Gibran to Assist in Securing Sponsorship for River Cleanup Campaign
Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka met with the founders of environmental organisation Sungai Watch, led by Gary Bencheghib alongside Sam and Kelly Bencheghib, at the Vice Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, 26 May 2026. The meeting focused on river cleanup efforts and accelerating the handling of plastic waste in Indonesia.
Sam Bencheghib, co-founder of Sungai Watch, stated that discussions centred on campaigning for the plastic pollution emergency in Indonesian rivers. “During this meeting with the Vice President, we discussed how Sungai Watch can expand across Indonesia,” he said in an official statement from the Vice Presidential Secretariat on 26 May 2026.
He informed Gibran that they had recently completed the Run for Rivers campaign, running 1,205 kilometres from Bali to Monas in Jakarta over 58 days to raise awareness of plastic pollution in rivers.
“Currently, Sungai Watch operates in Bali, Banyuwangi, and Sidoarjo in East Java, but we aim to expand to Central and West Java, and Gibran has shown strong appreciation and willingness to assist,” he added.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of household waste segregation education to reduce waste ending up in rivers.
“Jakarta has already implemented a program requiring residents to sort waste, but education and awareness remain lacking. Rivers are not waste disposal sites,” he said.
Bencheghib noted that Gibran would help secure funding, including finding sponsors from Indonesian companies. “Gibran said he can assist with funding to expand river actions and possibly help secure sponsorship from Indonesian companies,” he added.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Sungai Watch expressed hope for strengthened coordination with regional governments in managing river waste across various areas, including Jakarta.
During the audience, Gibran welcomed Sungai Watch’s initiatives in maintaining river cleanliness and raising public awareness about waste issues, particularly through youth engagement.