UMS Students Offer Horticultural Therapy for Boyolali's Disability Community Through the HealSpace Program

The HealSpace Student Creativity Program in Community Service (PKM-PM) team from Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) launched its community service program series through the "Sapa Mitra 1" activity together with the Karya Manunggal Disability Community in Demangan Village, Sambi District, Boyolali Regency.

The activity marked the first step for the UMS HealSpace team in introducing the program while building rapport with the members of the disability community. A warm and friendly atmosphere prevailed throughout the event, reflecting the spirit of collaboration between students and the community.

Head of the UMS HealSpace PKM-PM Team, Abqory Anis Subekti, explained that this activity serves as an important foundation for the implementation of a program focused on improving the psychological well-being of people with mental disabilities.

"People with mental disabilities in this area still face various challenges in managing their psychological health, as well as limited access to adaptive activity spaces. That is why we are working to provide solutions that can help them in a sustainable way," he said on Wednesday (17/6/2026).

Through the HealSpace program, the UMS student team offers a horticultural therapy approach combined with appropriate technology in the form of a Smart-Wicking system and vermicompost. Smart-Wicking is a wick-based self-watering system designed to be easy for community partners to use, while vermicompost utilizes earthworms to produce organic fertilizer.

The combination of the two is hoped to not only support gardening activities but also deliver therapeutic benefits that can help improve the mental health and independence of people with disabilities.

The Sapa Mitra 1 activity was attended by 20 people with mental and physical disabilities from the Sambi District area, the managers of the Karya Manunggal Community Studio, and the UMS HealSpace PKM-PM implementation team.

During the discussion and interaction sessions, participants showed high enthusiasm for the program to be carried out. This positive response provides an encouraging foundation for the HealSpace team to proceed with the next stages of the program.

The supervising lecturer of UMS HealSpace PKM-PM, Siti Azizah Susilawati, S.Si., M.P., Ph.D., said the program is a concrete expression of students' concern in addressing community needs through practical innovation.

 UMS PKM-PM HealSpace UMS Team.

"PKM-PM serves as a means for students to implement their knowledge while delivering solutions to various problems faced by the community, including groups with disabilities," she said.

Furthermore, the HealSpace program is hoped to deliver a lasting impact on improving the quality of life of community members. Through a humanistic and collaborative approach, UMS students are working to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for people with disabilities in Demangan Village and its surroundings.

Beyond receiving a warm welcome from community members, the activity, which was held on Tuesday (26/5/2026), also received appreciation from local community figures. Through the synergy between students, studio managers, the village government, and the community, the HealSpace program is hoped to run sustainably and deliver long-term benefits for the psychological well-being and independence of residents with disabilities.

Writer: Fika Annisa Sholihah

Editor: Maysali Sudarwati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid