Kezia T.

Kezia grew up in Amahusu, a village located in Ambon, Maluku. She realized that the beaches in her community were heavily polluted, depriving the locals of the opportunity to enjoy and interact with the nature. At the age of 14, Kezia and her friends established the Lebebae Community, named after the local pronounciation of “lebih baik” which means “better” in English. They initiated regular clean-up efforts and recycling activities, donated secondhand goods to orphanages, planted corals, organized leadership camps, and conducted awareness programs on environmental conservation in local schools. The parents of Lebebae members have been incredibly supportive, providing food and transportation for their activities. To date, the Lebebae community has grown to 70 members and partnered with the Bank of the Republic of Indonesia which provided trash bins to prevent littering in the village. Additionally, they have planted approximately 1000 trees in the surrounding area. Lebebae members diligently monitor their growth every 2-4 months.

Kezia recognized the significance of Lebebae community's activities as a way to express love towards others. She believed that peer-to-peer socialization plays a crucial role in empowering individuals to become changemakers. By creating more opportunities for people to come together, they could engage in meaningful discussions about important issues and participated in enjoyable and impactful activities as a group.