IPB Students’ Creation Invites Muara Angke Children to Take Care of Their Environment
The problem with waste hasn't yet to see its end, for example the one in Muara Angke coasts. This issue has to be taken care, keeping in mind that Jakarta is one of the city that is often struck with flood. The waste problem in Muara Angke, specificially in Pluit village, allegedly is caused by locals who commute by passing that area. This happens because there is a lack of garbage dumps so that people throw their garbage anywhere else.
Motivated by that issue, five students of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) tried to help with the situation in Muara Angke. They are Amar Ma'ruf Maulidin, Salman Arib Rozan, Adi Nugroho, Alis Swarni, and Aris Aprilianto. With guidance from Julia Eka Astarini, SPi, MSi, a teaching staff in Department of Fisheries Resources Utilization, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science IPB, the sttudents approached the issue in Muara Angke.
"There are two locations that are usually full with waste: in the waters of Muara Angke and the residential area of fishermen. The garbage here come from the locals as well as the river that heads down to Muara Angke. Lack of awareness of inhabitants also contributes to the problem. There are only a few of garbage bin there, which causes people to throw their garbage elsewhere. This becomes an example for children who live in that area," said Amar, the team leader.
Amar and his friends approached the society by 'role play' method introduced to children in that area. "We presented a creativity so that Muara Angke children love their environment. Before doing the role play, the children played some sort of a board game. In that board game there is a circle that is divided into several numbers. The numbers represent the levels and questions. As the level increases there would be an order to play a certain role. The children are free to make their own decision and fully express themselves in their roles. After they finished the role play, they would increase in level and get a reward," explained Amar.
"Other than that, we invited the children to recycle the garbage to make useful handicrafts, for example bags that are made of used plastics and garbage bins," he added. Amar and his friends hope that this method will cultivate the children's awareness and love to their environments. "We hope that Muara Angke will be a cleaner environment and children will know that unsanitary environment can affect the continuity of fisheries," Amar hoped.
This program is one of Students Creativity Programs in Community Service (PKM-M) 2017 with the title 'Jawara Pesisir Pembelajaran Smart Environmental Sustainable Fisheries dengan Metode Role Play bagi Anak-anak Pesisir Muara Angke ("Jangkar")'. Head of RW 21 Pluit Village, Nunung, said that Muara Angke people support this program because it develops awareness to environment that is related to fisheries. Sugianto, head of RW 01 Pluit also expressed his hope that through this program Muara Angke children will be more aware to their environment.
For future planning, Amar and team will create 'Komunitas Anak Bahari' that has a vision and missions to invite children to love, take care of, and protect their environment to create a community that is aware with environment cleanliness. "We hope in the future 'Komunitas Anak Bahari' can be an example to children in other villages," he added. (Ard)
