Balikpapan – PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) recently held the Read-Aloud Mahakam River Dolphin Conservation Roadshow and Environmental Campaign from November 19–26, 2024, across seven remote schools in the Mahakam Delta. This initiative is part of the Mahakam River Dolphin Comic CSR Program, an educational and conservation effort to raise public awareness about the importance of protecting the Mahakam River Dolphin/Pesut Mahakam, a unique freshwater mammal native to the Mahakam Delta.

The campaign engaged over 350 students from various schools, including SDN 011 Kota Bangun Desa Pela (Kota Bangun Subdistrict), SDN 014 Anggana Desa Tani Baru, SDN 017 Anggana Desa Tanjung Berukang, SDN 015 Anggana Desa Muara Pantuan, SDN 016 Anggana Desa Sepatin, SD Muara Pegah Kelurahan Muara Kembang, and SDN 017 Muara Jawa.

Through the Mahakam River Dolphin Comic/Komik Pesut Mahakam Program, PHM actively contributes to environmental preservation by implementing various measures, such as providing acoustic pingers to fishermen to protect dolphins from net entanglement, testing water quality in dolphin habitats, monitoring dolphin populations, and supporting conservation-based tourism in Desa Pela. The Read-Aloud Roadshow is an interactive educational approach that engages the younger generation in understanding the importance of ecosystem preservation in an enjoyable way.

Frans Alexander A. Hukom, Head of Communication Relations & CID Zona 8, emphasized that this activity reflects PHM’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) aligned with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. “Through the Read-Aloud Mahakam River Dolphin/Pesut Mahakam Conservation Roadshow and Environmental Campaign, we aim to educate the public, especially the younger generation, about the importance of conserving the Mahakam River Dolphin/Pesut Mahakam and protecting the environment. Our goal is to create a fun and educational experience for children,” said Frans.

The roadshow began with a puppet show telling the story of the Mahakam River Dolphin/Pesut Mahakam, followed by coloring competitions and interactive games designed to educate and entertain. As a finale, participants received interactive storybooks that illustrated the adventures of the Mahakam River Dolphin/Pesut Mahakam as it faced challenges, including threats from river waste and fishing nets, two major causes of death for this rare aquatic mammal.

Through this campaign, PHM hopes to inspire students and the community to maintain river cleanliness and actively preserve the Mahakam Delta ecosystem. This program fosters environmental awareness from an early age and exemplifies the successful collaboration between education, conservation, and social responsibility.

PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) is a subsidiary of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI), responsible for managing upstream oil and gas operations and business activities by Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in the Mahakam Working Area, East Kalimantan. In collaboration with SKK Migas, PHM and PHI’s other subsidiaries and affiliates continue to innovate and apply technologies to produce safe, efficient, reliable, compliant, and environmentally friendly energy to realize #EnergiKalimantanUntukIndonesia. For more information, visit https://phi.pertamina.com.