The latest condition of Embung construction in Humusu Wini Village, Timor Tengah Utara Municipal (NTT). Photo by Reynaldo D.R. Sondi

Embung is a basin designed to contain waters. The function of Embung is similar to the function of a reservoir or a dam. Things that disseminates Embung and dam are just the capacity of containment and coverage area of the Embung. Embung has much smaller capacity than a dam.

In terms of the small amount of storage capacity. The usage of water that is contained by the Embung is not as large as dam. Water contained in an Embung is usually allocated for rice fields irrigation. In the other hand, Embung also can be used for public open-space.

One example is Embung Tambak Boyo in Yogyakarta. This embung is usually used by the community to exercise in the afternoon. Source of water in the Embung comes from the rivers or rainfall. Embung can be built in a location that has no rivers around.

In the era of President Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla, embung is one of priority program of the government. Recently the government is intensifying the construction of embung to boost the national food production.

The village of Humusu Wini, Insana Utara Subdistrict, Timor Tengah Utara Municipal, is not having an embung. Even though the construction of Embung has been planned since 2010, the development of the contruction is relatively stagnant. Embung in Humusu Wini is located in Tubu. Recently, the condition of this embung is just in digging phase. Since the beginning of 2018, there is no further development in the embung.

Food Security

One of the priority of the government is “Building Indonesia from the Borders by Strengthening Subdistricts and Villages in the Framework of Unitary State”. That priority is stated in National Mid-term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2015-2019 Chapter VI about National Development Agenda. If we switch for a while to Priority Job Plant (RKP) of the government in 2018, food security was the priority of the government. Seeing those facts, it can be inferred the lines between those two sectors.

Let’s take a look for a while to the agriculture condition in Humusu Wini. Almost there is no full time in these border village. Usually, the farmers just work on the rice fields in the rainy seasons, while the rice fields is empty in dry seasons.

In dry seasons, most of the farmers switch their profession into fishermen or Asam farmer.

 It has been a common scenery to see  a yellow and dry rice fields along the road in the village. Moreover, Humusu Wini includes in one of the village that has a difficulty to get access to water, and rarely rain. This village on has 10mm/year of rainfall (BPS, 2016). In dry seasons, most of the farmers switch their profession into fishermen or Asam farmer.

Keep in mind that Asam tree can grow well in dry seasons, most of the farmers make this choice as the last option to earn a living. Of course, it is not so good for the economy and food security in Humusu Wini.

According to Center of Statistics Board (BPS) in Timor Tengah Utara (TTU) Municipal, in 2015, rice productivity in TTU is 2708 tons/hectare. Insana Utara subdistrict has a rice field as wide as 580 hectare (BPS, 2016). It means that 1570.64 tons of rice can be produced each year. However, it is still relatively low.

If there is embung support in the villages in Insana Utara Subdistrict, of course this amount can increase. Because the water from the embung can be flowed into the fields, so that the fields can be irrigated all the time. Thus there will be no more sight of empty rice fields during the dry season.

Later with the embung, of course residents and the local government can design an irrigation channel that can irrigate all fields in Humusu Wini Village. If that is realized, it will certainly help the farmers of the village. The presence of embung that will store rain water will certainly create irrigation channels that drain water into the fields so farmers can work on the land throughout the year.

In the long term, rice cultivation of two to three in a year can be realized. With the increase in rice production, of course this can support the food security of Humusu Wini Village, and support the village economy from the agricultural sector.

(Author: Reynaldo Daniel Ruma Sondi ; Source: https://muda.kompas.id/2018/08/06/embung-kunci-pertanian-berkelanjutan-humusu-wini/; translator: Harun Ardiansyah)

Moms in Teluk Beringin Village, Kuansing Municipal, Riau was following instructions to make an instant turmeric drinks. Photo: KKN-PPM UGM Unit RI-004

Village of Teluk Beringin, Gunung Toar Subdistrict, Kuansing Municipal, Riau has a broad area of rubber plantation. Various plants also grow around the rubber plantation, one of the plants is Turmeric Plant.

Turmeric plant can be found easily in the plantation between the rubber plants an also grows in the residents’ households. Turmeric has a lot of benefits, one of them is that it can be used as a anti-inflammation potion, reducing nausea, and relieving diarrhea.

Turmeric plants in Teluk Beringin Village is not fully developed to be beneficial. Residents only made the use of turmeric plants in terms of daily usage such as additional seasonings for cooking. Turmeric plants can also grow without any special attention.

