Water Hyacinth Recycle Training

Water hyacinth is plant, which lives on no flows waterways or river. As we know most of the people think that water hyacinth is just rubbish. We can’t use it for our daily lives. But, not after the water hyacinth course, which held for kids by Tunas Hijau Club on Surabaya Zoo, September 16, 2001.

The special characteristic of children and teenage felt when we enter course room, which Julita Joylita were the instructor. The tropical climate and room, which didn’t use air conditioner, didn’t make the participant obey the instructor explanation. With the friendly style, Julita –instructor- explained about how to make sandals from water hyacinth. We need about 10 days to make the water hyacinth dry and ready to use for handicraft.

To make a good product and do not look blackish, the instructor proposes to often turn around the one side to another side while drying. The training, which one of the Clean Up the World 2001 series, was preparing the dry water hyacinth. Each participant got some basic commodity from the dry water hyacinth to make sandals, a plaited mat and coaster plate for beginning. The dry water hyacinth was still in stick form.

The participant had to make into flat type. By pressing the stick  water hyacinth with some tools, such as wood. After the process done, participant could start the next process to plait it. According to what Julita said, it’s easier to teach someone who didn’t know any things about the handicraft. Even we need more energy to teach the children than adults, but we could enjoy it. Because, the children is really funny and cheerful.

We can use board to plait the water hyacinth. But, some of the children clip the water hyacinth with their foot fingers. The next step is we have to make rope from the water hyacinth. It’s same with plait our hair. Even, it’s simple enough, but there were also children who had trouble and ask the instructor to teach them.