Kediri School Equipped with Drinking Water Machine to Reduce Plastic Waste
Bank Mandiri Taspen has provided a free ready-to-drink water machine to SMA Dharma Wanita 1 Pare in Kediri Regency as part of an effort to promote an environmentally friendly culture whilst meeting students’ basic needs. The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) assistance, valued at Rp42.4 million, was symbolically handed over during a ceremony at the Simpang Lima Gumul (SLG) Convention Hall, Kediri, on Sunday (14/6). The management of Bank Mandiri Taspen presented the aid to the Chairwoman of the Dharma Wanita Foundation of Kediri Regency, Eriani Annisa Hanindhito.
Division Head Strategic Digital & Corporate Transformation of Bank Mandiri Taspen, Iwan Kurniawan, stated that the assistance represents the implementation of the company’s social responsibility focusing on education, health, and environmental conservation. He explained that mineral water is a primary need for students in supporting their learning activities, and the company elaborated this basic need with a go-green campaign programme, leading to the idea of providing the ready-to-drink water machine. This programme not only delivers safe and hygienic drinking water access for students but also forms part of a campaign to reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles, which have been one of the largest contributors to waste in the school environment.
Iwan added that the provision of ready-to-consume drinking water facilities is expected to change the habits of the school community, making them more environmentally conscious by bringing their own tumblers or drinking containers. This simple step is considered capable of having a significant impact on reducing the volume of plastic waste generated daily. The approach aligns with the increasing awareness among educational institutions to build a sustainable living culture through daily habits. In addition to reducing waste, the use of ready-to-drink water machines is deemed more cost-efficient and ensures the availability of water suitable for consumption for all students.
The initiative was positively received by the school. Headmaster of SMA Dharma Wanita 1 Pare, Ahmad Riziq Mubarok, assessed that the assistance is highly suited to the needs of the school, which implements a boarding school system. He noted that students spend nearly all their daily activities within the school grounds, making the need for healthy drinking water a crucial aspect that must be met sustainably. He is convinced that the facility not only improves the quality of health services for students but also serves as an educational tool to build environmental awareness from school age. Through this facility, students are encouraged to get accustomed to using refillable drinking bottles so that dependency on bottled water can be gradually reduced. This collaboration between the business world and educational institutions demonstrates that go-green campaigns can be realised through practical steps whose benefits are directly felt by the community.