Seeing this condition, KKN-PPM UGM team with PKK tried to process turmeric as an instant drink to benefit the plants around the households as an innovation product that can be done by the moms. The residents responded this innovation enthusiastically. The following the training of making an instant turmeric powder into beneficial drink. Expectation of this activity was to make the residents aware to process turmeric plant into a valuable product

Student of UGM was holding the turmeric powder produced by the village. Photo: KKN-PPM UGM team RI-004

Making Processes:

Peel turmeric then clean it, then add ½ cup of water and put it in a blender, after smooth blending and strain using a filtering tool to take the turmeric juice.

The next step is to put it in a skillet to cook, mix ½ kilogram of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt, stir until boiling and brown in color. After turning brownish, add 1/2 kilogram of the remaining sugar while stirring constantly until it crystallizes.

Next, after the crystals are smoothed using a blender to get instant turmeric powder. In order to produce turmeric powder, a ratio of 1: 2 is needed, 1 kilogram of instant turmeric requires 2 kilograms of sugar.

(Author: Dela Khoirul Ainia; Source: https://muda.kompas.id/2018/08/07/manfaatkan-kunyit-menjadi-minuman-instan/; translator: Harun Ardiansyah)

VALORAnews – A total of 29 students of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) held Community Empowerment Learning (KKN) Lectures on Community Empowerment (PPM) in Tarantang and Harau Nagari, Harau District. The prospective intellectuals will serve in the two nagari locations of the Harau Valley tourist attraction for 50 days.

The group of students from various clusters was received by the Limapuluh Kota Regent, H Irfendi Arbi in the Harau District Head office in daming a number of OPD heads on Monday (6/25/2018). Irfendi was happy and welcomed the presence of the student.

He hopes that the students can contribute and provide input for improving the economy of the community and tourism development of Limapuluh Kota Regency, especially the Harau Valley. He hopes that the KKN will be successful and smooth.

“We are sure that the KKN students from UGM will make a real contribution to the Tarantang and Harau Nagari, especially the tourism sector. We hope that the presence of the students will make Limapuluh Kota’s flagship tourism promotion more intense,” said Irfendi.

Irfendi hopes that students from the favorite university can understand all the potential and problems that exist in the community, including economic and social issues, to offer the best alternative solutions.

“We also hope that this student activity will also make changes in mindset and people’s behavior in a better way,” said Irfendi.

Separately, KKN PPM UGM Coordinator  of Student Unit (Kornit) in Tarantang, Afifah accompanied by one of the Akhila students admitted to being flattered by the Limapuluh Kota Regent’s welcome. Especially with the statement of the regent to guarantee the cooperation of the Limapuluh Kota Regency Government for the success of this UGM student KKN program.

“We were truly impressed by the greeting from the Regent Irfendi Arbi. We did not expect to be welcomed directly by him,” said Afifah who was accompanied by the Head of Jorong Tarantang, Petri Melki and Chairperson of Bamus Nagari Tarantang, Yanuar Khatib.

It was said, in this KKN activity the group of students would carry out a number of tourism promotion activities in the Harau Valley. The forms of activities include making the Nagari Tarantang and Harau websites, and making a video of the beauty of the Harau Valley by using drones.

“One of our plans is to create a nagari website and a video about the natural beauty of the Harau Valley to promote Limapuluh Kota’s flagship tourism objects to the world. We support Harau Mendunia which is the slogan of the Harau Valley,” said Afifah.

(Source: http://www.valora.co.id/berita/10610/29-mahasiwa-kkn-ugm-akan-videokan-pesona-lembah-harau.html; AI Mangindo Kayo; Translator: M. Brilian P.)

Member of PKK and Dharma Wanita of Bumiayu after Literary class on Saturday (4/8/2018). Photo: Team of KKN-PPM UGM

Batu – Students of KKN-PPM UGM Unit JI-040 in Bumiayu Village, Bumiayu Subdistrict, Batu City, East Jawa in Cooperation with Sinergi Group and Tourism Guide of Bumiayu Village is implementing the program of “Trial Desa Wisata Bumiayu” on last Saturday (4/8).

This activity in held in correlation with the bigger picture of KKN-PPM UGM Team Unit JI-040, which is “Mapping and Development of Agrotourism Complex Potential to Support Tourism Sector”. From that big theme, Students of KKN-PPM tried to make a tourism package which was tested first through this activity.

Tourists underwent a half-day tourism package with some activities such as writing Javanese letter in Gardu Pandang, Water Lettuce-Picking tour, and “Ulek Sambel” competition in Tlogorejo village, Flower-Picking tour ini Beru village, and lastly ended with Arranging Flowers competition di Omah Budaya Slamet. This event is packed with gamification to make it more attractive and tourists can actively participate in every activities.

