April 26, 2025 | 10:45 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mochammad Afzal Iftikharus Sadat Ramadhan, an Indonesian student from the Information Systems Program at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Airlangga University (Unair), was selected as one of the participants in the Global Youth Innovation Summit held in Singapore and Malaysia for his innovation related to used cooking oil.
Affectionately known as Afzal, he and his team won 2nd Place in the SDGs Project Video category with a focus on the environment. They introduced an innovation called ''Oil Chemy," a prototype device for collecting used cooking oil with a barcode scanning system for point collection, addressing unregulated used cooking oil in national regulations.
"If there's an opportunity, why not give it a try? Sometimes we think too much and are afraid of failure, when in fact, trying is the first step towards change," said Afzal in a statement on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
Turning Waste into Opportunity
Afzal mentioned that the ''Oil Chemy'' project stemmed from concern over the abundance of used cooking oil waste in big cities, especially Jakarta. According to Afzal, there is currently no system in place to help the community systematically and sustainably recycle used cooking oil.
The prototype designed by him and his team not only serves as a collection device but is also integrated with simple technology such as QR Codes, which can display points for users. This concept is designed in a Business Model Canvas format, and plans to convert the oil into environmentally friendly soap and air freshener.
Multigenerational Team Challenges
Interestingly, in the five-member team, Afzal had to collaborate with high school students who were not familiar with the concept of SDGs. Instead of being a hindrance, he turned this condition into an educational challenge. "I had to learn to explain the concept that I usually use at university. This is not just a competition, but a two-way learning process," he said.
He admitted to learning a lot about cross-generational communication and how to simplify complex ideas to be understood by all age groups.
Afzal not only brought home an award but also made it into the Top 10 Special Partial Funded Delegate, indicating international recognition for his idea. As a student participating in a global event for the first time, Afzal emphasized the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone.
"Public speaking, coordination, presentation design, I learned everything on the spot. This experience is not about winning, but about shaping oneself to be ready to face global challenges," he expressed.
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