HEAVY rain in early July in the Masewo village, Central Sulawesi, caused the Wintunga River running near the village to overflow. The water carried leaves, branches, and even tree trunks from the river’s upstream aera, causing the turbines of the village’s micro hydro power plant (PLTMH) to stop turning. The village turned dark.

At early dawn the next day, three 20-year-old men came to clean the turbines from the various trash. It to