The Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) team from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Period II of 2025 collaborated with students from Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) on a beach clean-up at Pagerkidul Village, Pacitan Regency, East Java Province.
The activity, held on Thursday (Aug. 7), demonstrated students’ concern for environmental preservation while also marking an initial step in building collaboration for rural community empowerment.
The initiative also reflected the spirit of gotong royong across universities to create positive change in local communities. The activity is expected to serve as a concrete example of student involvement in supporting sustainable development.
The clean-up coincided with preparations for the “Ekspedisi Merah Putih,” which will cover 112 kilometers of Pacitan’s coastline. The activity involved 29 UGM students, 18 UNS students, divided into two teams, and residents of Pagerkidul Village.
Kunir Beach is well known as one of the village’s prime tourist destinations, with its wide sandy expanse directly bordering the Indian Ocean. Its significant tourism potential makes preserving the beach vital. The involvement of KKN students is therefore expected to enhance tourism appeal while helping safeguard coastal ecosystems.
Participants were divided into two groups, positioned on the eastern and western sides of the beach, and moved toward the center while collecting plastic waste and other debris carried by the waves or left behind by visitors.
The collaboration between students and residents not only produced a cleaner beach but also fostered awareness of the importance of protecting coastal ecosystems. This simple action demonstrated how collective participation can have a significant impact on the environment.
Furthermore, the activity served as a learning space for students to better understand the socio-ecological dynamics of coastal communities.
The Coordinator of UGM’s KKN team and the Head of the UNS KKN team emphasized that the activity focused not only on cleaning the beach but also on cultivating environmentally conscious habits within the community.
They noted that inter-campus cooperation opens up broader opportunities for the future development of Pagerkidul Village. This synergy demonstrated that students from the two universities can complement each other in implementing programs. As a result, the impact of the activities becomes more sustainable and beneficial for local residents.
Full support also came from UGM field supervisor, Dr. Derajad Sulistyo Widhyharto, who emphasized the importance of collaboration as a key entry point for empowering rural communities. He stated that activities like this are not only relevant today but can also lay the foundation for long-term cooperation.
“This collaboration is a good beginning to build synergy between students and the community. Through simple initiatives such as beach clean-ups, we can instill collective awareness of the importance of protecting the environment while strengthening the foundation of community empowerment in villages,” said Dr. Widhyharto.
The presence of UGM and UNS students was warmly welcomed by the Head of Pagerkidul Village, Sunandi. He expressed his appreciation and hopes that this collaboration can continue in the coming years.
According to him, the students’ presence brought fresh perspectives to rural development. Moreover, the KKN program has become an important medium for introducing innovations brought by students.
“We are very grateful for the presence of KKN students from state universities, and we hope they will continue to contribute to sustainable rural development, not only this year but in the years to come,” he said.
The clean-up at Kunir Beach marked one of UGM’s tangible contributions to promoting environmentally friendly tourism and sustainable community empowerment.
Through this collaboration, UGM reaffirms its commitment to being part of the solution to development challenges in the regions, particularly in preserving nature while improving the quality of life in coastal communities.
The activity also strengthened the role of students as agents of change, enabling them to directly contribute to raising public awareness and advancing sustainable rural development.
Reportage by: KKN-PPM Karsa Saka Team
Author: Triya Andriyani