Blessings from Waste: Cirebon Village Turns Rubbish into Cash and Jobs

The existence of waste, which often becomes a problem, has been successfully turned into a blessing by the Government of Gempol Village, Gempol District, Cirebon Regency. Through the skilful management of the village-owned enterprise BUMDes Gempol Mandiri, the local waste management site has been transformed into an engine for the community’s economy as well as a bastion of environmental sustainability. This progressive step began with the village administration’s concern over the proliferation of illegal waste disposal sites. Refusing to stand idle, they collaborated with the Gempol District Government and the Cirebon Regency Environmental Agency to close the illegal dumping points and overhaul them into an integrated waste management system. Gempol Village Head Askarno stated that waste management in his village continues to be developed through cooperation with various parties, including the industrial sector. ‘We collaborate with Indocement for the disposal of Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF). From this, we can generate village original income and reduce unemployment by empowering the surrounding community to work at the BUMDes Gempol Mandiri Waste Management Site,’ Askarno said on Tuesday. In addition to processing waste, BUMDes Gempol Mandiri has also developed various other innovations. These include maggot cultivation and the production of liquid organic fertiliser utilising fruit waste. The cultivated maggots are even processed into animal feed through a roasting method using sand, ultimately providing added value for the community.