STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING THE WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY IN RW 15 BASED ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN BY OPTIMIZING VACANT LAND INTO A LIVING APOTHECARY GARDEN AND AN INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Abstract

An environmentally-based community empowerment program aimed at improving community welfare has been implemented in RW 15, Sei Pelunggut Village, Sagulung District, with a focus on transforming vacant land into a living pharmacy garden, carrying out community service activities, making trash bins, and installing trash education signs. The results of the implementation show the creation of a living pharmacy garden with a variety of traditional medicinal plants, the installation of waste management systems in each neighbourhood unit, increased community participation in mutual assistance activities, and growing awareness of the importance of waste to the environment. This program proves that the integration of ecological awareness and community participation can create a sustainable impact on the socio-ecological welfare of the community. Program evaluation shows that this holistic approach not only provides practical solutions to environmental problems but also strengthens social cohesion and creates further models with the potential to generate additional economic value through the sale of medicinal plants, thereby supporting household economic empowerment. Thus, this initiative serves as a replicable model for other regions, proving that small changes from the grassroots level can create a ripple effect for global sustainability.