Narrator: Scavenging for rusted scrap metal
is one of the only ways widows in Jakarta can make money.
The women search for iron and steel from used ships
in one of the most polluted waters in the world.
Datri is 63 years old,
but she has been the main breadwinner
for her three kids since her husband died.
Narrator: Everything she touches
has poisonous layers of rust.
Narrator: Ship recycling is a multibillion-dollar
global industry, and massive yards across the world
break down everything from cruise liners, cargo vessels,
and oil tankers to naval warships.
But these women make only about $2 a day
selling small pieces.
So why are so many widows stuck scavenging like this?
And what makes it such a risky business?
Every morning, Datri leaves
her 10-month-old granddaughter behind and goes to work.
She has always had a job, even before she got married at 19.
Narrator: But things have been tough
since her husband passed away 13 years ago.
Widows often struggle to find jobs in Indonesia,
because many believe they can bring bad luck.
But the owner of this shipbreaking company
lets widows scavenge for free.
Narrator: The women are only allowed to collect
small pieces like theses.
The larger chunks belong to the ship owners
to sell or reuse.
Narrator: Most of the valuable pieces
are underwater near the ships.
Datri uses a magnetic stick to find the metal.
Narrator: Thirteen rivers empty into Jakarta Bay,
carrying with them sewage, toxins, and all kinds of trash.
Datri's thick gloves and socks don't always protect her.
Once she stepped on a nail that went right through her foot.
Narrator: Welders are constantly sawing off
hot pieces of metal, so she has to be careful.
Narrator: Datri says even though the job is dangerous,
she's still proud of making her own money.
Narrator: Around noon, the women escaped the heat
with a quick lunch break.
There are about 10 million widows like them
across Indonesia, and most live in extreme poverty.
Some turn to sex work to survive.
Others are forced to send their children to work
to make ends meet.
Aminah wanted to avoid that.
So she took this job at the scrapyard 37 years ago.
Narrator: Today, at 61 years old,
she has many health issues, including severe arthritis.
Narrator: And she's afraid she will run out of breath
and drown because she has heart problems.
Narrator: On a really good day,
she collects as much as 200 kilograms
and sells it for almost $3.
With that, she can buy about four cups of rice for dinner.
Her salary isn't enough to pay for her treatments,
but she's too sick to find another job.
Narrator: Nowadays, her children work,
but Aminah still helps with all the bills.
And she'd rather scavenge than go into debt.
Narrator: The widows sell the rusted scraps to Narwin,
a middle man.
Narrator: This is one
of two shipbreaking yards in Jakarta.
It takes 20 workers at least a week
to cut down an entire ship, depending on its size.
Most ships have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years,
after which they're retired.
But they have hazardous materials inside.
Things like asbestos in pipes, heavy metals in paints,
biological hazards from sewage tanks,
radioactive material from gauges, and the list goes on.
Left unchecked, they can seep into the soil,
beach, and water near shipbreaking yards
and destroy local marine habitats.
But there are also many usable parts of a ship,
including metal bars and plates.
Those are recycled
and sometimes used to make new ships or heavy machinery.
Experts say this is a greener alternative
to producing new steel, which uses a lot of energy.
And it also saves the planet from more metal mining.
So while workers like Datri and Aminah play a crucial role
in building a more sustainable industry,
the profits and the praise are not trickling down to them.
Narrator: Both widows live in this colony.
It's one of the poorest areas in Jakarta.
Most of their neighbors also break down ships
at the scrapyard or fish along the coast.
Datri raised her three sons here mostly on her own.
Her husband died when the youngest was just 11,
and she never considered marrying again.
Narrator: Now, her kids are all grown up.
But she shares her home with one of her sons
and helps support his wife and their baby.
Her other kids rely on her, too.
Narrator: Datri says her faith in God
has helped her through the tough times.