Osaka, Kansai, Japan — Two women from East Manggarai Regency and Nagekeo Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, known as Mama Bamboo, represented Indonesia as speakers at the Women’s Pavilion at World Expo 2025 Osaka.

The event, themed “Empowered Woman and Bamboo: The Indonesia New Normal,” took place on Friday (2 May) at 11:30 a.m. local time. Mama Paula Thresia and Mama Florentina Ceme Owa shared how women contribute to environmental stewardship, sustainability, and value creation through bamboo.

Mama Paula explained that bamboo preservation initiatives are an integral part of daily life in East Nusa Tenggara. “Bamboo is culture. It’s deeply woven into our daily lives in Mokel Morid Village. From birth to death, bamboo plays a role in every life stage. That’s why we’re committed to conserving bamboo through seedling cultivation and replanting,” she said.

The Mama Bamboo group is actively involved in cultivating and planting bamboo, especially around water sources and critical lands. These efforts aim to ensure environmental sustainability while supporting local economic development. The group has successfully produced bamboo tea, biochar, liquid smoke, drip irrigation systems, charcoal, bamboo weavings, and other handicrafts.

“Village women can be the drivers of change when they unite and believe in their power. Often, women’s roles are overlooked, especially in rural areas. Through the Delima women’s group in Wolowea Village, we realized that both bamboo and our culture must continue to grow,” said Mama Florentina.

Monica Tanuhandaru, the Chair of the Bambu Lingkungan Lestari Foundation (YBLL) and moderator of the event, explained that in addition to bamboo conservation, Mama Bamboo also manages forest areas they’ve been licensed to steward since 2022.

“In expanding these forest areas, women have been consistently involved in reforestation. To date, they have planted more than 1,000 bamboo stalks and are targeting an even greater impact by 2025,” Monica noted.

The initiative has garnered support from various organizations, including the Environmental Family Foundation and Cartier Osaka. These partnerships reinforce the message that nature conservation is not just a temporary project, it is part of daily life for the Mama Bamboo community. Protecting the Earth is not a campaign for the women of East Nusa Tenggara, it is their way of life. Women must rise above discrimination and take leadership over their own lives.

Mama Bamboo’s presence at World Expo 2025 Osaka is part of the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas)'s efforts to spotlight local environmental best practices on the global stage. It serves as proof that sustainable development can go hand-in-hand with empowering women. “Women play a crucial role in environmental conservation and food management, from the fields to the dinner table. Excluding women from these systems is simply unacceptable,” concluded YBLL East Manggarai District Coordinator Maria Wuda.

The Women’s Pavilion at World Expo 2025 Osaka also featured two bamboo bicycles, Spedagi’s GoRo and Rodacilik 02, designed by Singgih S. Kartono. As part of the Expo schedule, Mama Bamboo is set to host a talk show and bamboo tea-making workshop today, Saturday (3 May), at 12:50 p.m. local time at the Indonesia Pavilion.

Mama Bamboo Talk Environmental Conservation Practices at Expo 2025 Osaka’s Women’s Pavilion