Firsthand experience in contributing to the resilience of community garden

Group photo of the participants

The Department of Student Affairs (DSA) of Sungai Long Campus once again collaborated with the Community Service Society (CSS) of UTAR to organise a gardening and gotong-royong event at Central 19 Community Garden, Petaling Jaya, Selangor on 4 November 2023.

Held for the first time in July 2023, this is the second initiative by the DSA team. The primary objectives of this event were (1) to foster an appreciation of urban biodiversity and its role in regulating local and global climates among the university community, and (2) to nurture a sense of social responsibility for the preservation of flora and fauna in both urban and rural environments. Additionally, the event aimed to provide participants with an opportunity to explore urban wildlife through a collaborative gotong-royong effort with the local community in an urban setting. A total of 27 volunteers, consisting of six university staff and 21 students, actively engaged in various gardening activities throughout the day.

The day’s efforts were marked by a series of tasks aimed at enhancing the condition and aesthetics of the garden. All the volunteers spent their morning time and energy under the hot weather to clear weeds from the garden plots, thereby contributing to the health of the green space. "Snake gourd" and "kacang botol" were uprooted to make way for new plantings and improve the garden’s layout. The garden hut (pondok) and storeroom underwent a thorough cleaning to ensure an organised and tidy gardening environment for future endeavours.

All soils from the pondok were meticulously distributed to individual plots, providing essential nutrients for plant growth. Furthermore, volunteers actively managed the weeds in the backyard, fortifying the garden’s health and beauty. The maintenance of equipment, particularly the white tongs, ensured their readiness for future gardening activities. The event also included a communal lunch session, where participants shared their experiences, which strengthened the sense of community and camaraderie among all those involved. Most of them were taking part in gardening for the first time, hence it was a whole new experience for them.

One of the student participants uprooting unwanted plants

Participants clearing the overgrown weeds

In short, the gardening and gotong-royong event not only achieved its objectives of promoting an appreciation for urban biodiversity and instilling a sense of social responsibility but also forged strong community bonds and personal growth among the students and staff. This collaborative effort by students and staff, together with their interaction with the local gardening community, underscored the significant impact of such initiatives on fostering environmental stewardship and community spirit. The Department of Student Affairs (DSA) and the Community Service Society (CSS) look forward to continuing and expanding similar initiatives in the future, making meaningful contributions to the local environment and the holistic development of our university community members.

Student participants with a senior citizen