Creativity is such an important trait for any high-quality human resource. Shaping quality human resources for a better and developed Indonesia is the focus of the 2019 National Education Day, with the theme “Strengthening Education, Advancing Culture”.
Creative individuals are those that are independent, risk-takers, broad learners, and curious beings. These are all the characteristics that Universitas Pelita Harapan instills in its students through the teaching and learning process.
A wide array of projects is executed to train the students’ creativity – one of them being the program run by Product Design 2016 students, where they take the plastic waste and transform it into products fit for sale.
Out of used plastic, these students made accessories, bookmarks, coasters, and bags. These products are exhibited and sold in Happiness Festival, Banteng, Jakarta, on April 27-28, 2019.
Devanny Gumulya, Chairperson of UPH Product Design, explained that in addition to being an assignment for class, this project also aims to increase the students’ environmental awareness. This is such an important goal, knowing that the amount of plastic waste always increases by the year.
Devanny explained that the students utilize plastic waste found in the UPH area – cups, drinking bottles, instant noodle packages, and grocery bags. All this plastic waste will be processed to make useful products. In addition, the students made a tutorial on how to make their products, and these tutorials are posted on Instagram, so that it can reach a wider demographic.
“The products that they created shows high creativity. All profits from this sale will be donated to Yayasan Pendidikan Harapan Papua, an organization under YUPH focusing on access to education in Papua,” declared Devanny Gumulya.
Giving a nod to the aims of education presented by the government, UPH actively looks to prepare human resources that are creative through holistic education, in order to prepare future professionals and leaders with character, faith, and knowledge that is ready to be contributed for the advancement of Indonesia.
This event has proven to be quite an experience for the students – especially because they can take action regarding their concern for plastic waste. Dewinta, one of the Product Design students, explained:
“Plastic packages are disposable products. This type of waste is the main reason for the waste overload. If we can reuse and transform waste into products that people can use again and again, like tote bags, pouches, and other products, it will help reduce the number of wastes we have in our landfills. That is the main goal of this project,” Dewinta explained.
Dewinta also testified that the Happiness Festival is a special experience for her, where she and her friends can take real action in the fight against the abundance of plastic waste.
In addition to the sales in Lapangan Banteng, the students also exhibited and sold their products in UPH Lippo Village on April 26, 2019, and May 6-7, 2019, at the ‘Pop-Up Store for Plastic Waste Awareness’. All the profits from the event are donated to the Yayasan Pendidikan Harapan Papua (YPHP), of the Papua Foundation of Education.