SNV hosts World Water Day student video contest in Indonesia

Jakarta, 22 March 2018 - SNV Indonesia, in partnership with the local governments of Tasikmalaya and Bandar Lampung, hosted the SNV short video competition, “Human waste: does your poop pollute water resources?” in celebration of World Water Day 2018.

Says Maria Carriero, SNV Indonesia WASH sector leader: “The competition was an effort to increase public awareness on the need to have safely managed sanitation to protect our water resources… It is our hope that more young Indonesians become more aware of the importance of issues related to sanitation and clean water.”

Until recently 60% of the country’s water pollution was linked to household activities. WHO/UNICEF JMP figures suggest that in 2015, approximately 5.05% of people continue to use unimproved sanitation facilities, and a further 12.45% (which amount to 32 million people) practices open defecation. An alarming 98% of all excreta from city dwellers ends up untreated, polluting Indonesia’s water streams and soil quality.

The video competition targeted high school and university students in the cities of Tasikmalaya and Bandar Lampung. Students were invited to reflect on the impact of poorly-managed human waste disposal on the sustainability and multiple uses of water resources, in the format of a one-minute video. Of the 15 video submissions received, one from each city was selected by local government authorities, and awarded a trophy, certificate, and eco-travel vouchers.

Tasikmalaya winner

Directed and produced by a group of high school students from the vocational school SMK Bhakti Kencana, the video "Ciloseh Bridge" draws attention to the swimming/bathing practice of community residents around the Ciloseh river. With solid waste and human excreta continuously discharged into the river, the video calls for local government to take immediate action to safeguard the health and wellbeing of residents.

Sharing that they were eager to put into practice their knowledge in creating multimedia products, Revi Rosidah said “We were thrilled and proud that we were the winner for Tasikmalaya… we hope that the administration watches the video, and makes improvements so that our city will be open defecation free.”

Bandar Lampung winner

In Bandar Lampung, a group of environmental studies students from the University of Lampung came out as the city’s winners. Titled ‘Environmental Pollution in the River Basin’, the video shows how solid waste and human excreta pollute rivers around Kaliawi in Bandar Lampung, and proposes solutions on how to keep the rivers clean.

Whilst new to video making, Nidya N.E. Putri, Taufigurahman N. Manggala, and Diky A. Sapatura’s familiarity with the theme helped them to secure the win. According to Diky, the theme means a lot to them because it gave them the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have learned at school. The team hopes that their video serves as an "eye opener" for the community, and for government to take action on the need to safely manage sanitation facilities to ensure that water resources are kept clean.

The contest is part of SNV’s WASH SDG programme, which supports Government of Indonesia efforts to deliver to its Sustainable Development Goal 6 commitment on water and sanitation. By 2030, the Government aims to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water, and adequate and equitable sanitation services.

Written by: Danumurthi Mahendra