Heroes of the Haze

Bayu Gawtama's home in Bogor, West Java, is far removed from the smoke caused by the forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The 41-year-old man should have been able to go about his normal daily activities as an elementary school teacher and vendor of basic goods.

However, the father of four felt bothered by reports of the raging fires laying waste to millions of hectares of peatland and forest, spreading haze to cities and even to neighboring countries. Millions of people were forced to breathe polluted air for months. Children were unable to go to school. "People were berating the government. But I asked myself: What have I done to make it better?" Bayu told Tempo.