The Photography Unit (UFO) of Universitas Gadjah Mada, one of the university’s Student Activity Units (UKM), organized a community service activity at Parangkusumo Beach on Monday (Dec. 16) under the banner of U-FOLUNTEER.
The beach cleanup aimed to raise awareness among UFO UGM members about environmental issues affecting coastal communities.
Collaborating with Gardu Action, which shares concerns over waste problems, the event included the beach cleanup and book donations to support children’s education in coastal areas as part of the U-FOLUNTEER series of activities.
Maura, Head of the Human Resource Development Division at UFO, expressed that the U-FOLUNTEER initiative aims to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by reducing disparities in coastal communities and preserving marine ecosystems.
This was implemented through beach cleanups, the creation of paving blocks from plastic waste, and the donation of children’s books to the Gardu Action Library.
“Internally, we hope this event will serve as a platform for UFO UGM members to strengthen social bonds and foster a sense of belonging among members through various activities,” she said on Monday (Dec. 23).
Maura explained that U-FOLUNTEER began with a beach cleanup in the morning, followed by education on waste management issues at Parangkusumo Beach, located at the southernmost tip of Yogyakarta.
The community was also taught how to process plastic waste into paving blocks, sorted into three types: plain plastic, patterned plastic, and aluminum foil-coated plastic.
“Through U-FOLUNTEER, UFO UGM hopes to spread the word about small communities like Gardu Action so they can become better known by the wider public,” Maura explained.
Gardu Action, which stands for Garbage Care and Education, was founded by local youths from the Parangkusumo and Parangtritis coastal areas who were concerned about growing tourism waste.
At the end of 2015, Gardu Action was established as a Waste Bank that manages various types of tourism waste while serving as an educational platform for waste management for the general public.
Ardha Kesuma, the founder, explained that the migrants living in the densely populated Kali Mati neighborhood take on various jobs to survive, ranging from street vendors, scavengers, buskers, and parking attendants to opening karaoke businesses.
This diverse environment often leads to conflicts between residents and newcomers.
Despite these challenges, Parangkusumo’s children remain those who need a safe and comfortable place to grow, learn, and play.
Two years after founding Gardu Action, Kesuma initially established a community called BukuBerbagi to help friends who were struggling to distribute used books.
The Gardu Action and BukuBerbagi communities have since become a place of learning and companionship for the children.
“As a grassroots community, our hopes are simple. We are happy when we see the children learning while playing. They also enjoy meeting older siblings from different areas,” Kesuma concluded.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Photo: UFO
Post-editor: Afif