At Bumiterra, we’ve always believed that reforestation goes beyond planting trees. It’s about restoring balance — between forests, wildlife, and the communities who have long called these landscapes home. Healthy forests need to also sustain clean water systems, protect biodiversity, and support livelihoods.

In West Kalimantan, that belief has taken root in Desa Rumbih, where our restoration efforts have been growing over the past few years. But alongside the forest, there is another ecosystem that deserves just as much care: education.

A School That Never Stopped Showing Up

SDN 24 Rumbih has been a cornerstone of learning in the area since 1993. Located in Silat Hilir, Kapuas Hulu, the school serves 54 students and is supported by 7 dedicated teachers. But despite its role in shaping generations, the school has never undergone any renovation since it was originally built.

Most of the buildings are still made of aging wood, walls patched together with leftover boards, ceilings with visible gaps, and furniture that has long passed its intended lifespan. Many desks and chairs are chipped, unstable, and no longer suitable for a comfortable learning environment.

And yet, every single day, classes continue.

There’s an admirable resilience in SDN 24 Rumbih. A reminder that while infrastructure may falter, the spirit to learn does not.

Turning Waste Into a Place to Learn

Through Sekolah Bumiterra, our education-focused initiative, we aim to improve access to quality learning environments for communities surrounding our restoration sites to nurture the next generation of forest stewards. Communities living closest to restoration landscapes are not only beneficiaries of environmental efforts, but perhaps more importantly, are essential to the long-term success of such projects.

By integrating climate education into local learning environments, we hope to reshape how youths understand and relate to the forests around them, not as distant resources, but as living systems they are deeply connected to and responsible for protecting.

Our first step in SDN 24 Rumbih was simple but intentional: replacing the school’s classroom furniture to create a more supportive space for that learning to grow.

In collaboration with Wastgood and supported by Toko Kopi TUKU, we transformed recycled plastic into durable boards, giving new life to waste materials while reducing environmental impact. These boards were then paired with iron frames crafted by a local contractor in Sintang, ensuring the final products were not only sustainable, but built to last.

This collaboration represents a large system of circularity and working together. From the first waste management to local sustainable craftsmanship all the way until corporate support, each piece plays a role in creating this tangible impact.

A Small Delivery, A Big Shift

By October 2025, the new tables and chairs arrived at SDN 24 Rumbih.

What followed wasn’t just installation but also participation. Students and teachers came together to assemble the furniture themselves, turning the moment into something shared and meaningful. Today, those classrooms feel more stable, more comfortable, and more ready to support the learning experience these students deserve.

Just the Beginning

This initiative marks Phase 1 of a broader mission to fully renovate SDN 24 Rumbih.

Because this is not only about improving a school infrastructure but also about creating an environment where climate awareness can take root early, and where future generations can grow up with a deeper sense of connection to the forests that sustain them.

Reforestation, at its core, is about long-term commitment. And so is this.

Together with partners, just like Toko Kopi TUKU, we’re not only restoring forests but we’re also helping build stronger foundations for the communities within them.

If you’d like to be part of the next phase of this journey, you can support the ongoing renovation efforts through KitaBisa.

Because the future of our forests depends on those who learn to care for them today.