Running
BGBJ, Indonesia
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About the organisation
BGBJ translates to 'The Seeds of Bantar Gebang'. Every day, 6000 tonnes of Jakarta's rubbish is dumped at Bantar Gebang landfill. BGBJ serves the families who make a small income from salvaging valuable materials from this waste, such as plastic, paper, metals, glass, and ewaste. BGBJ is a unique community asset functioning as both a hostel and a hub, a place that serves both visitors and the local community.
Our community faces a number of daily challenges at the landfill. These include poor quality housing, a lack of sanitation, work-related injuries and illness, and an unpleasant living environment. The low income nature of waste picking and a lack of skills and education reduces the opportunities available to working families. Many parents decide to keep their children from school as they work to supplement the family’s income.
We believe that children and young people are the seeds for a positive future at the landfill. BGBJ provides education, training, assistance, food and fun for kids who lack access to these resources. With education and skills training, we aim to provide alternatives for young people, giving them the tools and knowledge to break the poverty cycle and create a healthy and safe environment for themselves and their families.
We run a number of activities and projects at our Hostel/Hub. Every Sunday we run classes in a variety of topics, such as English, IT, health and nutrition, sports, music and art. Our upstairs workshop is used as an educational space to develop practical skills, and is the setting where out 'BGBJ Style' product line was created. BGBJ Style procuts consist of 'lifestyle components', such as home decor and furnishings, fashion accessories and natural body care products. With BGBJ Style we hope to extend our reach throughout the community by creating a social enterprise, offering safe working conditions, real-world skills and a decent wage.
BGBJ was built with the help, support and dedication of our visitors. Our cosy hostel hosts guests from all walks of life, who are welcome to stay and experience the realities of life on the landfill. We offer day trips from Jakarta, short term and long term accommodation, with many ways to contribute your skills as a volunteer.
Our community faces a number of daily challenges at the landfill. These include poor quality housing, a lack of sanitation, work-related injuries and illness, and an unpleasant living environment. The low income nature of waste picking and a lack of skills and education reduces the opportunities available to working families. Many parents decide to keep their children from school as they work to supplement the family’s income.
We believe that children and young people are the seeds for a positive future at the landfill. BGBJ provides education, training, assistance, food and fun for kids who lack access to these resources. With education and skills training, we aim to provide alternatives for young people, giving them the tools and knowledge to break the poverty cycle and create a healthy and safe environment for themselves and their families.
We run a number of activities and projects at our Hostel/Hub. Every Sunday we run classes in a variety of topics, such as English, IT, health and nutrition, sports, music and art. Our upstairs workshop is used as an educational space to develop practical skills, and is the setting where out 'BGBJ Style' product line was created. BGBJ Style procuts consist of 'lifestyle components', such as home decor and furnishings, fashion accessories and natural body care products. With BGBJ Style we hope to extend our reach throughout the community by creating a social enterprise, offering safe working conditions, real-world skills and a decent wage.
BGBJ was built with the help, support and dedication of our visitors. Our cosy hostel hosts guests from all walks of life, who are welcome to stay and experience the realities of life on the landfill. We offer day trips from Jakarta, short term and long term accommodation, with many ways to contribute your skills as a volunteer.
The people behind it
Resa Boenard grew up on Bantar Gebang, the landfill next to Jakarta. After studying, she went back to Bantar Gebang to found her NGO BGBJ. The kids call her "Ka", which means big sister.
Resa lovingly nicknamed "Princess of the Dump," created BGBJ (Seeds of Bantar Gebang) to provide education, food and empowerment to the children of the landfill, aiming to break the cycle of poverty and encourage them to continue with school. Resa’s family moved from Padang in West Sumatra when she was six to Bantar Gebang. At that time, Bantar Gebang was green with rice fields. Seeing these fields slowly turn into mountains of garbage motivated Resa to become the environmental activist that she is today. From a young girl teased at school for smelling like the landfill to the strong activist she is today, Resa is an inspiration to all of the youth living in Bantar Gebang. Resa is a waste expert and social entrepreneur. Experienced in community development, informal waste management and marketing, she works to empower the women and children of Bantar Gebang waste landfill who mostly live in poverty. She is a renowned facilitator among NGOs and activists working on environmental and entrepreneurship issues. She has already won several awards for her entrepreneur skills and her efforts for the community.
