Strengthening Waste Bank Institutions and Health Screening for Adolescent Girls in Long Kali Ward

Penguatan Kelembagaan Bank Sampah dan Skrining Kesehatan Remaja Putri di Kelurahan Long Kali

Abstract

Household waste management in Long Kali Ward, Paser Regency, East Kalimantan Province, remains critically inadequate, urgently requiring comprehensive improvements to safeguard community health and environmental integrity. The success of waste banks hinges on active community participation in sorting and collection, supported by well-defined organizational roles, structures, and procedures. Addressing anemia among adolescent girls is crucial and can be effectively achieved through early detection combined with continuous education. This community initiative is a vital step toward reinforcing the waste bank's institutional framework and providing essential health screenings for adolescent girls in Long Kali, ultimately empowering the community and improving well-being. Waste bank activities involved sorting, collecting, weighing, recording, storing, and marketing waste, with an emphasis on the economic and environmental advantages of recyclables. Institutional strengthening included establishing a structured organization with a supervisor, advisor, chairperson, secretary, treasurer, and technical divisions responsible for maintenance, record-keeping, weighing, sorting, packaging, and marketing. Health screenings of 26 girls revealed that an impressive 84.6% had normal hemoglobin levels, demonstrating good health, while only 15.4% showed mild anemia, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and intervention. These findings highlight the importance of establishing self-sustaining waste banks, increasing environmental awareness, and continuing nutrition education along with iron supplementation programs.