The floods that occurred earlier in December 2025 left behind large accumulations of waste and mud, posing serious risks to environmental quality and community health. To address these challenges, USU worked together with the Tanjung Pura Sub-District Government, the Langkat Regency Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Relawan Indonesia (RELINDO), and the Langkat Student Association (HIMALA) to carry out a collective clean-up action combined with tree planting activities.

Collaborative Action for Environmental and Community Recovery

The activity took place around Masjid Azizi and surrounding residential areas, beginning in the morning and involving students, local residents, government officials, security forces, and community volunteers. Through this joint effort, approximately 30 tons of waste were managed and removed to prevent open burning, which could have worsened air quality and threatened public health.

Participants focused on cleaning public spaces, removing flood debris, and restoring sanitation in areas heavily affected by the disaster. Tree planting was also carried out as an initial step toward long-term environmental recovery and ecosystem restoration.

The initiative brought together a broad coalition of stakeholders, including the Tanjung Pura Sub-District Government, Universitas Sumatera Utara, BPBD Langkat Regency, RELINDO, Institut Jam’iyah Mahmudiyah (IJM) Langkat, Dunia Melayu Dunia Islam (DMDI) Langkat Regency, the Langkat Student Association (PB HIMALA), BKPRMI Langkat, Pemuda Pancasila Langkat, FKPPI Langkat, the Indonesian National Police, Koramil II Tanjung Pura, and the wider Pekan Tanjung Pura community.

Strengthening Solidarity and Environmental Awareness

Beyond physical clean-up, the Friday Clean-Up Movement strengthened social solidarity and raised awareness of the importance of environmental stewardship in disaster-prone areas. The active involvement of USU students reflected the university’s commitment to community engagement, service learning, and sustainable development.

By preventing waste burning and encouraging responsible waste management, the activity contributed to healthier living conditions while supporting climate resilience efforts at the local level.

Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

This initiative supports multiple Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through post-disaster recovery and community resilience, SDG 13 (Climate Action) by mitigating environmental and health risks related to climate-induced disasters, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through strong cross-sector collaboration.

Through collaborative actions such as the Friday Clean-Up Movement, Universitas Sumatera Utara continues to integrate sustainability values into community service, demonstrating the role of higher education institutions in supporting inclusive and resilient recovery after natural disasters.