In the heart of the Coral Triangle, the "Refuse Plastic" project's mission of solidarity and conservation invites you to take action in the face of the plastic waste crisis that threatens the marine ecosystems and communities of Sulawesi. As an ecovolunteer, you'll take part in concrete actions: beach and reef clean-ups, local sorting and recycling, awareness-raising workshops, ecological monitoring and mangrove reforestation. An unforgettable human and environmental adventure, in the service of an ecological and solidarity-based transition project, in one of the world's most biodiverse areas. All our missions in Indonesia here.
The Refuse Plastic project for waste management
At the heart of the Coral Triangle, the Konawe region in the southeast of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi is home to exceptional terrestrial and marine biodiversity. Yet this ecosystem is under threat. The accumulation of plastic waste in the waters and on the beaches, combined with the absence of treatment facilities, represents considerable ecological and health pressure for local populations and their environment. Faced with this critical situation, our partner has launched the "Refuse Plastic" project, which aims to implement sustainable management and recovery of plastic waste in the coastal villages of this region.
Project-related actions
- Reduce plastic pollution at source: install waste collection systems in coastal villages. Organize beach, river and mangrove clean-ups. Prevent waste from reaching the ocean.
- Raising awareness and educating people to protect the oceans: conducting awareness campaigns in schools and communities; informing people about the impacts of plastic pollution and nickel mining.
- Encourage sustainable changes in everyday behavior.
- Support for local recycling and the circular economy: boosting local residents' technical skills in sorting and recycling.
- Develop local plastic waste recovery processes.
- Support waste processing initiatives.
- Supporting communities in waste management: Structuring village waste management committees. Train residents in local environmental governance. Co-construct sustainable solutions adapted to local realities.
- Authority mobilization and environmental advocacy: Working with local institutions to integrate waste management into public policy.
- Promote a model of sustainable, environmentally-friendly tourism in the region.
Eco-volunteers in the Refuse Plastic project
The proposed mission is part of the "Refuse Plastic" project. You will contribute directly to the following main actions:
- Helping with waste management: waste collection operations in the villages, on the beaches and fringing reefs with the locals. Collection, sorting and recycling of plastic waste in the Kendari workshop.
- Helping to organize awareness-raising workshops: Organizing presentations in schools and local communities on the dangers of plastic on ecosystems and health.
- Participate in reef monitoring: snorkeling activities to observe reef health. Contribute to the collection of regular scientific data, essential for monitoring.
- Contribute to coastal reforestation: planting mangroves as needed.
If you wish, you can also :
Produce artistic and/or audiovisual content: if you have artistic and/or audiovisual skills (video, photography, illustration, content creation, etc.) you can produce a logbook or capture the beauty of the surroundings.
|
Departure from Kendari |
Back to Kendari |
Duration |
Price |
|---|---|---|---|
|
June 2, 2025 |
June 13, 2025 |
2 weeks |
1800 € |
|
June 23, 2025 |
July 4, 2025 |
2 weeks |
1800 € |
|
July 7, 2025 |
July 18, 2025 |
2 weeks |
1800 € |
|
July 21, 2025 |
August 1, 2025 |
2 weeks |
1800 € |
|
August 4, 2025 |
August 15, 2025 |
2 weeks |
1800 € |
|
September 8, 2025 |
September 19, 2025 |
2 weeks |
1800 € |
|
September 29, 2025 |
October 10, 2025 |
2 weeks |
1800 € |
|
December 8, 2025 |
December 19, 2025 |
2 weeks |
1800 € |
Price: €1,800 - The entire cost of your mission, including airfare, is tax-exempt: 66% for individuals, 75% if you are subject to the IFI, and 60% for companies.
Not included
- International flight + airport taxes
- Personal equipment (tent, clothes, shoes, sleeping bags, water bottle, backpack, headlamps, etc.)
- Antimalarials and vaccines
- The visa
- Extra drinks, snacks and souvenirs
- Hotel accommodation and any other expenses outside the official mission dates
- Air ticket cancellation insurance
Included in price
- Logistics costs
- Transportation*, meals, hotel accommodation
- The on-site mission management team
- Equipment required for the mission
- Pre-organization to ensure that everything runs smoothly during your stay
* Note that transport is our main cost item, as: renting the motorboat that enables us to reach and then carry out our operations in the Sombori-Labengki archipelago is relatively expensive. The pirogue trips on the Lalindu river to reach the Matarombeo massif are also very costly.
- Management fees
- Monitoring and evaluating the results and impact of missions
- Mission promotion initiatives
- Administrative processing of registrations
- Repatriation and civil liability insurance
- Membership of the partner association
- Donation to the conservation program :
- Wages paid to project staff in the field throughout the year
- Research and development of strategies and means of action to safeguard the region's ecosystems in the long term
- Team travel required for project development
- Day-to-day management and fundraising activities in France, essential to the success of the conservation program
- Purchases and investments to support the development and smooth running of projects
- Field supervision: Naturevolution's local team in Indonesia will be responsible for supervising the missions.