“We would like to sell experience, that s why this event has to be packed in a way that the tourists are not only enjoy the natural scenery of Bumiayu Village, but also the tourism experience here will be remembered,” says Arif Bawono Surya, Project Manager of Sinergi Group. The same experience was also felt by the tourists. “In general, the event is good. I expect more in javanese letters lessons. I feel that I want to learn more.” Says Hevi Kurnia, one of the tourist.

This activity becomes the lesson learned for the youth who is involved in Tourism Youth. Awaludin Bashir, a member of Tourism Youth of Bumiayu village says, “this activity can be used for our practice to get used to.”

This activity which was held from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM was attended by 30 people from PKK and Dharma Wanita Bumiayu. This visitation in terms of Family Gathering is one of trial activities of Bumiayu Tourism Village. 22 students from KKN-PPM UGM and 10 member of Tourism Youth has prepared well this activity.

(Author: Nivita Saldyni Adiibah; Source: https://muda.kompas.id/2018/08/09/uji-coba-paket-wisata-desa-bumiaji-kota-batu/; translator: Harun Ardiansyah)

Sragen – Head of Bappeda and R&D of Sragen Regency, Tugiyono, SH, accepted the students of Universitas Gajah Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta in the Hall of Sragen Regent’s Office House, Monday (6/12/2017). It was attended by several SKPD Heads, Sepat Village Heads and Masaran Sub-District Heads, Gabugan Village Heads and Tanon Sub-District Heads.

Students totaling 55 people from various departments will conduct a Community Empowerment Learning Learning (KKN – PPM) Real Lecture guided by Dr. Drh. Hendri Tri Sakti Saragih, MT in Sragen Regency for 2 months to be placed in Sepat Village, Masaran and Gabugan Village, Tanon.

Dr. Drh. Hendri, said “KKN-PPM this time aims as learning and service for himself and for the community, how students conduct lectures outside the classroom to shape the taste of students and to help the community in developing their business”.

On the occasion, Tugiyono said, “Sragen has formed BUMDes as the implementation of the mandate of the Law on Villages and there have been many business units so that students can encourage them to develop these businesses, including village stalls in terms of management systems in managing these MSMEs” .

“For this 2 months the students must get rid of their individual egos, that is by adjusting to the environment and society to a positive culture to participate in developing MSMEs and the potential that exists in the area,” continued Tugiyono (Humas).

humas12 Juni 2017

Source: http://www.sragen.go.id/berita-623-55-mahasiswa-ugm-kkn-di-sragen.html

student community service lecture as an obligation for every UGM student or who is doing double degree program to follow it. This program gives a lot of positive value to the students because it directly plunges into the community to be able to help solve problems owned by the community. This is also to be able to apply the field of science that has been studied in college to be able to help solve real problems in society.

In addition, things that can be obtained by participant student community service in community plunge is to learn with the community. This is what Benmecherne Firdaous students are studying in a semester on the faculty of economics and business. According to Benmecherne during his stay in Jogja no role to know people outside the city of Yogyakarta for example Kulonprogo let alone to stay in some time with the community.

“This experience gives me the opertunity to learn to the village community with what they live in everyday life, “said Benmcherne. Because of the life values that Kulonprogo villagers have never encountered before during their stay in Yogyakarta due to the time they spent for their college activities and living in a dormitory. So the more interaction with the community is used to learn about the pattern of life with the local community although often the language is still a barrier to communicate.

Because not only students who provide assistance to the community with the knowledge they have but also vice versa where students can learn with the community. For example about the value of mutual cooperation, the value of togetherness, and the value of tolerance that became the view of village life in daily life. This learning experience is perceived by Benmecherne to follow the student community service-community empowerment learning program.

At first glance, Keerom is like a jungle with a potent store of potential that has not been revealed and may indeed be. Keerom is not as famous as Timika with thousands of tons of gold. Keerom is also not famous for the beauty of its natural panorama such as Raja Ampat or Biak. Because Keerom has its own charm as a district directly adjacent to the State of Papua New Guinea (PNG) and this shows that this district is located in eastern Indonesia.

Keerom Regency is one of the districts within the province of Papua with an area of 9,365 km2 located between 1400 15’0-1410 0’0 South Latitude and 20 37 ‘0-40 0’0 East Longitude. Later East Keerom borders on Papua New Guinea, the southern part with Pegunungan Bintang regency, the north with Jayapura city, and for western Keerom Jayapura District. As for the population, according to a report issued by the Central Bureau of Statistics Keerom district number 53,694 people with male population 29,145 and 24,549 women.

