Some forms of leadership are not loud. They are shaped quietly through listening, through care, and through a commitment to nurture what will outlast us. In this edition of Unfold, Bentala sit with Kania Manasa, Executive Director of the Green School Foundation, whose work bridges education, sustainability, and community across Indonesia.

Kania Manasa is the Executive Director of the Green School Foundation, working to bring sustainability education to youth across Indonesia. Through community, education, and partnership, she believes real change begins with connection. Kania shares a journey rooted in purpose — one shaped by people, place, and the belief that change begins when we choose to listen.

 

The Beginning – Roots & Vision

Can you share a bit about your background and the early experiences that shaped your sense of purpose and connection to sustainability/community work?

Being far away from Bali and living thousands of miles from where I grew up as a child really taught me that feeling home isn't necessarily being in a certain geographical location, but it's the sense of connection that you find meeting others who are also going through the same. 

How has your cultural or personal upbringing influenced the way you understand impact and leadership today?

 A lot of the methods and the way that I connect and lead in certain situations really come from the way I grew up. And being in a world where everyone is really different, have different cultures and different upbringings and traditions, you really have to learn to listen. So, my mother has always taught me this saying that there is a reason we have two ears and one mouth, that we should listen more and talk less. 

“Home isn't necessarily being in a certain geographical location, but it's the sense of connection that you find meeting others who are also going through the same.”

 

Between purpose & Impact

What principles guide you when you collaborate with different groups or stakeholders in your work?

 Especially in my work with the Green School Foundation. We are a charity organization that focus on bringing sustainability education to as many youths in Indonesia as possible. So, we work with a lot of different industries to make this happen. We work with schools. We work with the government. We also work with our partners who are corporations and people from different industries.

And the one thing that I always put as a priority when we start these conversations is: One, having a clarity of intention; and two, having a shared mission and purpose. 

Without that, you know it will be very difficult to achieve such a big goal. Sustainability is not just about sharing ideas — it’s about understanding where people are coming from. Without clarity and alignment, impact becomes a challenge. So, we always look for partnerships that share the same purpose: to create something positive together.

 

Internal Compass of Hope

In moments of doubt or fatigue, what helps you reconnect with hope and clarity?

I try to remember the little moments, you know, the little moments that give me hope, which are when I see, let's say, a student or someone uh starting a new initiative, when I see an in innovation that one of the kids create an innovation where you think, “Wow.” Those moments give me hope. 

I encounter many people through my work, and when I remember their stories, that’s when my hope is re-energized.

Is there a personal memory or moment of impact that reminds you why this path matters to you?

One moment I return to often is when I met one of our first scholars, a young farmer from the rice paddies of Tegalalang. I visited his home and met his parents and siblings, standing barefoot on the soil they’ve tended for generations.

His father told me that more than anything, he wants each of his children to know how to farm, because he feels that one day Bali will need them.

That encounter reminded me that regeneration isn’t abstract. It lives in families, in traditions, and in people who are quietly protecting what they love.

“Regeneration isn’t abstract. It lives in families, in traditions, and in people who are quietly protecting what they love.”

 

Rooted in Regeneration

 What rituals or habits help you stay grounded and aligned with your purpose?

These days, I’m really focused on wellness, especially physical wellness. I spend a lot of time exercising and working out, but I’ve also realized that what matters even more is the mind — how you perceive your problems, how you move through your day, and how you think about becoming a better person.

That grounding really comes from the small moments I have when I go home to my children. I’m a mom of two boys, and spending time with them, doing simple things together, reminds me of what truly matters in life and helps me stay aligned with my purpose.

Is there a place, element, or even scent that makes you feel at home — something that reconnects you to who you are and why you do what you do?

You know, I love this smell of incense. I love the smell of the dupa. There's something in it that because it's created from natural materials and natural things, it really brings me back to home. And the smell of nature, the smell of rain, and just the smell of the earth. I think I'm very grateful that I'm surrounded by this every day because it really does smell like home.

 

A Message Forward

What does being considered an inspiration mean to you personally?

Be an inspiration is to be your most authentic self. Showing up anywhere, showing up everywhere in a room, being who you truly are.

What kind of legacy would you hope to leave for the next generation, in Bali or beyond?

I hope to leave a legacy of empowerment, that I helped nurture people who feel confident to question, to imagine, and to care deeply.

 If even a few individuals feel more connected to themselves, their communities, and the planet because of something I contributed, that would be enough.

If your impact could be expressed as a fragrance — a scent that carries your essence — what would it evoke?

It would be something floral. Bali is known for its flowers, and mine would be Gardenia — or bunga Jempiring. It has a unique scent that stays with you throughout the day. I imagine something with Gardenia, and a slight touch of something earthy to ground it. Maybe we can make one together!

“Be an inspiration is to be your most authentic self. Showing up anywhere, showing up everywhere in a room, being who you truly are.”

 

Unfolding What We Leave Behind

Kania’s journey reminds us that true impact is cultivated slowly — through listening, nurturing, and honoring the spaces between people, land, and future generations. In every story she carries, from classrooms to rice fields, regeneration is not an idea, but a living practice.

At Bentala, we believe that fragrance, like purpose, is a quiet language. One that lingers, grounds, and inspires long after the moment has passed.

Join Bentala’s Unfold campaign and share your story of growth, change, and becoming.

See more of Unfold Stories here