Resa lovingly nicknamed "Princess of the Dump," created BGBJ (Seeds of Bantar Gebang) to provide education, food and empowerment to the children of the landfill, aiming to break the cycle of poverty and encourage them to continue with school. Resa’s family moved from Padang in West Sumatra when she was six to Bantar Gebang. At that time, Bantar Gebang was green with rice fields. Seeing these fields slowly turn into mountains of garbage motivated Resa to become the environmental activist that she is today. From a young girl teased at school for smelling like the landfill to the strong activist she is today, Resa is an inspiration to all of the youth living in Bantar Gebang. Resa is a waste expert and social entrepreneur. Experienced in community development, informal waste management and marketing, she works to empower the women and children of Bantar Gebang waste landfill who mostly live in poverty. She is a renowned facilitator among NGOs and activists working on environmental and entrepreneurship issues. She has already won several awards for her entrepreneur skills and her efforts for the community.
Latest updates
Nov 8, 2026 · Facebook
BGBJ hat gepostet:
💛 Nasi Kuning Day at BGBJ! 🍛✨ A simple meal, countless happy smiles! Sharing delicious nasi kuning with the children at BGBJ, bringing warmth, joy, and...
Mar 2, 2021 · Facebook
BGBJ hat gepostet:
Rumahku (my home) www.bgbj.org . . #bgbj #rumahku #rumahkubgbj #ourhomeonthedump #spendedirekt #thebestdumpever
Nov 17, 2020 · Facebook
BGBJ hat gepostet:
SpendeDirekt, Switzerland 🇨🇭- BGBJ, Indonesia 🇮🇩 . . . #coordinating #annualevent #spendedirekt #bgbj #swisspeople #bgbjfamily #sharingiscaring...
Nov 15, 2020 · Facebook
BGBJ hat gepostet:
Our Multilateral group call with SpendeDirekt! Rudra from NDC, Nepal Anton from BaleBengong, Indonesia Jean Paul from NYO, Rwanda Resa from BGBJ, Indonesia,...
Oct 22, 2020 · Facebook
BGBJ hat gepostet:
BGBJ is our home on the dump 🏡 www.bgbj.org . . . . . #bgbj #home #landfill #community #spendedirekt #construction #construction2 #communitycenter...
Sep 24, 2020 · Facebook
BGBJ hat gepostet:
Working with this amazing landfill view only at BGBJ 😎 . . . . . #bgbj #bgbjstyle #ouroffice #spendedirekt #thebijiisgrowing #socialenterprise...
Sep 18, 2020 · Facebook
BGBJ hat gepostet:
Welcoming our campaign manager Mike Van Ahee from Rotterdam at our new office and a farewell to our urban farming manager Wilco Eimers. Thank you for...
Sep 14, 2020 · Facebook
BGBJ hat gepostet:
#spendedirekt official visit from #switzerland, thank you Swiss people for supporting BGBJ. . . . . . #bgbj #meeting #officialvisit #communitydevelopment...
Jul 4, 2020 · Facebook
BGBJ hat gepostet:
“BGBJ., Where TRASH, BEAUTY and LOVE in harmony” Resa Boenard, BGBJ co-founder 💚💚💚💚💚 www.bgbj.org . . . . . #bgbj #thebijiisgrowing #bijibesar...
May 4, 2020 · Facebook
BGBJ hat gepostet:
BGBJ X SpendeDirekt The BGBJ Love - Corona Community Support! 💖 Special circumstances encouraged us to spread the love in these hard times and to let the...
Projects
Running projects (4)
Running
Projekt coronacommunitysupport (BGBJ)
Running
Building a library, music studio and rooftop garden
Space where the kids can develop their knowledge and musical skills and a garden to grow vegetables
The goal for building a library for the kids is for them to have a place where they can learn about several subjects, do homework and develop their English skills. We will try to encourage them to find their passion so they will be motivated to follow up on their dreams. The music studio will be in the same building and used for the kids to make music for fun or learn how to play instruments. The kids have already learned to play music using items found on the landfill such as cans, bottles and gallons. Finally, the rooftop garden will be created on top of an adjacent structure. We want to teach the kids and people around the area about dedication and responsibilities by letting them take care of their own vegetables in this garden. We will use the vegetables to cook for the kids and for our neighbours.
