Young Woman Turns Elephant Dung into a Conservation and Economic Movement

A conservation initiative was established from a young woman's concern for elephants to create harmonious co-existence between humans and elephants in the Minas region, Siak Regency, Riau. Through the Sahabat Wahana Alam Foundation, Charlotte Annabelle Leono (16 y/o) initiated the use of elephant poo for an environmentally friendly paper product called EcoElephant Paper.

This initiative involves village communities, especially women, during the process of collecting and processing fibres from elephant poo into valuable paper products. This movement not only supports wildlife conservation but also opens up new economic opportunities aligned with efforts to preserve shared living spaces.

This idea started from Charlotte's experience during a visit to an elephant conservation area in Minas. She witnessed how elephant poo waste was cleaned up daily without further processing. Noticing that elephant dung is rich in fibres, Charlotte saw an opportunity for a new approach to conservation and economic empowerment.

"I believe that conservation isn't just about saving animals, but also about how we could provide space for communities to get involved and experience the benefits," said Charlotte Annabelle Leono, Founder of the Sahabat Wahana Alam Foundation.

Through this initiative, village communities, especially women, are involved in the collection, processing, and production of paper made from elephant dung fibre. Charlotte ensures that the process is inclusive, with a training and empowerment model that allows residents to become producers.

"Initially, we didn't believe elephant poo could be valuable. But now, we see that our work can be sold and contribute to conservation efforts. There's a sense of pride," said Dian Lestari, one of the craftspeople now involved in EcoElephant Paper production.

Recognition from the Local Government

This movement has also received attention from the local government. The Minas Jaya Village awarded the program a certificate of appreciation for its contribution to local community empowerment. An award was also received from the Regent of Siak, who deemed the conservation-based creative economy approach a role model for green movements at the regency level.

"This effort demonstrates that animal protection can go hand in hand with community welfare. We express our appreciation for their contribution to the Minas region and Siak Regency," said Siak Regent Afni Zulkifli.

At the conservation level, the Riau Conservation Centre expressed its appreciation for the Foundation's active role in supporting the Sumatran Elephant Rescue program.

Charlotte never positioned herself as the main figure. She stated that this movement was simply the result of the coming together of many hands of villagers, volunteers, to government officials who opened up space for collaboration. "

I only started it. What keeps it alive are the people who believe that caring for animals is not the responsibility of a few, but part of our dignity as human beings," Charlotte said.