Jakarta, September 24, 2024 – A healthy environment is essential for children’s growth and development, especially in urban areas where it has become a challenge. Poorly managed waste has become a serious environmental threat, polluting water, soil, and air. Recognizing the importance of environmental education, especially about waste management, PT Solusi Bangun Indonesia Tbk (SBI), a subsidiary of SIG, engaged a number of its employees as volunteers in the Kelola Sampah Sekitar Kita (Kelas Kita) program for students at the Sekolah Alam Indonesia in Meruyung, Depok, on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. The event was attended by SBI’s Director of Manufacturing, Soni Asrul Sani, and Director of Human Capital, Legal & Corporate Affairs, Ony Suprihartono.
This Kelas Kita program in Meruyung is the second time SBI has organized such an initiative through its environmentally friendly waste management division, Nathabumi. The Kelas Kita program encourages SBI employees to volunteer and teach waste sorting and composting through interactive and fun methods. The first Kelas Kita program was held at the Sekolah Alam Indonesia in Cibinong in 2023.
Opening the Kelas Kita, SBI’s Director of Human Capital, Legal & Corporate Affairs, Ony Suprihartono, said that the Kelas Kita program is another form of cross-stakeholder collaboration that SBI undertakes to realize sustainable development.
“SBI believes that sustainable development is not only in physical construction but also in alignment with environmental protection and social responsibility. The Kelas Kita program is a tangible action and a demonstration of care to create a healthy environment and a deserving future for the growth of our children,” said Ony Suprihartono.
The Principal of Indonesian Nature School in Meruyung, Aditya Widi Nugraha, expressed his appreciation to SBI for organizing the Kelas Kita program at the Sekolah Alam Indonesia in Meruyung. “The Kelas Kita program is very relevant to the learning concept in our school, which applies the 7 Green Principles of Sekolah Alam Indonesia, emphasizing exposure and hands-on experiences in the school environment. We fully support programs that enrich children’s knowledge, making them more accustomed to sustainable living practices and encouraging greater appreciation for the environment,” said Aditya Widi Nugraha.
In addition to waste sorting and composting education programs for school students, SBI has previously collaborated with local governments in utilizing RDF from urban waste management. SBI has pioneered the application of RDF technology in Indonesia to help local governments address waste issues and obtain a lower-carbon alternative fuel source. To date, SBI has partnered with the Provincial Governments of Aceh and Jakarta, as well as the Banyumas, Cilacap, Bantul, Sleman, Temanggung Regencies, Yogyakarta City, and the Sumenep, Banyuwangi, Jembrana Regencies, and waste managers in Denpasar, Bali.
Fitri Agus Wahyudi, a concrete business unit employee who participated as a volunteer, was enthusiastic about being involved in the Kelas Kita program. “Usually, I go to work every morning, but today I went to a school and taught. I’m really happy because, aside from my main job, this is an opportunity to contribute more to the environment by directly engaging with the community, in this case, the school environment,” said Agus.
The students who participated in the Kelas Kita at Sekolah Alam Indonesia Meruyung were 5th and 6th graders. Faida Alkarimah, a 5th-grade student at the Indonesian Nature School in Meruyung, shared her hopes about composting that she learned today. “I hope that through composting, many plants will grow and the environment will no longer be polluted by waste,” said Faida.