More about the project
Target group
Kids and people living around the area
Why we do it
Currently very few kids living on the landfill have access to books or music instruments. We want to give them the opportunity to learn about their interests and encourage their willingness to learn about new subjects and skills. The garden will help them to learn about responsibilities and commitment. We hope it will also encourage them to grow their own vegetables or make their living area greener.
Project activities
- Renovating and rebuilding the roof of the current building
- Building the second floor for the library/ music studio
- Rebuild the structure underneath the future the rooftop garden so it will be safe to use
- Make the second floor accessible with stairs
- Making furniture for the building (cabinets for the books, desks, chairs)
Update (Nov 2020): The project plan from the famous Jakarta architect Riri Yakub is finished, but the main donor from Jakarta has not yet confirmed the donation. BGBJ is waiting for the library to be built.
- Building the second floor for the library/ music studio
- Rebuild the structure underneath the future the rooftop garden so it will be safe to use
- Make the second floor accessible with stairs
- Making furniture for the building (cabinets for the books, desks, chairs)
Update (Nov 2020): The project plan from the famous Jakarta architect Riri Yakub is finished, but the main donor from Jakarta has not yet confirmed the donation. BGBJ is waiting for the library to be built.
Running
Provide sanitary facilities for the waste pickers families
We want to install a new toilet in the village accessible by the waste picker
The goal is to give access to toilets for the waste picker's family and people living around the area.
More about the project
Target group
The target group consists of the wastepicker's family and people living in the area where the toilet will be built.
Why we do it
The requirements for the project are to provide additional sanitary facilities due to the lack of current existing faciltiies leading to the local community defecating on the landfill directly or on the adjacent streets.
Project activities
Build two additional sanitary facilities within the area where the wastepicker's families lives
Update (Nov 2020): The current state of the sanitary facilities does not meet our standards, which is why we have to rebuild it. After we have rebuild it and it meets our standards we consider it as finished.
Update (Nov 2020): The current state of the sanitary facilities does not meet our standards, which is why we have to rebuild it. After we have rebuild it and it meets our standards we consider it as finished.
Planned projects (1)
Planned
Trip to Swimming Pool
Allowing the childen to experience the swimming pool
Share some happiness during Covid times with the children
More about the project
Target group
The children and some of the parents of Bantar Gebang
Why we do it
Give children a break during the Corona crisis
Project activities
Go to the swimming pool, swimming, eating, maybe presents
Completed projects (8)
Completed
Land & Pendopo House for BGBJ
Paying for 125m2 of the purchased total 725 m2 of land & building the Pendopo House 12 x 6 m for our outdoor activities.
The goals of the project is to pay for 125m2 of the purchased total 725 m2 of land for the new BGBJ, so we can start building our Pendopo House 12 x 6 m as our open space area for the activity at the landfill then we can move from our temporary place to our actual site and also to bring more volunteer to help people at BGBJ with their interesting and outstanding skills in the future.
More about the project
Target group
100
Why we do it
We want to do the project because we need a land to build a safe place for the kids'activities at the landfill.
Project activities
1. Pay for 125m2 land for the new BGBJ
2. Building the Pendopo House
3. Co-financing a fence around 725m2 land
4. Moving the activities to the new site
2. Building the Pendopo House
3. Co-financing a fence around 725m2 land
4. Moving the activities to the new site
Completed
BGBJ Rescue
Renting a warehouse for BGBJ
- To rescue the BGBJ's belongings into a big warehouse until we can afford to buy a new land and re-build BGBJ again.
- Giving opportunity for some local people to work full time helping BGBJ with moving until the eviction time end of November 2022.
- Renting the warehouse for 2 years ( April 2022 - April 2024)
- To have a temporary little corner as an office next to the warehouse for our BGBJ team.
More about the project
Target group
The target group of the project is the BGBJ's belongings and our BGBJ team.
Why we do it
- Because we need to rescue our belongings before the eviction happens.
- Because we want to reuse our belongings at our new BGBJ.
