Students Help Hegarmanah Village Strengthen Sanitation Practices

Jatinangor — In Desa Hegarmanah, Jatinangor, a group of Universitas Padjadjaran students spent the semester working side by side with local residents on something very down-to-earth: keeping water clean and homes healthy. The program, run with the village office and community leaders, focused on everyday habits that make a real difference for SDG 6—Clean Water and Sanitation. 

The team met regularly with market vendors and families to talk about safe water use, waste disposal, and food-handling hygiene. “Most people already pay attention to what they cook and sell,” one student said, “but we talked about where the water comes from, how to keep it from getting contaminated, and small routines like washing hands at key times, that help stop disease.” 

Workshops were practical and hands-on. Together with residents, the students showed how to separate greywater from drinking water, set up simple household filters, and organize neighborhood clean-up days to keep drains clear. Village leaders mapped out problem spots where trash and stagnant water collect, and the group drew up a maintenance schedule the community can keep going after the project wraps up. 

An October follow-up will check how the changes are working and adjust the plan if needed. The students are also turning their field notes into a journal article so other villages can learn from Hegarmanah’s experience. 

By linking local values of cleanliness with straightforward sanitation steps, the project proves that cleaner water and healthier surroundings don’t have to be complicated but just take shared effort and a bit of guidance.

By Dhia Anaulva Putri