The Indonesian Inspiration for Building Foundation (YIIM) together with PT Insight Investments Management (INSIGHT) (INSIGHT) are always committed to supporting the strengthening of community independence through a series of inclusive and sustainable empowerment initiatives.

Residents on the banks of the Ciliwung River in RW11 Bukit Duri, Tebet, South Jakarta, have started cultivating the dewa leaf plant with the properties of eliminating itching on the skin.

“Since the plaster walls were built by the DKI Provincial Government at the end of December 2016, our area has rarely been flooded, most floods appear from water channels during heavy rain. Residents like itching,” said the Head of RW11 Bukit Duri, Muhammad Siroj, in Jakarta, Sunday.

According to him, this activity was initiated because the local area was in a flood-prone zone, causing some residents to suffer from itchy skin when the flood hit.

Dewa leaves, which have the Latin name “gynura procumbens”, were handed over through the assistance of the Indonesian Building Insiprasi Foundation and PT Insight, a total of 1,000 seeds mixed with other types of plants from the living pharmacy.

According to Siroj, god leaves will be planted on the 300 meter side of the Ciliwung Inspection Road for around 800 local families to cultivate.

Plant expert from the Plant Division of Trubus Agribusiness, Gunadi, revealed that god leaves have the property of relieving itching on the skin as a herbal medicine.

“The leaves are dried and then crushed, applied to itchy skin,” he said.

The man who has worked for 23 years at Trubus also shared tips on cultivating the plant, which in Malay is called sambungjiwa.

Watering a 30 centimeter pot requires one liter of water every morning or evening.

“The planting medium is mixed with roasted husks, raw husks, and manure. The media must also have a axis because the roots are fibrous. If you don’t use porosity, it can rot and die,” he said.

Fertilization uses the NPK type. NPK is a compound fertilizer that contains the nutrients N (Nitrogen), P (Phosphate), and K (Potassium)

“Just give it a little chemical fertilizer, about a teaspoon once every two weeks. After the fertilizer is flush,” he said.

Through this synergy and initiative, the Indonesian Inspiration for Building Foundation (YIIM) hopes that the programs implemented can provide real benefits, open up wider opportunities for independence for participants, and actively contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

*Inspiration Greetings!*