CarbonEthics Supports Petani Pesisir Dompak Laut (PPDL) in Entering a New Chapter of Empowerment After Five Years of Community Assistance
- CarbonEthics
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
Tanjungpinang, 12 May 2026 — CarbonEthics officially held a graduation exit ceremony marking the conclusion of its community assistance program for Petani Pesisir Dompak Laut (PPDL) at Rumah Rendah Karbon (RRK), Tanjung Siambang, Dompak, Tanjungpinang. The event marked the end of an intensive community assistance process that has taken place over approximately five years alongside the coastal community in Dompak, as well as the beginning of a new chapter of empowerment for the PPDL community.
Rumah Rendah Karbon serves as a community space established by CarbonEthics in 2023 as a center for community activities, environmental learning, economic empowerment, and collaboration in the coastal area, which has been supported for the past five years since 2021.
The event opened with remarks from the representative of the Riau Islands Provincial Tourism Office, Fitraturrahmi, who expressed appreciation for the collaborative journey between CarbonEthics and the Dompak community.
“We have witnessed how this program is not only about the environment, but also about how communities can grow together. Rumah Rendah Karbon has become a living example of a collaborative space that connects environmental issues, community empowerment, and the tourism potential of Dompak’s coastal area,” said Fitraturrahmi.
The next remarks were delivered by Lucia Yuriko Silitonga, CSR Manager of CarbonEthics, who highlighted the long journey of community assistance since the beginning of the intervention.
“When we first began working with the community in 2021, we saw strong potential that could grow even further through shared learning, collaboration, and consistent support. This journey has never been about CarbonEthics coming with solutions, but about how we grow and learn together with the community,” said Lucia Yuriko Silitonga.
The ceremonial event was designed to give participants a direct, immersive experience of what PPDL has built. The day unfolded across three hands-on sessions: a talk show featuring Lucia Yuriko Silitonga and Mak Long reflecting on the five-year community journey; creative workshops facilitated by PPDL members, including eco-print tote bag-making using fallen mangrove leaves and a mangrove coffee-making demonstration led by Mak Long herself; and a field visit to the mangrove rehabilitation area along Dompak's coastline, where participants witnessed firsthand the restoration work the community has sustained over the years.
Each of these experiences — mangrove planting to mangrove-derived products workshop — are services that PPDL now offers as part of its collaborative model, available for partners, organizations, and institutions who wish to engage directly with the community. For future collaborators, these sessions offer a tangible entry point: an opportunity to connect with an empowered coastal community, support conservation in action, and co-create meaningful impact in Dompak.
Mak Long also shared a personal reflection on the changes she experienced after joining PPDL and receiving support from CarbonEthics.
“In the past, we did not fully understand the importance of mangroves and seagrass in our daily lives. After being supported by CarbonEthics, I began to learn that mangroves and seagrass not only protect the coastline, but also safeguard our future. Through mangrove rehabilitation activities and various ongoing programs, we have also started to gain additional income and create opportunities for the surrounding community. The biggest change I feel is our shift in perspective — we now feel a shared responsibility to protect the environment while building a better future together,” expressed Mak Long.
This graduation exit ceremony symbolized that the PPDL community is now ready to continue various initiatives and activities more independently. Throughout the assistance period, CarbonEthics and the community have implemented various programs focused on mangrove and seagrass rehabilitation, community capacity building, community economic empowerment, and the development of collaborative spaces through Rumah Rendah Karbon.
For the past 5 years, the PPDL community has achieved several tangible milestones. More than 170,000 mangrove seedlings have been planted and regularly monitored across three different locations. From a socio-economic perspective, community involvement in coastal restoration activities has also increased household income by up to 1.8 times through various environmental-based activities and community product development initiatives.
Community members have also participated in various capacity-building programs covering conservation, institutional strengthening, and community business development. In addition, they also facilitated and spoke in various coastal conservation education activities and mangrove restoration workshops, while also building cross-sector partnerships with various stakeholders.
“At the beginning of the assistance process, we started with small steps — listening, engaging in discussions, and understanding the community’s needs directly. Through that process, we learned that the success of a program is not only about activity outputs, but about how communities can develop a sense of ownership, grow together, and ultimately become ready to continue these initiatives independently. The journey of PPDL today reflects how the collaborative process built together over the past five years has evolved into a strong foundation for community independence and long-term sustainability,” explained Bimo, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CarbonEthics.
Through this event, CarbonEthics expressed appreciation to all community members, partners, local governments, and stakeholders who have been part of the community development journey in Dompak over the past several years. Moving forward, Rumah Rendah Karbon is expected to continue serving as a growing space for coastal communities to sustain various social, environmental, and economic activities and welcome partners for collaborations.
Partner with us to support the empowerment of coastal communities: carbonethics.co/partnership
About CarbonEthics
CarbonEthics is a tech-enabled Ecosystem Restoration Company specializing in carbon project development and blue carbon ecosystems. We bridge ecosystem restoration, climate finance, and regulatory expertise to deliver high-integrity carbon solutions that create real impact for local communities while preserving biodiversity.