News
Waste Processing Assistance to Remote Small Islands in Aceh
24/08/2022
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Indonesia (CCEP Indonesia) together with the New Normal Waste Bank (BSINN) – Yayasan Nuansa Alam Indonesia (YNA Indonesia) held a waste management program with various activities, such as: waste collection, socialization of waste management, the establishment of a waste bank, and training and mentoring. The program was implemented in several cities and regions in Aceh, to remote areas of small islands.
CCEP Indonesia and BSINN-YNA Indonesia also collaborated with the Forest for Children Foundation (YHUA) to carry out clean-up activities to Sikandang Island (Banyak Island) by inviting local communities, children study group, foreign tourists, eco-visitors, and YHUA donors from the Czech Republic. The beach clean-up participants managed to collect 70 sacks of waste or about 200 kg, consisted of plastic waste and other non-organic waste.
CCEP Indonesia, YNA Indonesia, and YHUA also invited the Ujung Sialit Learning Group (KUSB) to form a unit waste bank as a community-based waste management. The group which has been running for 2 years has 80 children from Ujung Sialit Island, especially in Ujung Sialit Village, Banyak Island sub-district, who do reading and learning English for free. Teachers in the group also volunteer their time and use their own money to ensure that children in the village get a proper education.
It is hoped that the assistance for the waste bank program that will be run by KUSB can establish teaching and learning operations with a payment system using waste. So, in addition to being an alternative to education costs, the waste problem in the village can be resolved as well, considering that the waste transportation facilities and landfill are limited. This has caused waste to end up in ditches, under stilt houses and is carried to the sea.
Yasra Al-Fariza, Director of the New Normal Waste Bank (Yayasan Nuansa Alam Indonesia) and Chair of the Forest Foundation for Children, explained that waste management on the coast needs special attention to protect marine ecosystems. “If the marine ecosystem can be well maintained, then people who have a livelihood as fishermen can be helped, because the availability of fish around the island will be sufficient. People also do not need to go to sea too far to the center to fish. In addition, the beaches on Banyak Island will maintain its beauty so that it can add to the attraction for local and foreign tourists, and support the economy of the surrounding community and the field of eco-tourism,” he explained.
“The persistence and cohesiveness of the Ujung Sialit Learning Group needs to be applauded with all the limited facilities, the participants continue to carry out activities, such as teaching children to learn to read and English, as well as regular beach clean-up actions. The group was established with the aim of helping children's education at an early age, instilling ethics and conserving coral reefs at sea,” added Yasra.
Rius, Head of the Ujung Sialit Study Group, said that the educational conditions in his village were not optimal and many of the residents could not read well. Many of them took part in the study program to improve their skills, especially reading and speaking English.
“I can speak English, not because of the high education I received. I couldn't even continue to college due to my family financial limitations, but I have a strong determination to study, so that now I can speak English. The little knowledge that I have I must pass on. We hope that through the assistance we received from BSINN-YNA Indonesia and CCEP Indonesia, we can overcome the operational obstacles we face, especially regarding waste management,” said Rius.
CCEP Indonesia and BSINN – YNA Indonesia continued their waste management mentoring tour to Gampoeng Pasi Lembang, Kluet Selatan sub-district, South Aceh district. The waste management training was attended directly by the Head of Gampoeng (Village Head), Uteun Gampoeng Care Group and the local community.
The Uteun Gampoeng Care Group is a group that will carry out waste management in the village. They need training from waste management experts so that they can run optimally later. From the explanation given, the group's response was very enthusiastic and hoped that there would be a continuation of the mentoring program.
Angga Harahap, as Corporate Affairs Manager of Northern Sumatra Operation CCEP Indonesia, expressed his appreciation for the community groups who have been committed to building a more advanced next generation and a better environment. “We hope that mentoring activities like this can continue to be carried out, even though there are many limitations so that small actions can have a big impact in the future. We also hope that all the operational challenges can be overcome through alternative waste management and study fee payment by waste programs” he explained.
The visit is a tangible manifestation of 'This is Forward', the sustainability action plan of the Coca-Cola Europacific Partners group, focusing on six key social and environmental areas with significant impacts, namely: climate, packaging, beverages, people, water, and supply chain.