Winning kampung leads with green thumbs

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 12/06/2008 11:40 AM 

 

 JP/J. Adiguna

 

A multitude of plants fill the garden of a community unit's (RW) office in Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta. At the main entrance, small, unique chandelier ornaments made out of straws and other plastics greet the guest. 

Inside, around 20 women, who form community unit 07's participating group in the Family Welfare Program (PKK), held a meeting here recently to discuss health and environmental issues in their neighborhood. 

"These are not ordinary plants. All of them have medicinal qualities and can be used to treat cold, fever, sexual enhancement and even cancer," group member Endong Baso Ali said. 

The residents grow the herbs using home-made compost. They learned how to make compost through the Jakarta Green and Clean (JGC) 2008 program. Before this, the residents had to buy commercial compost. 

In RW 07, which is comprised of several neighborhood units (RT), most of the houses have three separate waste buckets: one for inorganic waste such as plastic, one for metal waste and one for organic waste. 

"Each household produces its own compost for growing the plants by putting their food leftovers in an organic waste bucket each day," Utiek, another PKK member, said. 

After being collected at the home level, the inorganic waste is deposited at "trash banks", available at each RT. The PKK members then reuse the waste to make crafts such as bags, wallets, umbrellas and ornaments that are then sold at exhibitions. 

"We learned the skills from the JGC program, which not only contributes to a cleaner environment, but opens up new jobs and income opportunities through the plastic waste recycling business," Utiek said. 

The RW 07 PKK members' hard work has earned them the "Jakarta Clean and Green Award", worth Rp 20 million (US$1,666), which was presented by Governor Fauzi Bowo at the JGC 2008 parade, held at the Hotel Indonesia circle last week. They topped the shortlist of 300 RWs from Jakarta's five municipalities, despite the fact that this was the first year they participated in the annual competition, now in its third year. 

Toiletries producer PT Unilever Indonesia initiated the JGC program with the support of the Republika daily newspaper, radio station Delta FM and NGO Aksi Cepat Tanggap, in collaboration with the city Environment Management Board (BPLHD). The program is part of Unilever's corporate social responsibility platform, designed to help communities find a solution to environmental issues the proper management of organic and inorganic waste. 

According to Utiek and the PKK members, the program is a win-win situation for both the community and Unilever. 

"We handle their waste and get some money, and they have their waste problems solved," Utiek said. 

However, Marwati, from RW 02 in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, which won fourth place, said that Unilever did not pay as much attention to her plastic crafts business compared to one of her peers in the neighborhood. 

"In this RW, we have three plastic waste processing centers. Only one center received a free sewing machine from Unilever. They also received help on the marketing and distribution of their products," she said. 

Marwati said Unilever told her they would only provide extra help on plastic processing centers that could deliver products that met the "required quality standard". 

"I don't think that is the right attitude. Each of us received the same training, tools and materials at the beginning of the program. The final products don't have a significant difference in terms of quality," she said. 

"But I am still very pleased with the JGC program. It helps a lot in transforming this neighborhood from what used to be dry and dusty into greener and cleaner," she added. (hdt)

Related Article:

Building up people’s skills, cutting down their waste