Transforming Trash into Treasure: Universitas Airlangga’s Innovative “Trash to Gold” Program in Siliragung Village
UNAIR joins with local groups and money partners in Siliragung. BBK 7, a student team from UNAIR, leads this plan. The program turns household waste into a useful asset. Waste now gains a new, real value that helps the community.
Circular Economy in Action: From Waste to Financial Assets
Household waste comes in many forms. Plastic, paper, and metal stand as examples. Locals sort these items and collect them. They now see trash as a resource. A local company, Kube Avatar, handles the sorted materials. Kube Avatar works in farming, livestock, trade, school programs, and earth care. Village rules give Kube Avatar a clear role. The sorted waste is processed according to these rules.
Digitizing Traditional Assets through Integration with Financial Services
The plan turns recyclables into gold savings. A state-run pawnshop called Pegadaian helps in this work. Villagers exchange sorted waste for an account that holds gold. This step changes waste into a secure asset. Money skills are shared with the community. Pegadaian workers say the plan is safe and simple. The program links everyday waste care to building funds.
Role of Academia and Community Empowerment
BBK 7 from UNAIR steers the project day by day. Students plan, run, and spread word about the program. They set up rules, form teams, and print posters. Their work builds trust and shares new skills. Local groups also join in. Kube Avatar includes people with disabilities in the process. The group helps all parts of the community work as one.
Aligning with Sustainable Development Goals
The plan meets several United Nations targets. The project turns waste into income, which helps ease poverty. It builds work, trade, and steady funds for people. It also reduces gaps among groups and shows care for the earth.
A Model for Digitization and Real Asset Tokenization in Rural Development
The plan acts as a clear model. Physical waste is now like a token held as gold savings. Waste gets a new form that can be tracked and stored, much like a digital item. Old items—such as discarded plastic or paper—gain fresh meaning. UNAIR, Kube Avatar, and Pegadaian work as a team to design this model. Their work gives many rural areas a way to treat waste as a source of growth.
Looking Ahead
The program grows as more people join in. It will refine its work and reach more homes. The plan blends waste care, money planning, and a twist on old assets. Trash is turned into saved gold. This new path sets up a future that is fair and safe for all.
