Learning Together, Growing Together: CTC Alumni Reconnect Across Indonesia

Over five days from August 10 to 14, 2026, a group of CTC’s training alumni who have joined its capacity building programs over the years gathered in Bali to reconnect, exchange experiences, and explore how lessons from their training continue to shape their work. Coming from 11 provinces, from Aceh to South Papua, the participants represented government agencies, fisheries extension services, local communities, NGOs, and academia.

The 26 participants represented alumni of CTC capacity building programs delivered between 2019 and 2026. Their experiences show how learning has been carried forward across different regions, institutions, and areas of work long after a training program ends. The gathering brought learning out of the classroom and into the field. Alumni took part in discussions and presentations on sustainable fisheries, OECMs, and coral reef restoration, while field visits gave participants the chance to see CTC’s conservation work in practice.

The alumni explored interactive exhibitions and demonstrations that connected broader marine conservation issues at CTC’s Center for Marine Conservation while they learned hands-on experience at the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area. In Nusa Penida, they visited a coral restoration site and snorkeled over the restored reef, seeing the results of restoration efforts firsthand.In Nusa Lembongan, they visited a mangrove forest and learned about the importance of mangrove ecosystems as part of the wider coastal environment.

CTC’s Training and Learning Manager Silvianita Timotius, noted that the regular alumni gathering is intended to strengthen connections among practitioners while also creating opportunities for future collaboration. “The impact we can see is that the alumni are getting to know one another and, hopefully, through exchanging information, new opportunities for collaboration will emerge. We invited participants from government, communities, and NGOs, so hopefully they can collaborate in supporting conservation areas and other forms of marine resource management,” she said.

Civil Servant at the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Department of Lampung Province Cici Anggara, who works with communities and helps address conflicts in conservation areas, said one of the most valuable lessons from CTC’s Organization Management and Leadership training was learning to listen.

“By listening, we can make fair decisions when dealing with issues in the community,” he explained. “Many people are good at speaking in public, but not many are able to listen well. This has been very useful in the marine management areas that I support.”

For the Staff of the Agency of Social Affairs, Population Control, and Family Planning Semarang, Ismail, whose work focuses on women’s empowerment, the gathering offered a chance to learn from practitioners working in different parts of Indonesia.. He particularly remembered a story of a practitioner who worked with fishermen to replace a traditional practice that was damaging coral reefs with a safer alternative. The experience showed him how local practices can be adapted to better support environmental conservation.

Ismail also found direct relevance between his CTC training and his work supporting women’s economic empowerment in Rembang. Through the Business Model Canvas training, he gained a practical tool for helping communities understand the importance of planning a business from the beginning.

“It connected directly with what we are doing in Rembang on women’s economic empowerment. It helps people understand that a business needs to be planned from the beginning, and this has been very useful for the women we work with,” he said.

The combination of classroom sessions, presentations, peer exchanges, and field experiences allowed alumni to approach conservation from different perspectives. While the discussions provided space to share knowledge and experiences, visits to the CTC Center for Marine Conservation, the coral restoration site in Nusa Penida, and the mangrove forest in Nusa Lembongan gave participants opportunities to observe conservation efforts and ecosystems directly. These experiences also helped alumni connect what they were learning with the realities of coastal management in different parts of Indonesia.

By bringing together practitioners from across Indonesia, the CTC Capacity Building Alumni Gathering 2026 created a space not only to reflect on what they have learned, but to share how that knowledge is being used in the field. The gathering also strengthened connections among practitioners from across Indonesia, creating opportunities for continued action in supporting marine conservation, sustainable fisheries, and resilient coastal communities.

Writer: Asia Salsabilla
Photos: Asia Salsabilla/CTC