(Waste land) CHAPTER 1: The landfill midwife

Jakarta, Indonesia 2017-2018

Mak Muji, 56 years-old, is a trash picker living in Cikiting Udik, the biggest of the three villages of trash pickers arose surrounding and inside Bantar Gebang, Jakarta’s landfill.
Bantar Gebang is the largest Indonesian dumpsite over 110 hectares, opened in 1989 and receiving daily 7,000 tons of unsorted solid waste from the capital city (included hazardous waste). As the trash is being piled up to 80 meters high, severe environmental problems such as air and groundwater pollution spread all around the site.

Mak Muji is also the only midwife for the roughly 18,000 landfill villagers. She is highly respected and loved by the whole community. Since she moved in the trash pickers’ community, 13 years ago, she has been helping hundreds of mothers giving birth, among garbage. Her invaluable aid is the only free health care that these poor people can have access to.

The photo of Mak Muji on top of Bantar Gebang waste heap has been awarded the overall prize Earth Photo 2019 by the Royal Geographical Society in London, June 2019.
Mak Muji, 56 years old, is bathing Aska Raffasya, the newborn baby of Suherman and Mariati, in front of their shack among recycled garbage bags. The parents work as trash pickers, like Mak Muji, and live in the same village, Ciketing Udik, the biggest one among the three settlements of poor people arose inside Jakarta's landfill area. Mak Muji is also the only midwife, inside the community of trash pickers, who helps the pregnant women giving birth, for free. Bekasi, Java, Indonesia, 19th November 2017.