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Hybrid SMS and Community Kiosk Gamification for Plastic Upcycling Micro Enterprises in Remote East Nusa Tenggara
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Villages in a remote part of Indonesia turned plastic waste collection into a game—people earned points via text message for dropping off sorted plastic at local kiosks, then traded those points for goods or business funding. In just six months, communities collected over 18 tonnes of plastic (keeping much of it out of the ocean, where it breaks down into microplastics that end up in seafood and drinking water) while boosting local incomes by 35%. It's a promising example of how simple, low-tech incentives can tackle both plastic pollution and poverty at the same time.
Plastic pollution and chronic poverty intersect sharply in Indonesia’s remote East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), where weak waste infrastructure leaves shorelines strewn with plastic while micro-enterprises lack stable income streams. This study piloted a hybrid SMS- and community-kiosk gamification model designed to convert plastic waste into economic opportunity. Between August 2024 and January 2025, 240 households and 12 micro-enterprise groups in three NTT villages; Rote Ndao, Nagekeo, and Sumba Barat Daya, registered via SMS to earn points which are redeemable for goods or enterprise capital for each kilogram of sorted plastic delivered to solar-powered kiosks. Public leaderboards, badge milestones, and monthly celebrations reinforced engagement, while NGO-led workshops trained participants to upcycle plastic using open-source Precious Plastic machinery. Mixed-methods evaluation combined kiosk records, surveys, t-tests/ANOVA, and thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups. Over six months, participants collected 18.5 tonnes of plastic; 14.7 tonnes were upcycled into woven mats, coasters, and decorative panels, with the remainder sold to regional recyclers. SMS engagement reached 92%, and 82% of households reported leaderboards as motivating. Average household drop-offs totalled 77 kg, and micro-enterprise monthly income rose 35%, with women capturing 7% of new earnings. Qualitative findings highlighted shifts in social norms as plastic became “valuable” rather than “dirty” and stronger community cohesion. The results demonstrate that low-bandwidth technology paired with visible, culturally resonant gamification can simultaneously reduce marine-bound plastic and boost rural livelihoods. Scaling the model and integrating supportive government policies could amplify these dual environmental and socio-economic benefits.
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