Around 500,000 people were displaced by the 2018 earthquake that rocked the island of Lombok in Indonesia. It was estimated that 80% of all structures were levelled on the North of the island.

At the time, Flora Christin Butarbutar, then in her early 20s, had taken up surfing on the Island of Bali. Originally from Sumatra, Flora was shaken by the need for help on the neighbouring island of Lombok. She put her budding surfing life aside, and harnessed her social media notoriety as Indonesia's first competitive female longboarder to garner aid for those in need on Lombok. She helped to build around 200 family homes there.

Perhaps because of her late start to watery life, Flora has become a leading light of surfing in Indonesia - and beyond. She hosts Flora Retreats in Bali.

We sat down with Flora in Bali and she talked us through the challenges of growing up in Sumatra, quitting her stable job to travel, finding surfing in her 20s, and her kampung life on Java, where she loves to give her homegrown vegetables to the neighbours.

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Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich

Sound Engineer: Ben Alexander

Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll

Additional music by Dave & Ben

Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast 

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