Mahija Mid-Year Impact Report 2025

At Mahija, we believe that responsible recycling must protect both the environment and the people who sustain it. Strengthening the role of waste workers, often overlooked yet essential to Indonesia’s plastic collection system is not only a matter of fairness, but also critical to building an ethical and resilient recycling ecosystem that enables circular economy goals.

In the first half of 2025, we continued to advance this mission through three strategic pillars:

Across these pillars, we’ve collaborated closely with waste collectors, community partners, and private sector stakeholders to strengthen the upstream of Indonesia’s recycling system.

A key part of our efforts this year includes the Responsible Sourcing Initiative (RSI) Indonesia, a collaborative project that supports ethical, traceable, and socially responsible plastic collection. While RSI brings additional structure, tools, and scale, it directly supports the broader strategies Mahija has been pursuing since day one.

Highlights from January–June 2025:

Ethical Waste Collection

In the first half of 2025, We’re building a collection system that’s not only efficient, but also ethical, from daily operations in the field to how the public participates in recycling.

Through the Recycle in Action program, we collected 134,897 PET bottles at public events, while four environmental education sessions helped raise community awareness about responsible waste practices. Our collaboration with Collection Centers and local waste banks remained a key priority to ensure that every step of the collection process is transparent and accountable.

Empowered Waste Workers

Supporting waste workers goes beyond income, it means helping them access the rights, services, and opportunities that are often out of reach. We focused on three key areas: identity, education, and health.

This year, our efforts have focused on three main areas: identity, education, and health.

In terms of legal identity and basic services, we issued 111 identity and social protection documents, including ID cards, BPJS health coverage, and birth certificates. We also distributed 851 Ramadan packages and 3,120 iftar meals to support communities during the holy month. 

In health, our Sahabat Sehat Mahija peer educator training expanded into three areas of Jakarta, equipping community members with the knowledge and skills to promote well-being.

For the children of waste workers, our Mahija Mobile School reached 314 children, 65 students received scholarships, and 120 children received informal education support through our adopted school, Sekolah Kami.

Engaged Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships

Through strong advocacy and collaborative partnerships, we continue to work toward reshaping how waste workers are recognized, valued, and supported in both policy and practice.

We have maintained ongoing engagement with local and national stakeholders to promote greater recognition of informal waste workers. Our partnerships with corporate, civil society, and government actors have strengthened program delivery and expanded our reach. Additionally, we mobilized community volunteering opportunities across multiple Mahija programs, further reinforcing collective action toward an inclusive and responsible recycling system. 

Systems Change through RSI

Through RSI, we’ve introduced tools and pilots to reinforce responsible collection practices, supplier accountability, and worker protection. 

Key milestones include:
• Traceability piloted in 2 Collection Centers
•  Supplier Management Program by First Mile
• Collective representation models tested in 6 locations across Greater Jakarta Area
• Field assessments and safer work training delivered to over 170 workers

This is our story for the first half of 2025, a reflection of the progress we’ve made. Moving forward, we are committed to expanding our reach, deepening our impact, and ensuring that more waste workers gain the recognition, protection, and opportunities they deserve. 

Thank you for supporting Mahija. With your continued support, we’re ready to bring even greater impact in the second half of 2025.