Introducing the Anambas Foundation

Bawah Reserve is located in Indonesia’s Anambas Islands. With a population of around 41,500, the islands are part of the larger Riau Archipelago.

Located just outside the Coral Triangle – an area so rich in marine biodiversity its known as “The Amazon of the Seas”– the Anambas Islands has amazing potential for eco-marine tourism. Sadly, this remote paradise has not been shielded from threats to the ecosystem. A legacy of unsustainable fishing practices, poor solid waste management, marine debris and deforestation has greatly affected the area.

Thus, in April 2018, the Anambas Foundation (AF) was founded to help protect and rehabilitate the local ecosystem and elevate the welfare of the local island communities.

AF is an independent Indonesian foundation run by a local team and led by Jerry Winata.  Jerry has years of experience working with the United Nations and the World Bank on food security and sustainable development.

More recently,  he was invited to join the Obama Foundation Leaders Asia-Pacific Program.

“Empower the community and the conservation will start. You can’t talk about conservation to hungry men or a woman who’s worried about her children’s education – start with helping the community and see the grassroots benefit.”
Jerry Winata

AF works directly with the communities of Anambas Island in close coordination with the local government. Consistent with Bawah Reserve’s focus on “Above, Below and Beyond,” there are three pillars of priorities:  

1) Above: Forest Conservation:

Identifying indigenous flora and fauna to repopulate the ecosystem and restore biodiversity to the area. Projects such as community-based reforestation and forest ecotourism are in the pipeline.

2) Below: Marine Conservation:

Protecting and rehabilitating ocean biodiversity through turtle, coral, and marine park conservation are well underway.

3) Beyond: Community Development:

Community outreach and improvement programs in the Anambas region, such as integrated waste management, organic farming, digital English clubs, and women empowerment, have started.

“The recently launched Anambas Foundation teaches sustainable practices like organic farming and marine conservation.” – South China Morning Post, February 2019

Anambas Foundation Updates:

See the progress of the Anambas Foundation programs and other initiatives here:

Notes from the Anambas: Reflecting on the First Term of 2022

Notes from the Anambas Foundation: Reflecting on the Second Quarter of 2021

Notes from the Anambas Foundation: Reflecting on the First Quarter of 2021

Notes from the Anambas: Conservation and communities during Covid-19