Get to Know RPG Santri: Seeds of Hope, a Global Technology Innovation by the UNU Jogja Team

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – RPG Santri: Seeds of Hope is a game created by a team from Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja) that won the Special Jury Recognition award at the international QS ImpACT Skills Challenge 2026.

The game is not merely a technological innovation or entertainment product, but is designed as a behavioral change education tool to foster environmental awareness, particularly in waste management.

One of the developers, who is also the Director of Community Service and Social Laboratory at UNU Jogja, Joko Susilo, explained that the game was inspired by the daily life of students in Islamic boarding schools (pesantren).

According to him, this innovation demonstrates that pesantren communities and santri in Indonesia have an important role in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, especially through environmental education for society.

“This is in line with UNU Jogja’s commitment to grow and create impact together with the Nahdlatul Ulama community, including pesantren, for the global society,” he said.

RPG Santri: Seeds of Hope, A Technological Innovation with Three Missions to Save the Environment

Through interactive simulations, players are invited to experience the environmental impact of every decision they make. In this way, players can understand the importance of behavioral change in everyday life.

The game consists of three main stages. In Layer 1, players focus on managing personal waste in the dormitory environment as a form of waste reduction. In Layer 2, players are challenged to manage a circular water system in the mosque. Meanwhile, Layer 3 encourages the use of solar energy in the local market through a community negotiation approach.

“In this game, victory is not only about clicking on trash, but about thinking systemically, engaging in diplomacy, and educating the community,” Joko emphasized.

Trial results showed that players became more aware of the impact of their daily habits, especially regarding environmental management. Therefore, the game is considered to have strong potential as an educational medium for various communities.

Joko added that RPG Santri: Seeds of Hope is not only intended for pesantren communities, but also has the potential to reach global audiences. Currently, the game is still under further development as a lightweight web-based application that can be accessed via smartphones or computers without requiring high specifications.

In addition, the language used is simple and contextual, while the gameplay mechanics are designed to be easy to understand, including for users who are not gamers.

The UNU Jogja team hopes this innovation can become an effective tool to build environmental awareness and encourage sustainable behavioral change in society. [Latifah]