The presence of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta's KKN (Community Service Program) students is a tangible example of how universities can contribute to sustainable development within communities. Through programs grounded in local needs, KKN students not only put their academic knowledge into practice but also invite communities to find creative solutions to environmental issues while opening up economic opportunities.

That spirit was put into practice by UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Batch 120 KKN students through a training session on turning used cooking oil into aromatherapy candles for the women of Dukuh Jambean, Cekok Village, Babadan District, Ponorogo Regency, on Friday, August 7, 2026.

The program grew out of the ongoing issue of used cooking oil being carelessly disposed of. Through an educational approach paired with hands-on practice, KKN students invited the community to rethink used cooking oil, shifting it from worthless household waste into a material that can be reused to create something of value.

This used-cooking-oil program aligns with the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Turning used cooking oil into a new product reflects a simple form of circular economy practice, reducing waste while extending the useful life of a material.

Through the activity, UIN Sunan Kalijaga's KKN students introduced waste management practices that can be carried out starting at the household level. Residents were given an understanding of the different types of household waste, the dangers of disposing of used cooking oil carelessly, and its impact on the environment and public health.

The activity then moved into hands-on practice, processing used cooking oil into aromatherapy candles. Participants learned each step, from removing the odor and filtering out impurities to heating and mixing the ingredients, and finally adding color, scent, and decoration using dried flowers and leaves.

This approach shows that efforts toward sustainable development can begin with issues close to everyday community life. Students' knowledge and creativity were translated into practices that are simple, applicable, and have the potential to be further developed by residents themselves.

The program's impact goes beyond the environmental dimension, it also connects to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. KKN students encouraged participants to see the economic potential in waste processing, including the possibility of developing aromatherapy candles into a home-based business that could add value for their families.

Meanwhile, the community's involvement in creating a cleaner environment and developing local potential also aligns with the spirit of SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

For UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, KKN serves as an important space for bringing academic knowledge together with the concrete issues communities actually face. Students are present not merely as participants in an academic activity, but as part of a broader process of community empowerment.

The leader of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Batch 120 KKN team explained that the activity is part of students' efforts to design community service programs that genuinely match community needs, particularly around household waste management, an issue that has often gone without adequate attention.

The women of Dukuh Jambean responded positively, actively taking part in every stage of the activity, from the material presentation and oil filtering to mixing ingredients and molding and decorating the aromatherapy candles.

Through this activity, students hope the skills residents gained will not stop at the training session but will grow into a new habit of waste management as well as a potential home-based business opportunity.

More than just a KKN program, the activity in Dukuh Jambean shows how UIN Sunan Kalijaga strives to be a university that makes a real impact on communities. Students' knowledge, creativity, and social awareness form part of the university's broader contribution to advancing the sustainable development agenda.

From campus to community, UIN Sunan Kalijaga's KKN program gives students a space to both learn and make an impact: turning environmental problems into opportunities, turning waste into something of value, and putting small practices into motion toward more sustainable community development. (humassk)