Diah Fitria Widhiningsih, a Department of Agricultural Social Sciences lecturer at the UGM Faculty of Agriculture (Agriculture UGM), has achieved first place in the Young Water Sustainability Leaders 2024 competition.
This competition, held on May 24 at the World Water Forum in Bali, was titled “Conserving Water, Conserving Our Future.”
Widhiningsih stood out among 1,000 participants from various countries, impressing the judges, including representatives from the UNDP, with her research and work that inspires and promotes global awareness of water resource sustainability.
The Indonesian Minister of Public Works and Housing, Basuki Hadimuljono, presented the award during the WWF event. Alongside Widhiningsih, second place was awarded to a participant from the United States, and third place was awarded to a participant from Ghana.
In her statement to reporters on Tuesday (May 28), Widhiningsih expressed her joy and pride in winning the prestigious international competition. Given the many participants, she admitted she did not expect to win first place.
“I feel thrilled and more motivated to increase awareness about water conservation among myself and the community,” she said.
Widhiningsih shared that to participate in the selection stages of the Young Water Sustainability Leaders, all participants had to submit proposals of their research, ideas, and projects. These proposals were then reviewed, and 300 participants were selected.
“Then we participated in a boot camp for almost a week, during which we submitted abstracts, and the top 50 were chosen,” she explained.
The top 50 participants were then asked to write papers, and the top 10 were selected to advance to the final round.
“The top 10 participants were invited and funded to attend the World Water Forum in Bali, where we presented and showcased our work publicly,” she added.
Most participants presented research results, ideas, or projects already implemented in the field. Widhiningsih, however, showcased her innovation and fieldwork.
“I did everything simultaneously in this competition,” she stated.
Regarding her project, Widhiningsih emphasized the social aspects of water conservation in daily life. One of her innovative projects is Mini T-ReKs (Mini Tentative Research for Kids).
She explained that her project integrates water conservation activities with the arts, agriculture, and education. She called it PEMDA, an acronym for Painting, English, Music, Dance, and Agriculture.
“I first introduced this concept in 2019, initially focusing on elementary and middle school students. Now, it has expanded to involve Gen Z,” she elaborated.
Winning the international competition has not made Widhiningsih complacent; instead, it has motivated her to continue campaigning and educating about water conservation.
“I hope we can all contribute to water conservation, even with simple steps. I hope Mini T-ReKs can be beneficial, and friends are free to adopt or modify this activity to make it even better,” she said.
In the last week of May, Widhiningsih plans to visit TBM Rumah Ilmu Bercak Pustaka and discuss the issue with youth from Yogyakarta and Lombok.
“We will discuss the sustainability of water conservation activities for the future,” she concluded.
Author: Gusti Grehenson