Masarang Foundation

Description

Masarang Foundation is an Indonesian non-profit organization working on environmental protection and community development in Sulawesi.

It was officially established on 17 January 2001 and is headquartered in Tomohon, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. It was created by conservationist Willie Smits to link forest preservation with local livelihoods under a philosophy it calls people, planet, profit. The foundation runs reforestation and afforestation programs in Sulawesi and Kalimantan, and trains local farmers in sustainable agriculture.

Its best known project is the Masarang Palm Sugar Factory, which uses waste steam from a power plant to process sugar palm sap and channels profits to a farmers cooperative. It also operates the Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue Centre, which rehabilitates animals affected by illegal trade, and works to protect endangered species such as the leatherback turtle along the Sulawesi coast. The foundation promotes renewable energy technologies that reuse waste heat in agricultural processing.

Masarang Foundation combines education, advocacy and social enterprise to help communities benefit from their natural environment without clearing forests.