The problem of waste in tourist attractions is still a heavy homework for tourism areas. The impact of the accumulation of garbage in the tourist area will be felt by the surrounding environment. Starting from the pollution of mountain ecosystems, air pollution, to have a direct impact on human health. If the garbage is just left alone, it will have a bad impact on the attractiveness of tourists in the tourist area. Tourism in the mountains or highlands is one of the tourism objects that attracts tourists. One of them is in the District, Sembalun, East Lombok. The area at the foot of Mount Rinjani (3,726 masl) includes six villages, the air is cool, the altitude is 800 mdpl-1,250 mdpl. This sub-district has developed into agro-tourism that invites local, domestic and foreign tourists to enjoy the natural panorama and fresh mountain air. However, the waste problem there is still quite severe. There is a lot of garbage scattered and piled up. The waste comes from domestic and non-domestic waste. Even garbage from tourists also contributes to the increasing amount of waste in Sembalun.

In order to support the local government to empower tourism in Sembalun District, on Saturday 26 August 2022, the Community Service Team from the Faculty of Nursing, University of Indonesia (FoN UI) carried out a community service activity entitled “Empowering Community in Health Literacy for Sustainable Tourism in Sembalun Village, East Lombok. , NTB” through providing education and training on waste sorting and management to cadres in Sajang Village, Sembalun. This service is part of the DPPM UI Community Service and Empowerment Program Grant.

FoN UI raises the issue of waste in this community service activity so that everyone has serious attention in solving the waste problem because it not only has an impact on the environment, but also health. Nurses have an important role in providing education about health literacy, one of which is about the importance of keeping the surrounding environment clean. Nurses play a role in preventing the increase in the incidence of disease by providing nursing care, education or counseling, managers of nursing services, and researchers.

This activity was carried out in Sajang Village, Sembalun District, East Lombok, involving 25 participants consisting of health cadres. The involvement of cadres in this program is expected to be able to overcome local waste problems in a sustainable manner. This activity is carried out with 2 main activities, namely education and training. Before being given education, the cadres did a pre-test as a measuring tool for the knowledge of the cadres before being given education by the FoN UI Community Engagement team. In the educational session, Ns. Rona Cahyantari Merduaty, S.Kep., M.AdvN. as a representative of the FoN UI Lecturer delivered material on the definition of waste, the importance of sorting and managing waste, how to sort and manage waste, and the impact of bad waste management and sorting on health and the environment. After that, the participants were divided into 3 groups to be given training on how to manage waste into useful and salable items accompanied by a facilitator. Each group of participants succeeded in making pencil cases, bags, and door hangers from household waste. After completion, participants were again given a post-test to see the development of the cadres’ cognitive abilities after being given education.

“Waste is indeed a complex problem in Sajang Village. The amount of waste in this village is quite high and difficult to recycle because the management is still not optimal. We hope that this community engagement can help the cadres to increase their knowledge and ability to sort and manage waste in a sustainable manner,” explained Lalu Kanahan as Head of Sajang Village.

FoN UI community engagement activities were carried out by Hening Pujasari, S.Kp., M.Biomed., MANP., Ph.D. as team leader and FoN UI lecturer, Ns. Rona Cahyantari Merduaty, S.Kep., M.AdvN., Ns. Silvia Elki Putri, M. Kep., Ns. Edian Fitriana, S. Kep., and 5 FoN UI Regular S1 students namely Alfisyah Salwa, Hanifa Zahrah Shalihah, Jihan Rahayu Marion, Septia Eka Ilhami, and Risya Fitri Salsabilla.

At the end of the activity, participants expressed their gratitude to the service team for the community engagement activities carried out in Sajang Village. Participants were satisfied and greatly helped by the activities carried out because the participants were able to practice how to manage household waste into useful and selling items.