Limited space is a barrier to creating green areas. Alongside the Code river, for instance, crowded housing areas make it hard for the residents to grow plants, causing the settlement looks shabby. To resolve this issue, five students of Universitas Gadjah Mada, give a solution by giving them a training in making vertical garden. Vertical garden is an alternative to create a green space in a limited area as it can adjust to the available place.
The students, Dwi Wahyu Setiyarini, Dana Faulida, Azmia Naufala Zahra, Merry Olvia, and Hana Fauziyyah Hanifin have applied the vertical garden for the people from Terban kampong by the Code river in Yogyakarta. This is a Student Creativity Programme for Community Service (PKM-M).
They make used materials such as bottles for the container of the plants. “This training is just to give an idea. People can make other containers and with other plants, as long as the plants are suitable to the vertical garden,” said Setiyarini on Tuesday (26/4).
In one month, the students have given three times training. The seeds of vegetables that had been donated to the residents have also grown. The vegetables can later be harvested for their own consumption or for sale. Maintenance and monitoring will later be done by selected residents. Furthermore, the students will give a special training for women to extend the scope of the programme. They also give training in the use of inorganic and organic waste.
“This is the first time for women in the Terban area being given a training in inorganic waste and use of limited space. In addition, children are taught how to make compost from organic waste. Hopefully, they all can develop it further and be independent,” said the Nursing Science student.