachers, and female heads of households—found that only about two-thirds of respondents reported owning a bank account, while fewer had ever accessed loans from credit cooperatives, pawnshops, or banks, and only a few reported using e-wallets or conducting digital transactions.  This gap between access and capability highlights the urgent need for targeted financial education and empowerment programs.

To address the challenge, The Asia Foundation (TAF), with support from the DBS Foundation, has launched the She Can program, running from 2024 to 2027. The initiative aims to reach 80,000 women across the region with financial literacy education, entrepreneurship training, and personalized mentoring. By equipping women with essential financial knowledge and skills, the program seeks to enable informed decision-making, foster economic independence, and build stronger, more resilient communities.

Bridging the Literacy Gap Through Women's Empowerment

 Financial management within families—earning income and managing household expenses—involves women significantly. However, this involvement often comes with a double burden. Women are active income earners but still bear the share of domestic responsibilities, in the absence of an equitable household labor division. One of the findings from the scoping study is the perceived decline in physical violence against women. Despite the decline in gender-based violence, the lack of support structures continues to hinder their full economic participation.

Many women express a clear aspiration to improve their financial capabilities. Their goals include sending their children to college, building long-term assets such as homes and businesses, preparing for saving for a pension, and fulfilling religious obligations like pilgrimages and hajj. Yet, basic financial practices such as tracking income and expenses, budgeting, or maintaining records of debt and assets remain uncommon. The low habit of recording these results is a lack of awareness about whether their households operate in surplus or deficit, hindering long-term financial planning.

Thus, introducing core concepts like budgeting and financial planning becomes crucial, not only for cultivating saving habits and building financial vision, but also for laying the foundation for economic resilience. While interest in budgeting is strong, the most in-demand topics for financial education among women include increasing income through entrepreneurship and investments.

 Localized Solutions and Sustainable Strategies

Findings from early assessments of the She Can program have been translated into a comprehensive curriculum framework. This includes refining criteria for identifying marginalized women, such as those older, victims of child marriage, not involved in micro or small enterprises, or living in remote areas, and designing strategies for long-term program sustainability. Additional participant feedback points to the importance of involving men at least during early socialization stages, promoting saving habits in varied forms, developing grassroots mentorship cadres, and clarifying the definition of "marginalized women."

While urban areas in West Kalimantan benefit from better access to banks and credit unions, rural and peri-urban regions still face substantial challenges. In these areas, traditional practices like ijon (the advanced selling of crops) and physical cash savings (e.g., using piggy banks) are still widespread but not effectively leveraged for long-term financial growth. Furthermore, the adoption of digital financial services remains low, hindered not only by infrastructure gaps but also by negative experiences, poor perceptions, and limited community support.

Collective Commitment to Change

At the program's launch in Pontianak on April 15, 2025, Hana Satriyo, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation Indonesia, emphasized the broader vision: "The She Can program is part of our commitment to empowering women through skills and leadership, creating real change in their lives and communities."

Mona Monika, Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications Bank DBS Foundation, emphasized that the initiative aligns with DBSF Indonesia's vision to create a positive impact beyond banking by supporting the development of more inclusive, empowered, and resilient communities. "We believe that women's empowerment is key to creating sustainable change. As a purpose-driven bank, we are committed to accelerating financial inclusion by expanding women's access to education, training, and economic opportunities," she stated.

Amurwani, Deputy for Gender Equality at the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, reinforced the importance of this effort: "Better financial literacy will help women compete, improve their well-being, and access equal opportunities."

Echoing this, the West Kalimantan Provincial Government expressed strong support for the program, recognizing its alignment with local priorities for promoting gender equality and integrating women's empowerment into sustainable development goals.

Empowering Women to Build Resilient Communities

TAF and the DBS Foundation are committed to supporting the development of inclusive, empowered, and resilient communities. The She Can program will include a series of integrated trainings, mentoring sessions, and financial literacy education to help improve financial knowledge and skills among vulnerable women in West Kalimantan.

She Can represents a vital step toward dismantling systemic barriers and enabling women to take charge of their financial futures. By marrying practical financial education with localized mentoring and community engagement, it not only addresses gaps in financial literacy but also lays the groundwork for inclusive and lasting development across West Kalimantanan.