Nine women in Sarawet turned mangrove seedlings into a village income

In Sarawet, North Sulawesi, nine women are treating mangrove mud as both a forest and a paycheck. Mongabay reported on October 17, 2026, that Wisye Sahambangung, a 45-year-old fisher, has led the group Rhizopora since 2022. CARE Indonesia and Yayasan Bumi Tangguh helped choose the members. An eight-month project with those groups in 2026 put 30,000 mangrove seedlings in the ground.

The women sell seedlings for 2,000 rupiah, about 11 US cents, and a stake for another 500 rupiah. Mud crabs from the restored roots have brought about 350,000 rupiah a kilogram, roughly $19, with some of the catch moving through Manado toward Singapore. Fishers told Mongabay there are more fish. A savings-and-loan circle is running. One single mother used her share to buy a house and start a cake business. Soap made from mangrove materials is still in registration and is not on the market. Sahambangung spoke at Women Deliver 2026 in Melbourne, her first time on an airplane. The fisheries office has mentored the group without funding it, so the women built their own secretariat. Early on, neighbors were skeptical. The plants, and the crabs, are the part that has changed the shore.