Si Nomi is an event regularly organized by the Creative Economy Department of the Public Administration Student Association. This activity has the aim of being an educational platform for students, especially Public Administration students, to foster or develop a creative young entrepreneurial spirit. By learning and developing entrepreneurial skills among students, it will help motivate themselves to open job opportunities and reduce unemployment, which is a significant issue in today’s era. The theme of Si Nomi 2024 is “Building a Greener Economy: Exploring the Role of Entrepreneurship,” with activities including a field trip to an enterprise called Bengok Craft, which has a vision “Turn Waste To Save The Planet” by creating various crafts using environmentally friendly materials. This vision allows us to have a more positive impact on the environment by reducing emissions, waste, pollution, and even improving the quality of public and environmental health.
This year, Si Nomi was held on Saturday, May 11, 2024, with a visit to Bengok Craft, located in Tuntang, not far from Rawa Pening. The first activity was a sharing session with the CO-Owner of Bengok Craft about the inception of Bengok Craft, starting from observing the problems in Rawa Pening related to water hyacinths, innovations to process water hyacinths into an attractive craft, and Bengok Craft’s marketing strategies to ensure they are known beyond the local community. Bengok Craft is located at Jalan Fatmawati No. 8, Tuntang, Semarang, Central Java. Rawa Pening is known for the abundant growth of water hyacinths in the lake. Water hyacinths are invasive plants that grow wildly in the water, often disrupting the activities of fishermen in Lake Rawa Pening. The main problem is that water hyacinths often fill the Rawa Pening area, blocking the flow of the Tuntang River. This was the core issue observed by Bengok Craft, which ultimately utilized water hyacinths as valuable products with commercial value.
After that, Bengok Craft provided the necessary materials for participants to try processing dried water hyacinths into various crafts, such as piggy banks and tissue boxes, which participants could take home. The participants were very enthusiastic about trying to process the water hyacinths, and they could experience the usefulness and results of the crafts themselves.
The activity ended with a boat tour of Rawa Pening, allowing participants to see the beauty of Rawa Pening adorned with many water hyacinths. The participants greatly enjoyed this tour, appreciating the scenic views of Rawa Pening. Bengok Craft has a very smart approach to the water hyacinth problem. They not only see it as a nuisance to fishermen and the Tuntang River flow, but also as an untapped resource potential. With their innovation, water hyacinths have transformed from a problem into an opportunity. Bengok Craft became an inspiring example to participants on how we can think critically and seek creative solutions to the challenges around us, turning problems into starting points for positive change. Participants also felt encouraged to be more aware of the resource potential around them and how those resources can be utilized sustainably.
