After holding a community service program to support Net Zero Emission (NZE) in Pondok Cina Village, Beji District, Depok City, the Community Service Team of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) of Universitas Indonesia (UI) has again expanded its community service reach by making empty land productive and forming a gardening community to build a vertical garden.
The Community Service Team led by Dr. Evony Silvino Violita and Dr. Dwi Hartanti supported by FEB UI students, Reza Zulkarnain Azhari, Abdullah Yusuf, and Sofia Rahma Aulia, together with residents, transformed a land full of garbage and bushes into land suitable for planting vegetables. “Currently, one plot of land has been opened, next we will open land on the riverbank that surrounds RT 03 RW 05 of Pondok Cina Village and create a vertical garden at the front gate of the RT,” said Dr. Evony.
This activity, which received support from PT Jamkrindo, also teaches residents about family food security. In times of financial difficulty, mothers do not worry that their children will not be able to eat healthily. “Eating organically grown vegetables frees us from the worry of consuming toxic pesticides. Not only physical effects, vegetable gardens also bring great benefits to what is currently viral, namely mental health,” said Dr. Evony.
Furthermore, Dr. Evony said that this RT gardening program not only improves the quality of life, but also strengthens friendships among residents. “By gardening together, residents are more united, support each other, and work together to maintain the environment and the economic resilience of their families,” said Dr. Evony.
Director of Institutions & Services of PT Jamkrindo, Dr. Abdul Bari expressed his appreciation for this activity because it is very much in line with PT Jamkrindo’s vision, namely to support the growth and equality of the national economy. “We hope that PT. Jamkrindo’s support can produce results, help the community’s food security, and help realize net zero emissions which are the government’s hopes regarding the environment. Indirectly, the community service activities chosen by the FEB UI lecturer also support the West Java Environmental Service program, namely supporting gardening activities at home,” said Dr. Abdul.
This gardening activity is not only carried out by parents, but is also taught by the FEB UI community service team to kindergarten students and their parents. “Gardening is something new for me, it turns out that gardening is very fun. Waking up in the morning, opening the door, seeing fresh vegetables, my heart is immediately happy and my morning spirit arises, thank you for inviting me to garden,” said Mrs. Sugi.
Residents hope that this activity can continue, not only for food security but also to strengthen the spirit of togetherness and improve the welfare of the environment and family. This program is a real manifestation of UI’s commitment to creating a society that not only changes the face of the environment to be greener, but also creates strong social bonds among residents. Through community support and academic collaboration, UI is committed to creating a society that is more environmentally conscious and more economically independent.
