SEMARANG – Considering the importance of health in the family environment, students of Diponegoro University (UNDIP) in Student Community Service at Gedawang Village, Banyumanik District, Semarang City invite the community to develop family medicinal plants. The development of family medicinal plants in addition to supporting public health, is also effectively carried out because of Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities Policy in Java-Bali which is valid until August 16th 2021.
The number of residents who have to work from home is feared to experience weary situation. Farming is a side activity that is both refreshing and useful. The activity of developing family medicinal plants is expected to reduce boredom due to monotonous routines, because they have to work at home.
Responding to this condition, Rosemerr, a student of Chemistry Study Program, Faculty of Science and Mathematics Undip was moved to invite the residents of Gedawang Village to be active. A team of students of Student Community Service Team II of Diponegoro University invited residents with Family Welfare Empowerment women from RT 6 RW 7, Gedawang Village, Semarang City to develop medicinal plants in their environment.
Rosemerr said medicinal plants are alternative for the community as a way to increase the immune system and self-productivity against the current COVID-19 pandemic. Family medicinal plants are essentially nutritious plants that are planted in the yard managed by the family, but have important benefits.
With family medicinal plants, at least the needs of traditional medicines, as well as the necessary sources of vitamins, can be met independently. The certain thing is planting activities can also reduce the boredom of the residents affected by Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities Policy. “In addition to family medicinal plants, we also invite the community to plant spices to meet their own needs,” she said.
The initiative to develop family medicinal plants and kitchen spices started with the distribution of pocket books about the introduction and use of medicinal plants in the residents’ WhatsApp groups. This joint planting activity was carried out on August 1st 2021, which was attended by many members of Family Welfare Empowerment at RT 6. Several types of medicinal plants were planted such as red ginger, kaffir lime, gotu kola and aloe vera.
These activities take advantage of unproductive people’s land. “I am happy with the assistance of Undip students who carried out activities here. Hopefully the socialization activities and the results of planting medicinal plants can be harvested together by the residents of RT 6 RW 7,” said Jum as one of the residents of RT 6 RW 7 at Gedawang Village. (PR team)
Translated by: Titis – Public Relations