GenB's Wayang Method Transforms Energy Transition Knowledge into Creative Narrative
Marginal groups and children living in high-pollution areas are often the most affected by the climate crisis. Unfortunately, they have limited access to knowledge about climate mitigation and adaptation, including just energy transition.
Addressing this challenge, Clean Energy Generation (GenB) Indonesia, in partnership with Youth for Energy Southeast Asia (Y4E-SEA), organised the Amplify initiative (Awareness Movement on Planet, Low-carbon Living, Impact, Future and Youth), attended by 40 children at Amalia Reading Park in South Tangerang.
Amplify is a climate empowerment and advocacy initiative led by young people to strengthen environmental awareness and renewable energy literacy among children living in slum areas, vulnerable environments, and low-income communities across Southeast Asia. GenB Indonesia National Chairperson Ilham Maulana explained that the programme emerged from understanding that young people in marginal communities are most exposed to environmental degradation, waste, and climate risks.
“Through the GenB Wayang method, complex energy transition material is packaged into creative narratives and artistic performances that children can easily understand,” he said on Tuesday (17 March 2026).
Beyond the wayang performance, all 40 participants directly engaged in interactive sessions assembling simple dynamos to understand the basic principles of electrical energy, solving environmental puzzles, and transforming plastic packaging waste into functional ecopots to cultivate creativity from an early age.
According to Ilham, inclusivity is crucial in climate education. “Climate education and energy transition must be accessible to everyone, whether through formal channels or through community approaches like this. This is a long-term investment to make the earth more sustainable and ensure no child is left behind in accessing their right to climate education,” Ilham asserted.
The programme was warmly received by the local community. Bu Yati, manager of Amalia Reading Park, expressed deep appreciation for the initiative, which brought new learning methods to her students.
“We are very grateful for this activity because it brings real benefits to the children here. Besides engaging education, donations of books on energy and climate literacy are very valuable to us. This enriches the book collection in this reading park and becomes a new source of knowledge for children to love the earth more,” said Bu Yati.
Supported by the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) and the Indonesia Emission-Free Foundation, Amplify was designed as a model that can be replicated and adapted to local contexts in various Southeast Asian countries. IESR Clean Energy Hub Coordinator Irwan Sarifudin fully supported the movement.
“We strongly support efforts to ground energy transition issues at the grassroots level. Equipping children in vulnerable areas with clean energy knowledge is key to ensuring a just and equitable energy transition for all levels of society,” said Irwan.
The activity concluded with an emotional session in which children wrote Promises for the Earth as their personal commitment to a greener future, followed by the presentation of literacy donations and breaking fast together. The activity also served as an environmental awareness campaign with the main message “Love Nature, Love the Environment and Its Habitat.”