Waste is a major problem in big cities, such as Jakarta. The waste problem is caused by many factors, including low public awareness in dealing with waste problems. In addition, the waste management system has not been maximized.
Unfortunately, people – especially children – do not really understand the importance of sorting and managing waste to reduce the volume of waste that is increasingly accumulating. This encouraged lecturers and students from the Biology Department Student Association of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (HMD Biology FMNS UI) to conduct an educational program about waste to children with the theme “Anak Kreatif Kelola Sampah” or Akrelosa. In this community service activity, they held it at Alternative School for Street Children (Sekolah Alternatif Anak Jalanan, SAAJA), Setiabudi, South Jakarta.
A total of 11 people went to the field to conduct the Akrelosa program, which is supported by funding from the Directorate of Student Affairs of the Universitas Jakarta, and assisted by the Pandu Cendekia Foundation. Akrelosa (Anak Kreatif Kelola Sampah) is a community service program run by HMD Biologi FMNS UI. This program is an educational program for children to train their sensitivity to the surrounding environment, especially to the garbage around them. Akrelosa focuses on teaching how to manage and sort waste, as well as instilling an understanding that waste can be turned into something useful, not just thrown away.
In this activity, the HMD Biology FMNS UI community service team delivered material in front of 12 students of SAAJA. They teach about how to sort waste and utilize/manage it, as well as educate about the impact of waste on other living things, such as organisms in river and sea waters.
In addition, educational games were conducted to test the children’s knowledge about the types of waste, as well as the practice of waste management by turning used plastic into useful items. The game consisted of snakes and ladders with a general knowledge quiz on waste to test the children’s knowledge on types of waste, saving marine animals from waste by removing waste from the mouths of sharks to educate on the impact of waste in the ocean, and a quiz on waste segregation. Then make used plastic waste into items that have functional and aesthetic value such as pencil cases and flower decorations.
On the second day, a total of 11 students were invited to visit Gesit Garbage Bank located in Menteng Pulo, Setia Budi District, South Jakarta. The students headed to Gesit Waste Bank using public transportation together with the community service team.
“I think this event organized by UI students is good, because it can add insight to children about waste,” said Kristina Iin Dwiyanti, Principal of SAAJA. He hopes that through the Akrelosa program, the children will be equipped to manage waste and through the training provided they can recycle waste to help their family’s economy.
In addition, it is hoped that the students’ awareness of waste and the surrounding environment will increase, making them more sensitive to the environment around them. They will understand that waste can be processed into something useful.
