The outreach activity with the theme “PEMANTRA – Utilization of Family Vegetable Gardens for Family Medicinal Plants” was attended by 14 mothers with toddlers in Sengon Village, Klaten Regency. This activity was conducted using the KIE method (Communication, Information, and Education), which is one of the effective ways to deliver the material. The purpose of this activity is to increase knowledge and utilization of family medicinal plants for herbal prevention and treatment, as well as to optimize the home garden as a functional green space. Utilizing the home yard as a living pharmacy offers various benefits, one of which is improving the family’s health quality. Medicinal plants grown independently are guaranteed to be of high quality because they are free from pesticides and harmful chemicals. In addition, TOGA gardening activities can also beautify the home environment, creating a green, comfortable, and serene atmosphere.
In the conducted activities, participants showed enthusiasm that indicated an awareness of the importance of utilizing garden land for productive purposes, especially to meet their family’s health needs through independently processed medicinal plants. Active discussions showed that they were interested in the material provided, indicating an increased understanding of the benefits, planting, care, and processing of medicinal plants.
As a form of appreciation for the enthusiasm and active participation in the Q&A session, we are giving gifts to the mothers who asked questions. The purpose of giving these prizes is to motivate participants to be more courageous in asking questions and sharing experiences related to the use of family medicinal plants (TOGA). The prize given is a chopper. Not only that, for the mothers who attended, souvenirs in the form of medicinal plant seeds (red betel leaves or Javanese ginseng), and booklets about TOGA were given. We also provided toys for the children of the mothers present, such as soap bubbles, taiyo, and sand coloring. The hope of giving these gifts is to motivate the mothers to immediately practice the knowledge they have gained from the counseling, and to enhance the sustainability of the home garden program for medicinal plants in Sengon Village.
This activity is expected to have a positive impact on family health, the environment, and the local economy. Follow-up programs such as mentoring and advanced training can be conducted to ensure the sustainability of the program and to enhance participants’ skills in cultivating medicinal plants.