Stories of women’s empowerment and their active involvement in mangrove ecosystem conservation by the Women Mangrove Warriors in the coastal area of North Minahasa District, North Sulawesi, were well received during discussions at Women Deliver 2026 in Melbourne, Australia (27-30/04).

Wisye Sahambangung, representing the Women Mangrove Warriors from Sarawet Village, North Minahasa, supported by CARE Indonesia and Yayasan Bumi Tangguh, with funding from the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) and Ford Foundation, shared insights and positive impacts of women-led mangrove conservation efforts at the side event “Guardians of the Coast: Women Leading Climate Justice” (28/04).

Through her presentation and talk show session, Wisye highlighted the positive changes experienced by herself and other women through collaborative efforts in economic empowerment, strengthening gender equality, and promoting women’s active participation in mangrove restoration, from seedling cultivation and planting to monitoring. These experiences were shared with approximately 40 Women Deliver delegates from various countries, including journalists and colleagues from other CARE confederation members.