Humans of Partners for Water: Irene Purman Cahyani

With the Human series, we showcase the people who are involved in and benefit from the Partners for Water projects. The Human series sheds light on the stories of the people with whom and for whom Partners for Water works, and on how water affects their lives. Discover below how water influences the life of Irene Purman Cahyani, whose lifelong struggle with water scarcity has fuelled her dedication to water conservation.

Dutch-Indonesian Water Cooperation

For over fifty years, the Netherlands has been a crucial partner to Indonesia in water management, solidified by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) since June 2007. The latest MoU, covering 2022-2026, aims to elevate cooperation to a more strategic level, involving government authorities, public and private sectors, and NGOs from both nations.

Indonesia is one of the seven delta countries engaged in the Partners for Water programme for 2022-2027. Urban water security in parts of Indonesia is compromised by low access to piped water and pollution. Agriculture and poor sanitation further degrade water quality. Java, housing over half the population, faces severe water scarcity, projected to worsen by 2040. Over-exploitation of aquifers leads to subsidence and increased flood risks, especially in Jakarta. Coastal cities are also threatened by exacerbated droughts, fires, and sea level rise caused by climate change.

The collaboration with Partners for Water advocates for sustainable and integrated water management through long-term partnerships, utilizing experiences from previous programmes. Partners for Water leverages its extensive network, knowledge, and funding to address water security challenges in partner countries. By integrating Dutch and local expertise in sustainable, inclusive, and innovative water management from the early planning stages, the programme aims to foster cooperation among government entities, the private sector, NGOs, young professionals, and knowledge institutions.

The programme’s priorities include lowland development and irrigation, integrated water management, and the development of capacity, knowledge exchange, and youth engagement.

Irene Purman Cahyani: A life shaped by water scarcity

Irene Purman Cahyani, Programme Manager at AidEnvironment—a nonprofit organisation dedicated to sustainability research, strategy, and implementation—grew up in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), a province in Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands. Despite being surrounded by water from the Indian Ocean to the Flores Sea, daily access to water was scarce.

“During my childhood, my father and I had to carry water. That’s how I really came to appreciate it. Thanks to the 3R approach, I am confident that we will have water for the next years”.

The 3R approach—Retain, Recharge, Reuse—is a low-cost, sustainable method that can be easily implemented by local communities using local materials. Cahyani, with nearly 20 years of experience, has provided technical assistance to climate resilience projects, collaborating with government departments, including the Indonesian Ministry of Environment & Forestry, National Development Planning Agency, Regional Disaster Management Agency, and the Watershed Forum. She stresses the importance of collaborating closely with other NGOs and various stakeholders. She leads focus group discussions, conducts research, and implements water conservation projects. Discover more about her ‘why’ in the Humans of Partners for Water video below.