UNS – Students Community Service Program (KKN) of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta introduced sustainable living initiatives in Joyotakan Village, Serengan, Surakarta. With the theme “Sustainable Living Practice,” KKN UNS Group 247 introduced aquaponic farming as their main project, along with several educational programs aimed at enhancing community welfare and awareness.

The aquaponics project focuses on water conservation, maximizing limited land, and producing sustainable food. KKN UNS Group 247 combined catfish farming and plant cultivation in a single integrated ecosystem. In this system, fish waste serves as nutrients for the plants, while the plants help filter the water for the fish. Residents were provided with intensive training on the design and maintenance of the aquaponic system. Joyotakan Village Head, Bambang, praised the program, stating that aquaponics is highly relevant for the community.

In addition to aquaponics, the students also promoted sustainability by recycling used cooking oil into aromatherapy candles, offering waste reduction and new business opportunities for the community.

“We aim to provide practical solutions that residents can immediately apply, such as recycling used cooking oil into aromatherapy candles. This aligns with the circular economy efforts we are promoting,” Vani Citra Kesumawardany, the village coordinator for the KKN program, explained in an interview with uns.ac.id on Thursday (12/9/2024).

The students also carried out several educational programs. In the financial literacy initiative, elementary school students were taught money management by creating piggy banks from recycled materials and stories emphasizing the importance of saving. Other activities included painting competitions and a Pancasila memorization contest to foster nationalism and creativity. UNS students also conducted simple physics experiments designed to spark curiosity and enhance scientific understanding among the children.

In the health sector, KKN UNS students educated the community about responsible medication management using the DAGUSIBU method: Dapatkan (get), Gunakan (use), Simpan (store), and Buang Obat dengan Benar (dispose of medicine properly). Other initiatives, such as making herbal drinks from natural ingredients, aimed to preserve traditional knowledge and promote sustainable community health. The students also demonstrated how to make hand sanitizers using easily accessible materials as part of a broader effort to maintain cleanliness and public health.

Through this range of programs, the KKN UNS team in Joyotakan Village hopes to make a lasting impact on the community.

“We hope the programs we’ve implemented can serve as catalysts for change, leading Joyotakan toward becoming a more independent, prosperous, and sustainable village. We also hope what we’ve started will be continued by the residents and future generations,” Vani concluded.

Humas UNS

Reporter: R. P. Adji

Editor: Dwi Hastuti