On a Saturday morning in September, residents of RT 007/RW 004 in Kebon Kosong subdistrict, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, gathered for the inauguration of a new public MCK (bathing, washing and toilet) facility.Located along a busy alley in the neighborhood, the facility includes four toilet stalls and a water recycling system designed by Darren Ismaya Karmaina, a ninth-grade student at Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) in collaboration with Ecowater Technology.
The system is designed to recover approximately 70 percent of the water used at the facility. After treatment, the recycled water is intended for non-potable use, primarily to irrigate trees and plants in the surrounding area.
The facility is the first implementation site of Water Guardian, a student-led initiative founded by Darren to address issues related to clean water and sanitation.
Speaking to The Jakarta Post during the inauguration, Darren said the initiative grew from his interest in finding a practical way to address an issue he had first encountered at school.
He became interested in water and sanitation after joining a school club where he learned about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
