UGM Students Community Services (KKN UGM) students from the Gumilang Gunem unit conducted a socialization program to introduce simple technology for burning waste with minimal smoke pollution in Panohan Village, Gunem District, Rembang, Central Java. The socialization and demonstration of the use of this simple incinerator was a solution to the problem of village-scale waste management using simple tools and materials such as lightweight bricks, cement, sand, and iron.
Hafiz Dika Maulana, a member of the KKN UGM team, said that the socialization of incinerator technology was aimed at raising public awareness of waste management in order to keep the environment clean and healthy. The socialization activity was attended by the Head of Panohan Village, Amir Fuad, along with village officials and the Panohan Village community. “The socialization and demonstration of the use of incinerators by UGM students aims to provide village officials with an understanding of the function, operation, and benefits of incinerators in waste management, which will then be socialized to the wider community in the village,” said Hafiz in a statement sent on Tuesday (February 3, 2026).
During the event, KKN UGM students Muhammad Yassir Faruq Arzamy, Hafiz Dika Maulana, and Kemal Firdaus Ahmad provided explanations and hands-on demonstrations on the use of incinerators. “This incinerator functions to burn waste more completely, thereby significantly reducing waste volume and minimizing pollution from combustion residues, which ultimately supports cleanliness and health” said Hafiz.
The Head of Panohan Village, Amir Fuad, welcomed the simple technological innovation created by KKN UGM students. He sincerely hopes that this simple technology will help the residents of Panohan Village in managing their waste. “We welcome the KKN UGM students for introducing and immediately putting into practice this incinerator, a low-smoke waste burner. Thank you for this tool, which provides a safer alternative for burning waste, with controlled smoke. This way, it does not interfere with the breathing of the people around it,” he said.
In addition to waste management, the KKN UGM Gumilang Gunem team also carried out community service activities in the form of organizing a Science Festival at SDN (Public Elementary School) Demaan. This activity is expected to encourage students at SDN Damaan to not only learn science from books but also to practice it directly in the field. Some of the science activities carried out included practicing chemical reactions during a volcanic eruption, math and natural science quizzes in a competition format, and making water rockets assembled from used plastic bottles, PVC pipes, and pumps.
Most students admitted that they enjoyed seeing science being practiced in the field. For them, this science practice was their first experience of seeing physics concepts work in real life. For example, rockets that fly straight or veer off course, which they felt could be a topic for discussion. The KKN UGM students also gave the students the freedom to experiment so that if a mistake occurred, it would not be corrected immediately, but rather used as an opportunity for discussion. “From there, the concept of simple chemical reactions was introduced not as something to be memorized, but as a process that can be observed,” said Ananda Shabrina Putri Gunawan, coordinator of the Demaan Village KKN UGM.
Ananda Shabrina said that the festival was designed to break the perception that science is a rigid subject. The students wanted the Damaan elementary school students to experience the process. “Let them try, make mistakes, and then try again. From there, curiosity will grow,” she added.
Shodiq Mulyo, the principal of SDN Demaan, said he was grateful for the science activities for the students. The school believes that this practical approach brings a new dimension to learning. “This experimental method, along with the competition organized by the KKN UGM students, encourages students to be more confident in asking questions and expressing their opinions,” he explained.
The SDN Demaan Science Festival and Waste Management Using Incinerators are part of the flagship program of the KKN UGM in Gunem District. Dr. Sailal Arimi, M.Hum, Field Supervisor for the Gumilang Gunem KKN UGM Team, said he was pleased that the knowledge learned on campus was being put into practice by students with the children in Demaan. Out of 120 student work programs, each student proposed 5 work programs. Meanwhile, the number of UGM students participating in KKN in Gunem District was 24 students.
Some of the other programs implemented included mapping the potential of village MSMEs, creating religious tourism content in Panohan, socializing the dangers of cyberbullying, providing information on the dangers of drugs and cigarettes, making mocaf flour, and improving literacy by writing letters to state leaders. “I am grateful that the students are learning and applying their knowledge, interacting directly with the community, and hopefully the community will benefit from the work of the KKN UGM students,” he said.
Sailal Arimi said that the work program carried out by Gumilang Gunem’s KKN UGM team addressed urgent issues in the community. This is because the problem of waste is one of the causes of flooding, air pollution, unsightly views, and so on. “With this incinerator, hopefully the community, who are accustomed to burning waste, can be helped by using this tool. For the Science Festival at SDN Demaan, we all hope to bring science out of the books and into the direct experiences of elementary school students,” he added.
This activity was a concrete step in support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 13 on Climate Action, by taking immediate action, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate change, and mitigating natural disasters. Additionally, it indirectly supports Goal 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, and sustainable while protecting cultural heritage.