Siblings Complete Epic 1,205km Run Across Indonesia to Combat Plastic Crisis

In a remarkable feat of endurance and environmental activism, the founding siblings of Sungai Watch have completed a grueling 58-day run spanning 1,205 kilometres from Bali to Java, collecting 26,000 kilograms of plastic waste along the way. The journey underscores the scale of Indonesia's ongoing battle against ocean plastic pollution and marks a turning point for the organisation's expansion beyond Bali.

Gary and Sam Bencheghib, along with their sister Kelly, crossed the finish line at Jakarta's National Monument (Monas) this week, capping off an ambitious fundraising initiative that aims to bring their river-based waste prevention model to Java—an island with a larger population than Russia.

From River Kayaks to River Barriers: A Family Mission

The Bencheghibs' environmental journey began in 2017 when brothers Gary and Sam paddled down the Citarum River—once classified as the world's most polluted waterway—in kayaks constructed from plastic bottles. Though French-born, the siblings grew up in Bali and developed a deep commitment to protecting the island from its mounting waste crisis.

Their initial awareness campaign transformed into concrete action when the pandemic struck. In 2020, Sungai Watch was officially established with a singular focus: installing barriers in rivers to prevent plastic waste from reaching the ocean. The strategy proved effective. To date, the organisation has deployed 368 barriers across Bali and Java, intercepting over 4.5 million kilograms of waste before it could contaminate marine ecosystems.

Growing Operations Meet Growing Challenge

What began as a small initiative has scaled dramatically. Sungai Watch now operates with a 150-member team, maintains nine waste processing and sorting facilities, and has even launched Sungai Design—a furniture company that upcycles collected river plastic into designer pieces, creating a sustainable funding stream for the organisation's core mission.

"Indonesia has a huge waste problem, and whilst international media is covering the problems in Bali, Java is the most densely populated island in the world – it has a bigger population than Russia." — Sam Bencheghib

Despite these achievements, Indonesia remains one of the world's largest contributors to ocean plastic pollution. The gap between current operations and what's needed is staggering, particularly on Java, where rapid urbanisation and inadequate waste management infrastructure have created what Sungai Watch calls a "perfect storm" for environmental degradation.

Why This Run Matters Beyond the Headlines

The Run for Rivers initiative serves dual purposes. Practically, it functions as a major fundraising campaign to finance Sungai Watch's expansion into Java's river systems. Symbolically, it demonstrates the scale of the problem: collecting 26,000 kilograms of waste across a single running route highlights how pervasive plastic pollution has become across Indonesia's landscape.

For Bali Island News readers, the completion of this run signals a critical moment in Indonesia's environmental movement. Rather than remaining focused solely on the tourism hub of Bali, local environmental organisations are now tackling the larger crisis on Java—where population density and industrial activity create vastly greater waste challenges.

This article was originally published by NOW! Bali