LocationsInterviewee: Mr. I Putu Suta Wijaya (Suta), head of Disaster Risk Reduction Forum Bali (FPRB Bali)
Champions of change: From volunteer to builder of community resilience
November 4, 2025
Mr. I Putu Suta Wijaya (Suta) at the Amazing Tsunami Race under the regional Tsunami Project
This interview was conducted in September 2025 by UNDP as part of the regional Tsunami Project, supported by the Government of Japan.
A Journey Rooted in Service
For I Putu Suta Wijaya, or Suta, disaster management is a calling. His journey started in 2001 as a young volunteer with the Indonesian Red Cross, where he discovered the joy of helping others.
“I feel happy when I can be useful to others,” he recalls
From responding to the Bali bombings in 2002, to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, and disasters across Southeast Asia, Suta’s early years were filled with hardship, compassion, and learning. These experiences taught him one truth: disaster risk reduction is not only about emergency response, it is about humanity.
Building Bali’s Resilience from the Ground Up
In 2011, Suta joined the newly formed Disaster Risk Reduction Forum of Bali Province (FPRB Bali) as Vice Secretary. At that time, coordination among disaster management actors was minimal, and FPRB was established to unite them.
During the 2017 Mount Agung eruption in Bali, Suta saw firsthand how coordination gaps affected response efforts. He then led the creation of a volunteer management forum, which later supported Bali’s COVID-19 response, cleaning quarantine centers, screening travelers, and working long nights to protect communities.
“Often we work from night to morning, but our hearts remain light,” he says.
A Forum Built on Integrity and Heart
When Suta returned to FPRB Bali in 2023 as Head, his first mission was to give the Forum a stronger footing. Under his leadership, FPRB was officially recognised by a Governor’s Decree - yet remains proudly independent. Among its many initiatives are partnerships with universities that have supported disaster risk assessments in eight institutions, with more underway.
Changing Mindsets, One Community at a Time
One of Suta’s greatest challenges is encouraging pre-disaster preparedness. “People are often afraid when we talk about disasters, thinking we are praying for disasters to come,” he says with a faint smile. Many schools considered disaster preparedness as a side activity, not a necessity.
Undeterred, Suta supports safe-school programmes and mentors villages to strengthen their preparedness, emphasising local wisdom, community participation, and shared responsibility.
He believes that true resilience begins when communities take ownership. For Suta, “If the community is resilient, FPRB is no longer needed,” reflects the idea – a future where communities are able to protect themselves.
Through his involvement with the UNDP and Government of Japan’s regional Tsunami Project, Suta has seen real impacts. Villages like Tanjung Benoa and Serangan in Bali have become examples of how schools, communities, local communities, and businesses can work hand in hand to build resilience. The Tsunami Project served as the seed that inspired him to continue engaging more schools and communities beyond the project’s scope. Suta hopes to build on the progress made through the Project to reach more villages that were not yet involved and remain unprepared, ensuring the spirit of resilience building efforts continues to grow.
A Vision for Regeneration
Suta dreams of a Bali where communities can act proactively. His greatest pride comes not from recognition, but from seeing villages he mentored respond independently when disaster strikes.
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