Bandung Officials Appreciate Prison Program Empowering Inmates Through Plastic Waste Recycling

Radea Respati Paramudhita, Chairman of Commission I of the Bandung City Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD), lauded a community service initiative by the Widyatama University Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at the Bandung Women's Class IIA Prison. The program, themed "Ecopreneurship Based on Household Plastic Waste Recycling as an Effort to Empower the Economic Independence of Inmates," was held on Tuesday.

Paramudhita described the initiative as a concrete step toward improving the skills and fostering economic self-sufficiency among the inmates, particularly women. The program, led by Dr. Rima Rahmayanti, SE., MM., involved participants from various Bandung city government agencies, including the DPRD Secretariat, the Environmental Agency, and the Trade and Industry Agency.

He emphasized that empowering inmates goes beyond mere technical skills. Paramudhita highlighted the necessity of an ecosystem that connects training, product development, and marketing to ensure the inmates' creations yield tangible economic benefits. "We certainly appreciate this activity very much. What is provided is not only knowledge and skills, but also how inmates can see that something previously considered trash can actually be processed into products with economic value," Paramudhita stated.

The ecopreneurship concept, he explained, offers dual benefits: reducing waste, especially household plastic, and creating economic opportunities through creative waste processing into marketable products. Paramudhita sees this approach as aligning with community empowerment efforts that address environmental issues while simultaneously generating business prospects and enhancing economic independence.

Paramudhita stressed the importance of collaboration between universities, local governments, correctional institutions, businesses, and the community. This cross-sector synergy, he believes, is crucial for ensuring such programs are sustainable and provide long-term benefits, moving beyond just training to include ongoing support for product development, promotion, and market access.