BASF Indonesia invites children to explore fun chemistry adventures through Kids’ Lab and the ProtAct17 application

• BASF presents three hybrid chemistry experiments with captivating musical performances, engaging more than 700 children for the first time
• Through the ProtAct17 application, BASF unveils a digital innovation for an enhanced educational chemistry experience

Jakarta, Indonesia – September 13, 2024 – BASF is back with its highly anticipated Kids’ Lab initiative, a fun and educational science program for children. This year, the event spans two days, taking place on September 13 – 14, 2024, and invites students from MI Fatahillah along with SDN 1 Cisalak Pasar (Cimanggis) and MI Thariqul Khair (Cengkareng) to conduct interesting chemical experiments. As an innovative addition to this year’s program, BASF is also hosting an online session that allows the public to join the excitement virtually, incorporating an interactive musical performance that makes the experiments more captivating and easily understandable for children.

Undertaking the theme “Water Wonderland: A Chemistry Adventure,” participants explore the importance of clean water through three engaging experiments from the "Water Loves Chemistry" category. In the first experiment, "Lava Lamp," children discover how oil and water’s differing densities prevent them from mixing and observe how baking soda’s chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide gas to create a captivating lave effect. The second experiment, “Activated Charcoal,” demonstrates the simplest method of water purification using activated charcoal powder and a filter paper that will absorb the dirt from the unclean water. In the final experiment, “Salt Water Density Rainbow Tower,” children mixed colored water with varying amounts of salt to create a mesmerizing rainbow effect, illustrating different liquid densities. These three experiments are carefully designed to teach basic chemistry concepts in a simple and digestible manner.

Dr. Christofer Arisandy, President Director of BASF Indonesia, stated that “Kids' Lab is one of the tangible manifestations of BASF's commitment to creating a sustainable future by supporting science education in Indonesia. Through this annual program, we aim to foster children's curiosity and interest in chemistry from an early age while also demonstrating that science can be enjoyable and accessible."

In addition to the Kids' Lab, BASF has introduced the ProtAct17 app, an interactive educational platform accessible via smartphones, enabling children to engage in virtual experiments from the comfort of their homes. This innovative application was launched by BASF in May 2023 and has already garnered over 8,000 downloads within the first seven months. This application covers eight subtopics related to sustainability, including air, food, water, biodiversity, shopping, waste, transportation, and energy.

With its user-friendly interface, this app aligns with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals and aims to enhance teaching and learning activities both at home and in school. The ProtAct17 app is free to download on the Play Store and App Store. "By combining offline and online activities, we hope to reach even more children across Indonesia and inspire them to become the next generation of innovative scientists in the future," added Dr. Christofer.

Since its establishment in 1997, the Kids’ Lab program has made a remarkable impact, reaching over 1.3 million children across 48 locations globally, including Indonesia since 2005. Additionally, BASF offers a Virtual Lab experience in Indonesian language, accessible at any time and from anywhere through https://virtualkidslab.basf.com/.

About BASF Indonesia

BASF has been investing in Indonesia since 1976. Today, BASF solutions contribute to the success of its customers in Indonesia in nearly all industries, including agriculture, food, home & personal care, automotive, paints and coatings and chemicals. The head office of BASF in Indonesia is located in Jakarta, with production sites in Cengkareng, Cimanggis and Merak – all of which are halal certified. In 2023, BASF posted sales of approximately €495 million to customers in Indonesia and employed 477 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF in Indonesia is available at www.basf.com/id.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €68.9 billion in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.