Community Service
The production of natural TOGA soap from lemongrass by the Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat – Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (PkM-MBKM) team Faculty of Biology UGM 2025, chaired by Prof. Rina Sri Kasiamdari, S.Si., Ph.D. in the second phase of the PkM-MBKM program in Kepuh Kulon RT 001, Wirokerten, Banguntapan, Bantul through the production of soap using TOGA (Family Medicinal Plants) as raw material. This activity is a continuation of the PkM-MBKM program that was previously implemented from February to June 2025. The team involved five students, namely Swastikhansa Parahita Sulistyaningrum, Afrina Syah Putri, Isna Kuminingrum, Asitya Fitri Miadi, and Amyra Asa Nurhanifa, with the aim of increasing public awareness about the use of TOGA plants through the innovation of TOGA-based soap, especially lemongrass, which is easily available, as an effort to support skin health and can be used by various groups, including children. This event marked the fifth and final activity of the PkM-MBKM program in RT 001 Kepuh Kulon. It was held on Sunday, November 2, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the residence of the RT Head, Mr. Zamzuri. The event was enthusiastically attended and carried out by 20 society and Mr. Sunartono, the Head of Kepuh Kulon Hamlet, who opened the event by emphasizing the importance of utilizing TOGA for family health and encouraging residents’ independence in continuing the program of making natural soap from easily available TOGA. Prof. Rina also highlighted the benefits of the innovative soap made from lemongrass and olive oil, which is safe for children and healthy for the skin, while stressing the importance of community solidarity in enhancing creativity and the local economy.
The community service activities included socialization on making lemongrass soap and practicing making natural soap from lemongrass, as well as socialization on digital marketing. The socialization on making lemongrass soap was carried out by providing information on what medicinal plants are, their uses, their contents and benefits when used as ingredients for natural soap (lemongrass), the tools and materials needed, and how to make the soap. The digital marketing socialization was carried out by providing information about the objectives of digital marketing, creating an account on one of the online selling platforms, how to sell online, and tips on how to make products known to the wider community. After the workshop, there will be a quiz for residents and door prizes will be given out. At the end of the activity, participating village partners will be given souvenirs as a token of appreciation for their participation.
The PkM-MBKM team provided a set of soap-making tools that are expected to be used for practice and as souvenirs as a form of appreciation or proof of participation for village partners. The 2025 PkM-MBKM program is expected to provide information on processing TOGA into products that are beneficial to health and can improve the community’s economy. This activity supports SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production.
Yogyakarta, November 2025 —
Ganies Riza Aristya, S.Si., M.Sc., Ph.D., lecturer at the Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), has once again received international recognition by being awarded the RCE Awards 2025 from the United Nations University – Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), Tokyo, Japan.
The award was presented to RCE Yogyakarta for the project entitled “Integrated Holistic Education System as a Strategy to Improve Educational Quality in Marginalized Villages through Transpolitan Community Services”, led by Ganies Riza Aristya. The project builds upon the Transpolitan Community Services model, which integrates universities, local communities, and regional governments to develop inclusive and contextual education systems. This model strengthens the synergy between formal, non-formal, and community-based education to empower rural communities. The project was recognized as an Acknowledged Flagship Project at the Global RCE Awards 2025.
The RCE (Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development) initiative, under the coordination of UNU-IAS, promotes education for sustainable development worldwide. This award acknowledges outstanding contributions to advancing inclusive education, cross-sector collaboration, and community empowerment toward sustainable development.
This achievement follows Ganies’s previous success in receiving the Outstanding Flagship Project RCE Awards 2023, which highlighted an integrated education system based on agrotourism potential. “This award demonstrates that the synergy between education, community empowerment, and environmental conservation can bring real transformation toward sustainability,” said Ganies. Through this recognition, the Faculty of Biology UGM continues to strengthen its commitment to advancing research-based education and community engagement for environmental sustainability and social welfare.
UGM-Indonesia’s 2025 project advances low-cost biomanufacturing of a DENV-2 Domain IIIsubunit vaccine in Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco). The team’s approach leverages salt-inducibleTYDV Rep/RepA expression systems to drive efficient protein production in plants. This effort isan avenue that could make dengue vaccination more accessible across resource-limited settings.The team’s project focuses on an everyday problem with big impact: making dengue protectionmore affordable and easier to produce. In simple terms, the students are exploring how commonplants can act like tiny factories. If successful, this approach could help lower costs and makeaccess to protection more equitable.
ny families every year,and solutions that are practical, safe, and scalable can strengthen public health. The UGMstudents showed how young innovators from Indonesia can contribute ideas that make a realdifference on the global stage.
by the PkM-MBKM Team of the Faculty of Biology UGM
Contributors: Ardaning Nuriliani, Hendry Saragih, and R. Rohmad Gunawan Hardono.
The 2025 Community Service – Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (PkM-MBKM) Team of the Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), successfully conducted an educational program in Pajangan Hamlet, Wedomartani, Ngemplak, Sleman, under the title “Health Innovation through the Making of Aromatherapy Candles and Sharing Healthy Herbal Drink Recipes.” This program aimed to enhance community knowledge and skills in utilizing herbal ingredients for health and well-being—aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) No. 3: Good Health and Well-Being and No. 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. The team consisted of five active Biology students from the class of 2022, supervised by Dr. Ardaning Nuriliani, S.Si., M.Kes and partner Mr. Gunardi, S.Si.
The event took place on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at Masjid Jami’ Darussalam, Pajangan Hamlet. The session began with educational talks delivered by Ghefira Nur Fatimah and Nimas Ayu Pramesthi, focusing on two main topics: techniques for making aromatherapy candles and healthy herbal drink recipes. During the hands-on session, participants practiced making aromatherapy candles using natural essential oils such as lavender, lemon, peppermint, and lemongrass. The participants enthusiastically created candles of their own preferences. Beyond serving as air fresheners, aromatherapy candles also help promote relaxation, enhance focus, improve sleep quality, and support meditation and emotional balance. In addition, participants were introduced to various easy-to-make herbal drink recipes designed for home preparation. Each recipe was selected based on its health benefits, such as boosting immunity, aiding detoxification, and maintaining metabolic balance. Thus, participants gained not only theoretical understanding but also practical skills that can be directly applied in daily life. Each participant brought home their own handmade aromatherapy candle as a symbol of the new knowledge and skills they had gained—supporting SDG No. 4: Quality Education.
This program is expected to bring direct benefits to the residents of Pajangan Hamlet while serving as an inspiration for sustainable collaboration between academia and local communities. Through such partnerships, the Faculty of Biology UGM reaffirms its commitment to promoting SDG No. 17: Partnerships for the Goals. With a spirit of sustainability and innovation, the PkM-MBKM Team of the Faculty of Biology UGM demonstrates how scientific knowledge can be applied in real life to improve community well-being.
Contributors: Ardaning Nuriliani, Chelsy Ammara Septiani, Meinawa Amaliah, Nimas Ayu Pramesthi, Syifa Aneira, and Muhammad Fathin Setya Daffa.
























