- Because we need people to work with us for the moving.
- Because our team needs a temporary place to continue our work.
- Because we want to reuse our belongings at our new BGBJ.
- Because we need people to work with us for the moving.
- Because our team needs a temporary place to continue our work.
Project activities
- Searching for a big warehouse to put all the belongings
- Create the team for moving (hire 4 paid full-time helpers)
- Cleaning the warehouse
- Inventory
- Sorting the belongings
- Packaging and labeling the boxes
- Moving out the belongings into the warehouse
- Create the team for moving (hire 4 paid full-time helpers)
- Cleaning the warehouse
- Inventory
- Sorting the belongings
- Packaging and labeling the boxes
- Moving out the belongings into the warehouse
Completed
Community Empowerment Centre (CEC)
Construction of new 2 floor centre for professional skill training, cooking and upcycled products
- teaching and educating valuable skills for own use.
- establishing new opportunities to work in a safe and secure environment with a better income.
- improving the infrastructure of Bantar Gebang.
- creating upcycled products for retailers around Bantar Gebang and Jakarta.
More about the project
Target group
The families, living among the biggest landfill of South East Asia.
Why we do it
This community is unfortunately experiencing a lack of opportunities for education and to find a safe and secure employment. The families are having difficulties to feed themselves throughout the year and are partially suffering from recurring health issues. We want to give these people new perspectives for a better and healthier life and future.
Project activities
- training and production of bags, pillows, bed sheets, clothing and similar, out of textile waste.
- learning how to make useful items such as self-made soap.
- learning how to cook and bake healthy and how to do gardening.
- processing coffee and chocolate
- learning how to make useful items such as self-made soap.
- learning how to cook and bake healthy and how to do gardening.
- processing coffee and chocolate
Completed
Corona Community Support for 162 families
We want to be able to support food for the wastepicker families in Indonesia during pandemic COVID-19
- Give the kids and their families some nutritious meals during pandemic.
- Give the families food supplies to feed their family members.
- Give the families food supplies to feed their family members.
More about the project
Target group
The target group consists of the kids coming to our place every sunday and people living in and around the landfill.
Why we do it
Since the COVID-19 case, many of recycling companies have shut down due to the price drop of the materials and many waste pickers have lost their jobs. Their families are struggling now to satisfy their members with food.
Project activities
- Deliver prepared food packages for families who are in need.
- Cooking nutrition meals for the kids and their families and also for who are in need.
Special thanks to SpendeDirekt for supporting us. With a support from Swiss people we can provide and deliver 162 packages of special food supplies.
The families receive the care packages individually in the community center. This guarantees a fair distribution and safe delivery. The care packages contain following groceries:
- 10 L Rice
- 10 Pcs Noodles
- 1 L Cooking oil
- 1 Box Chicken Serundeng
- 1 Kg Sugar
- 1 Kg Egg
- 1 Box Sardines
- 1 Box Tea
Thank you so much for making it happen and working together to bring some love to people at the landfill in Indonesia.
- Cooking nutrition meals for the kids and their families and also for who are in need.
Special thanks to SpendeDirekt for supporting us. With a support from Swiss people we can provide and deliver 162 packages of special food supplies.
The families receive the care packages individually in the community center. This guarantees a fair distribution and safe delivery. The care packages contain following groceries:
- 10 L Rice
- 10 Pcs Noodles
- 1 L Cooking oil
- 1 Box Chicken Serundeng
- 1 Kg Sugar
- 1 Kg Egg
- 1 Box Sardines
- 1 Box Tea
Thank you so much for making it happen and working together to bring some love to people at the landfill in Indonesia.
Completed
Every sunday a nutritious meal
We want to consistently be able to cook a nutritious meal for the kids every sunday.
- Give the kids a nutritious meal at least once a week.
- Create work for the mothers who come to BGBJ to help cook and clean
- Create work for the mothers who come to BGBJ to help cook and clean
More about the project
Target group
The target group consists of the kids coming to our place every sunday.
Why we do it
Families of Bantar Gebang lack consistent access to healthy, nutritional food. The number of meals eaten per day vary depending on what families can afford. Some will eat up to two meal per day, with children buying small, cheap, unhealthy snacks throughout the day. These meals consist of basic ingredients like white rice and chicken or fish, and fried in low quality oil.
