Pandawara Group: Viral Movement and Environmental Advocacy

Introduction

• Pandawara: A group that gained popularity on social media (TikTok, Twitter, Instagram)
• Accumulated 56.1 million views on TikTok
• Caught the attention of renowned YouTuber Mister Beast

Group Identity

• Name "Pandawara" derived from the Mahabharata (Sundanese for 'five good news')
• Represents five young men committed to environmental activism

Members and Background

• Members' ages:
  • Rafli: 22
  • Agung: 22
  • Ikhsan: 21
  • Another member aged 22
• Originated from an area severely affected by floods, particularly in South Bandung
• Initial motivation stemmed from repeated flooding and environmental degradation due to waste

Environmental Issues Encountered

• Flooding: [
  • Persistent flooding caused by improper waste disposal
  • Activism began with a community effort to clean local areas

Community Impact

• Cleaned 80 locations (rivers, small streams, etc.) within a year
• Noted that cleaning did not cease flooding, needing broader community awareness

Financial Aspects of Cleanup

• Group members pooled resources for expenses
• Approximate cost of operations per outing: 800,000 IDR
• Costs include transportation, cleaning supplies, and waste disposal fees

Challenges and Learning Experiences

• Initial apprehensions:
  • Fear of dangerous items (snakes, sharp objects) during cleanup
• Encountered unexpected challenges (e.g., strong water currents)
• Anecdotes of humorous or dangerous situations during cleanups

Community Reception & Engagement

• Interactions with local communities: [
  • Initial indifference turned to requests for cleaning assistance
  • Importance of addressing community awareness on waste disposal

Future Goals and Aspirations

• Aim to expand to more locations, potentially nationwide initiatives
• Collaboration with government entities
• Long-term vision to continue until 2030, with emphasis on collective community involvement

Social Media and Public Perception

• Addressing criticism of their actions being merely for views
• Emphasis on genuine intentions behind their work

Conclusion

• Philosophy:
  • Focus on creating awareness rather than assigning blame to others
  • Recognition that environmental issues stem from both governmental and societal responsibilities.