Green Influencer Festival Showcases Creative Waste Management Action by Young People of Depok

In the hands of Depok City’s Green Influencers, waste management has become more interesting and innovative. They also invite other young people to take action together. Waste management efforts continue to be promoted, including by young people in Depok City, West Java. Through selected young people called Green Influencers, they displayed various creative actions in waste management at the Depok City Green Influencer Festival 2023.

The festival, held by Yayasan Plan International Indonesia (Plan Indonesia) in collaboration with the Depok City Government through the Urban Nexus Phase 2 program, featured 23 creative waste management actions carried out by Green Influencers. They have previously received training, mentoring and funding to carry out their actions. Deputy Mayor of Depok, Imam Budi Hartono, who was also present, appreciated this festival. According to him, waste management efforts are in line with the current concept and direction of development which not only focuses on humans, but also on the surrounding nature.

“Development for all can also be seen in terms of waste management. Waste, until now, is still treated as a disgusting thing and even considered a disaster. I invite you to make waste that was once a disaster can become a blessing for us, nature, society and the environment,” said Imam in his remarks at the Depok City Green Influencer Festival, at the Teratai Hall of Depok City Hall, Friday (23/06/23).

The festival was also filled with talkshow sessions that explained 3 actions from green influencers, namely Ecogreen Smada, De-Waste (Depok E-Waste), and Kertas Kita. Fathia, Ayu and Nasyila from Ecogreen Smada explained their actions that educate students at their school on reducing disposable waste and carbon emissions through the one day no plastic movement and depositing waste after sorting it into the waste bank. Then, Sovi and Cindra through their action De-Waste, educate children about the dangers of electronic waste and provide containers to collect electronic waste. Finally, Mutia Fauzia, together with students from a special school (SLB) in Depok, explained the Kertas Kita action, an action to recycle paper waste.

The activity then continued with the launching of the children’s storybook “The Adventures of Banyu and the Little Soldiers Guarding the Earth”. This children’s storybook was written and illustrated by Maharani, a Green Influencer who was inspired by the educational actions she took at school. This book contains an invitation for school students to actively protect the environment, one of which is through waste management. This activity also featured flash mobs and Green Influencer theater in the form of dancing and singing using sign language. Afterwards, the participants were invited to go around for group discussions that introduced 10 Green Influencer actions through educational banners.  

Project Manager of Urban Nexus Plan Indonesia, Maulinna Utaminingsih, said that the festival was also part of a creative campaign for waste management by young people. According to her, involving young people in waste management is effective because young people have creative and innovative ideas. “Since March 2023, every participant who registered has been given supporting materials so that they can express their ideas in waste management. Hopefully, the green influencers can continue to carry out the campaign actions that have been started with the support of the Depok City government and related forums,” Maulinna explained.

This activity was closed with reflections or responses from the participants who attended. One of them was a researcher in the Innovation Development Research Division of the Depok City Bappeda, Hafiza Aryaputri, who stated that she would follow up on the creative actions of young people in waste management in Depok City. “Insha Allah, during the next Musrembang, we will discuss activities that educate and attract the youth of Depok City to be more concerned about the waste problem,” she said.

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About Urban Nexus Fase 2

Urban Nexus Phase 2 is a program implemented by Plan Indonesia to create a healthy, safe and resilient environment through empowerment and leadership of young urban communities in Depok City. This program is implemented with Teens Go Green and MDMC (Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center) supported by Plan International Australia and ANCP-DFAT.

About Yayasan Plan International Indonesia (Plan Indonesia)

Plan International has been working in Indonesia since 1969 and officially became Yayasan Plan International Indonesia (Plan Indonesia) in 2017. We work for the fulfillment of children’s rights and equality for girls. We also work with young people, to ensure meaningful participation in decision-making about their lives. As part of Plan International Inc, Plan Indonesia has a key program related to child sponsorship. Plan Indonesia has supported 36,000 girls and boys in East Nusa Tenggara, with five commitments to fulfill their basic rights: birth certificates, basic vaccines, clean water, sanitation and hygiene, and education. Plan Indonesia works in eight provinces through seven thematic programs, namely Child Survival Prevention, Elimination of Violence against Children and Young People, Adolescent Health, Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship, Resilient Schools, Disaster Preparedness and Gender Responsive Humanitarian Response, and Youth-led Climate Resilience. These programs aim to increase the capacity of leadership, agency, and social movements that engage and target to enable 3 million girls gain equal power, equal freedom, and equal representation.

For more info: plan-international.or.id

Contact media: Muhammad Reysa Program Communication Specialist Plan Indonesia [email protected]