- Language skills: it is preferable for ecovolunteers to have a basic level of English to be able to communicate easily with local teams.
- Mission activities: actions are defined according to the needs of the "Refuse Plastic" project, assessed by local employees in charge of welcoming ecovolunteers. Scientific protocols and exact missions are prepared one month before departure to best meet needs in the field.
- Remote areas: you'll be immersed in particularly remote and exotic areas, in contact with a new culture and new natural ecosystems. You'll experience a unique adventure, far from your comfort zone and habits, while helping to protect Sulawesi's underwater treasures.
- Unforeseen events and the nature of the mission : missions can be subject to unforeseen events and are not organized ecotourism trips! Ecovolunteering is a new adventure, where your participation will fluctuate but always be of great use.
- Physical condition: you must be in good physical condition, with a medical check-up required.
No scientific qualifications required: no particular scientific background or diploma necessary, just motivation, enthusiasm and a great desire to learn! Expected attitude: Be smiling, open-minded and dynamic! These missions are a real opportunity to meet new people, share experiences and engage in intercultural exchanges. Come with a non-judgmental approach to discovery, to appreciate and value other cultures and ways of life. Working together in a spirit of collective intelligence is at the heart of our approach, because the most important thing is to learn together, from each other!
Location
The mission takes place in the south-east of the island of Sulawesi, a unique territory located in the heart of the Coral Triangle. This exceptional site is made up of a mountainous karst massif and a wild archipelago of heavenly islets. Sulawesi is a true sanctuary of biodiversity, home to endemic species with remarkable rates of endemism. The island boasts the highest concentration of butterflies in the world and some of the richest coral reefs on the planet.
Accommodation
Base camps are set up on different beaches, where you'll spend most of your time in the great outdoors, by the water's edge and in the water for diving activities. You'll sleep in a personal tent, lulled by the sound of the waves and under a starry sky. Occasionally, we visit coastal villages to meet with local communities and raise awareness. These moments of sharing will enable you to discover a local way of life while actively contributing to the protection of the environment.
The food
Meals are mainly made up of products purchased in Kendari, supplemented by fresh fish from the local fishery and fruit and vegetables grown on site. For drinking water, we collect fresh water from wells and rivers, which we filter or boil to guarantee its safety. Some meals are taken in local villages, allowing us to discover traditional cuisine while supporting the communities.
Transportation
We meet on Sunday evening at Kendari airport (code KDI) or at our hotel in downtown Kendari, easily accessible by cab (7€ / 100,000rp maximum) if you arrive earlier. A first welcome meal will be shared in Kendari, and Sunday night will be taken care of. You will leave for the field on Monday morning. At the end of the mission, you'll be taken back to Kendari on Friday evening, where a final night's accommodation is also provided, to enable you to catch your return flight on Saturday morning. Throughout the mission, you'll travel by local boat between the beaches and diving areas. Transportation is included in the mission package.
Laundry
As conditions are rather rudimentary in the field, there is no conventional laundry service. Clothes will be washed by hand with non-polluting natural soap, using locally available water, and we recommend that you bring light, quick-drying clothes.
Wifi
As the terrain is particularly isolated, there is little Wifi connection available on site. This mission is a unique opportunity to disconnect, to live the ecovolunteering experience to the full, and to focus on the environment and conservation actions without digital distractions!
Beyond your direct actions, your presence is essential to us!
As an ecovolunteer, you'll help raise awareness of the ecological and social challenges facing these regions, both in France and abroad. As a direct witness, you'll be helping to raise awareness of the challenges and the actions implemented by Naturevolution to meet them. As a "citizen of the world", you are committed to the protection of these last sanctuaries of biodiversity and the empowerment of local populations.
Essential financial support
Your participation in the mission becomes a donation and contributes to the financing of various local and sustainable development initiatives in our partner's areas of intervention in Indonesia, Madagascar and France!
Naturevolution
Since 2009, the Naturevolution association has been actively working to protect and enhance the last threatened sanctuaries of biodiversity, notably the Makay massif (Madagascar) and the island of Sulawesi (Indonesia), two territories of exceptional ecological wealth. Born of scientific naturalist expeditions, our partner works hand in hand with local and international interdisciplinary researchers to study and document the richness of these unique ecosystems. At the same time, the association works closely with local communities to develop a holistic approach to sustainable development, focusing on social, environmental and economic aspects. Through documentaries, exhibitions and educational programs, our partner brings these territories to the general public and raises awareness of the urgent need to protect them.
