Humans of Partners for Water: meet Falahy Mohamad

In the Humans of Partners for Water series, we showcase the people who are involved in our projects. The series sheds light on the stories of people who work with and for Partners for Water and how water affects their lives. Discover how Falahy Mohamad’s passion for sustainable batik is motivating him to protect Indonesia’s waterways for future generations.

Meet Falahy Mohamad

Falahy Mohamad is a sustainable batik artist from Indonesia. Through his craft, he is reimagining how one of Indonesia’s most beloved cultural traditions can be practised with care for the environment and for future generations.

Every drop counts

Batik production depends heavily on water and in some cities, the consequences of untreated wastewater are visible in rivers that run black for months at a time. For Falahy, this reality is personal. Witnessing the steady decline of groundwater levels and seeing floodwaters creep into urban streets has heightened his sense of responsibility, both as a craftsman and as a citizen.

“The water we use every day feels very different when you see the significant decline in groundwater and witness tidal flooding in corners of the city. It raises concerns about what the next five or ten years will look like. That drives me to be much wiser in how I use water and more responsible – so that we do not pass this crisis on to the next generation.”

Dutch-Indonesian water cooperation

Indonesia is one of seven delta countries in the Partners for Water programme 2022–2027. With support from Partners for Water, Dutch and Indonesian partners are testing community-led wastewater treatment solutions for the batik sector through the Green Batik Pekalongan pilot – turning rivers from black to clear and helping an age-old craft find a sustainable future. Read more about the project here.