Breaking Water with Inda Intiar

Swim Drink Fish is highlighting members of our incredible ecosystem. This Breaking Water segment features Inda Intiar. Inda tells us about her role at SOI, her connection to water, and how to get involved in protecting the planet!

Can you please introduce yourself and tell us where you work/what you do?

My name is Inda Intiar, and I’m an outreach and communications coordinator for the SOI Foundation’s Blue Futures Pathways program. This program connects 14-30 year-olds in Canada to learning resources, training, funding, mentorship, and employment in the Sustainable Blue Economy. I’m currently living on the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq, in a city colonially known as Moncton, New Brunswick.

Where did you grow up? Did you have a relationship with water there?

I was born in Indonesia, the country with the second longest coastline in the world, but spent many years growing up across various countries in western, central and southeast Asia before moving to Canada for university.

My relationship with water hasn’t always been this friendly. Growing up, water was often a source of fear. As a kid in Jakarta, Indonesia, we were warned not to hang around still water in ponds, wells, etc., because it could harbour mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus, which could be deadly. (I did get dengue fever once, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone!)

The rivers could wash you away, I was taught, and the ocean could bring tragedy. I remember watching non-stop news coverage of mass death and destruction from the Tsunami of 2004 that heavily impacted parts of Indonesia and other countries.

But over time, more exposure to rivers, waterfalls and the ocean has given me a new perspective. A lot of this is thanks to the experience I had on the Canada C3 expedition with the SOI Foundation. I’ve since gone swimming in the ocean in Bali, Indonesia, and I’ve even taken dips in the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada in the winter!

Why is it important to engage youth in the Sustainable Blue Economy?

Humans rely on water for nutrition, livelihoods, leisure, as well as spiritual and cultural needs. We can’t just recklessly take from the ocean and other water bodies around us, without thinking of the generations after us. We have to make sure economic activities related to the ocean and water are environmentally sustainable and socially equitable. But we need everyone to take part, including young people. I think young people are well-positioned to lead in the shaping of this Sustainable Blue Economy and to take up the various career opportunities within it.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to get involved and help protect the planet but doesn’t know where to start?

I would encourage people to look in their communities for opportunities and spaces where they can learn, volunteer, collaborate, and exchange ideas. Perhaps there are organizations, movements or groups in your community that need support that are already doing great work when it comes to protecting the ocean and water bodies around you. For example, if you’re in Moncton, you might want to look at getting involved with the Petitcodiac Riverkeeper.

There are also national and international resources online that you can tap into. For example, you can learn more about the Sustainable Blue Economy in Canada by visiting the Blue Futures Pathways PORT (Portal for Opportunities, Resources and Talent). You can also connect with networks like Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) Canada and Sustainable Ocean Alliance.

Do you have anything else that you’d like to share about your work, your connection to water, or how we can encourage people to join the movement for a swimmable, drinkable, fishable future?

Something that’s been really important for me is to remember that all water is connected - the rain, the lakes, the streams, the rivers, the ice, the ocean, the water in our bodies. We are connected by water too, even if we live in urban areas far from the coast. It takes all of us contributing our skills and strengths to shape a future with a healthier planet.

and sign up to the Blue Futures Pathways newsletter to keep posted!

Interested in learning more about Inda and SOI?

Stay up-to-date with SOI Foundation’s programming by following us on social media (@studentsonice). You can also connect with me on LinkedIn. Always happy to chat over some ginger tea :)