While some families may have sufficient food every day, this food lacks in nutritional value because of the lack of variety in what is eaten. We want to provide these kids of at least one nutritious, healthy meal a week. The kids have already enjoyed it many times, but because of inconsistent funding we haven't been able to provide a meal every week. We want to be able to give the kids this meal as they enjoy it a lot and it gives them the nutritions they often lack.
While some families may have sufficient food every day, this food lacks in nutritional value because of the lack of variety in what is eaten. We want to provide these kids of at least one nutritious, healthy meal a week. The kids have already enjoyed it many times, but because of inconsistent funding we haven't been able to provide a meal every week. We want to be able to give the kids this meal as they enjoy it a lot and it gives them the nutritions they often lack.
Project activities
- Weekly groceries
- Cooking the meals
- Cleaning
- Cooking the meals
- Cleaning
Completed
Improve Facilities at BGBJ - Step 2
Finishing our two new rooms on the second floor. One will function as private room for our guests/volunteers and the other room will function as our office.
- To finish the rooms with doors and windows, so it will be ready to be operated end of January.
- Finish off the fences to secure the kids or young adults not fall from the third floors.
- Canopy to stop rain fall into second floors and make all the wooden furnitures wet and also flooding inside the upcycle workshop and also the kids can use the area for yoga class with canopy.
- Finish off the fences to secure the kids or young adults not fall from the third floors.
- Canopy to stop rain fall into second floors and make all the wooden furnitures wet and also flooding inside the upcycle workshop and also the kids can use the area for yoga class with canopy.
More about the project
Target group
The target group for the private room consists of guests and volunteers.
The target group for the office is our team.
The target group for the office is our team.
Why we do it
We want our guests or volunteers to be able to choose a private room so people who prefer not to share a room can feel welcome as well. Together with the fact that it creates more room for visitors we hope to increase our guests and volunteers.
The kids also use this room sometimes to spend the Saturday and start the “Sunday funday” from there.
We want to set up the office so our team can work from a private work environment. This should help us increase our productivity which will benefit the organisation and projects.
The kids also use this room sometimes to spend the Saturday and start the “Sunday funday” from there.
We want to set up the office so our team can work from a private work environment. This should help us increase our productivity which will benefit the organisation and projects.
Project activities
- Install the windows and the doors on the third floors
- finish off the fences
- Build ceiling
- Build the furniture
- finish off the fences
- Build ceiling
- Build the furniture
Completed
Kids at the Zoo
Taking the kids to the zoo to let them have a nice and happy experience.
The goal is to make the kids happy and give them an experience they are not able to get often. We also want to give them a chance to learn about animals and wildlife.
More about the project
Target group
The target group consists of the kids and their families from Bantar Gebang
Why we do it
Giving reward for the kids before New Year and also give an experience for some of them to have an experience going somewhere with family.
Project activities
Taking the kids and some parents to the Zoo
Completed
Improve Facilities at BGBJ - Step 1
Building two new rooms on the second floor. One will function as private room for our guests/volunteers and the other room will function as our office.
The goal for the private room is to get more guests to come to our place. Some guests don't want to share a room with other people and we want to also target those people so everyone feels comfortable here.
The other room will function as an office so our team can work in a private work environment. We hope this will boost our team's productivity which benefits the organisation.
The other room will function as an office so our team can work in a private work environment. We hope this will boost our team's productivity which benefits the organisation.
More about the project
Target group
The target group for the private room consists of guests and volunteers.
The target group for the office is our team.
The target group for the office is our team.
Why we do it
- More beds are needed for the guests and volunteers. This can lead to additional income.
- We want our team to work in a professional environment so they can focus on the projects.
- We want our team to work in a professional environment so they can focus on the projects.
Project activities
- Expanding the third floor with additional rooms (office and bed rooms)
- Building a cabinet to display BGBJ-Products
- Cabinet in the Kitchen for storage
- Maintenance work
- Fixing the toilets
- Building a cabinet to display BGBJ-Products
- Cabinet in the Kitchen for storage
- Maintenance work
- Fixing the toilets