Kang Deny and the Struggle in the City's Drains

Deny Kurniawan (49) dives into the muddy drains of Bintara, Bekasi, West Java. The pungent smell, thick black water, and piles of garbage are his daily work environment. This job, which many people avoid, is what Kang Deny does to ensure his family survives. For him, work is not about prestige, but about the responsibility of a father to ensure that his children and wife do not lack anything.

Deny’s life has never been easy. The man from Bogor moved to Bekasi in 2010 after being laid off from the manufacturing company where he worked. He tried various odd jobs, including becoming a rickshaw driver. However, his income continued to decline since the emergence of online motorcycle taxis in 2018, and it worsened when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. Many of his elderly customers died, and the streets suddenly became deserted. In this difficult situation, Deny began working as a drain and sewer cleaner—a risky job that few people pay attention to.

Every day he has to deal with thick mud, stuffy air, hazardous waste, broken glass, and threats from venomous animals such as snakes and lizards. Without special training, he learned on his own, including finding ways to protect his body from itching by smearing oil and used oil on his skin before going into the drain. He experienced bitter experiences such as skin infections, athlete’s foot, and wounds caused by sharp objects in the early days of working. Even though it was difficult, Deny persevered because his life experience since childhood made him understand the hardships of making a living. He even had to work while in school to finance his own education.

Behind his hard work, Deny is known as someone who cares about the environment and the local community. He often reminds people not to throw garbage indiscriminately into the drains because it is the main cause of flooding and clogged sewers. Residents also often call him in various emergency situations, from cleaning drainage to helping with the burial of corpses during the pandemic, so he is nicknamed the ‘environmental rapid response unit’. Now, at his age, Deny just wants to live peacefully and ensure that his family is taken care of. For him, gratitude is the main strength to continue surviving in the face of a harsh life.

Deny Kurniawan (49) while removing garbage from the drain.

Deny enters a 1.5-meter sewer.

Deny shows styrofoam waste that has settled in the mud.

In carrying out his duties, he is often assisted by cleaning officers in the neighborhood.

Deny’s face is covered in drain mud, which is why he is often nicknamed ‘the Drain Man’.

When working, Deny wears boat shoes to avoid broken glass and skewers.

Deny rests after diving into the thick mud of the drain.

After bathing in the mud, he rinses his entire body with clean water.

The silhouette of Deny Kurniawan with muddy drain water.

Deny lies down for a moment; it takes extra effort to push the mud and garbage that is stuck in the drain.

In addition to being ‘the Drain Man’, Deny also works as an employee at a store, where he delivers orders to people’s homes.

Deny is also known as someone who is always ready to help when residents need assistance.

Whatever it takes, he does it to support his children and wife; as a result, his eldest child has successfully completed his education up to the Bachelor’s degree.