In the year 2015, the student community service-community empowerment learning PPA 02 UGM team amounted to 21 people consisting of various disciplines (Engineering, Medical, Fisipol, Geography, Pharmacy, mathematics and natural science, Agriculture and Livestock) perform dedication in Keerom Regency for two months. This devotion as a form of Tri Dharma college which one of them to serve the community. This program of community service is also an opportunity for students to be able to know the territory of Indonesia which is in other region.

Student Community Service UGM Team in its development, focusing its activities in Arso Regency; areas where the district government carries out administrative activities even though administratively it is not the capital of the district, because Waris is the capital. This is done after the first observation and ask for consideration from the Keerom government itself to be able to run the focus of devotion in the area of Arso. After the agreement between team of student community service-community empowerment learning of UGM and the new government, what programs need to be implemented in the society needed.

Then the group of student community service-community empowerment learning UGM plunged in the community and found that health became one of the main issues that are still very need to be addressed. This happens because of many factors that exist ranging from the knowledge that is still minimal, lack of self-awareness, and the unequal health facilities. One of them is the awareness to brush teeth in the community and children who are still less once, because people keep their teeth healthy so doing it by eating betel nuts. This betel nut eating activity has become a hereditary tradition that is run by the community to be able to maintain dental health and some other benefits. Plus eating betel nuts have many functions in the culture of the people of Papua, among others related to social and social values.

So the team of student community service-community empowerment learning will give understanding to the school children to brush their teeth and not to eliminate the culture that has become part of daily life. Because people are less aware of the impact of dental health that can damage the periodontal tissues mechanically in the form of powder or lime powder. This socialization needs to be done to provide early insight to the children about dental health is very important to be maintained early by doing a regular tooth brush. Because dental health has a very important role in human health as a tool to be able to cut food, smoothing food.

Supiori district is one of the new regencies in Biak Island which is located on a hard and dry rock, therefore known as “the city on the rock”. Supiori is divided into 5 districts, and one of them is Southern Supiori with the administrative center in Korido, directly bordered by the southern bay of the corido, Eastern Supiori to the East, the Aruri Islands district to the west, and North Supiori and East Supiori to the north. Southern Supiori with an area of 79 km ² has 7 villages, including Kunef (Didiabolo), Odori, Fanindim Baniki, Awaki, Warbenfondi, and Maryaidori.
Warbefondi, Korido, and Rani Island in the Aruri Archipelago District is the location of community service by student community service-community empowerment learning PPA 04 team of Universitas Gadjah Mada in 2015. student community service-community empowerment learning team of 24 people with 14 men and 10 women with the main theme “Non-Formal Education Eduation Alternative for Supiori Community Supporting Improvement of Economic Capacity of Society and Original Income Potency Supiori”. This theme was chosen because it sees poor education in Supiori society.

Advancement of a nation depends on the quality of human resources that exist in a nation. Especially after observing the student community service team found that many children in Warbefondi who can not read and write. This shows that there are still many Indonesian children who have not been able to read, write and most of them live in the deep and far from the city.
After knowing the problem, a student community service of UGM make illiteracy eradication program. This program is strongly supported by the local Education Office to eradicate illiteracy, as it is vital and will be closely linked to various sectors, whether education, economics, health, and many others to improve the welfare of the community.
Then the children are very enthusiastic to follow the program of learning illiteracy eradication with the spirit and diligent study to be able to read and write. Learning activities are also interspersed with play activities to be able to eliminate boredom in learning. In addition, students from student community service-community empowerment learning also tell and introduce some ideals and dreams to the children to be able to give encouragement to learn to them in living the future.
This illiteracy eradication program runs successfully with almost two months running. This is judged from some children who previously could not recognize letters and at the last meeting of the program in the afternoon class, they can already write and recognize letters and even string words. Although there are still stammering in reading, but it is a good process from before yet can not at all. And other successes inspire children to learn to read and write well.
Because most of the children do not have a good spirit of learning. Learning activities are not an important thing for children though it will be a provision of life in the future. Therefore, student community service give encouragement and encouragement to the children to enthusiastically and actively learn for their future which starts from daily learning process for a better life.

Java, as the most populated island in Indonesia, have a total population of 141.000.000 people (National Statistical Bureau, 2012). Surprisingly, while it is also deemed as the most developed island in comparison with other areas in the country, Java is also one of the biggest contributor in national illiteracy number. As quoted from a statement made by the directorate general of early age education and people education -Harris Iskandar- from about 5.900.000 illiterate population in Indonesia, 3.006.245 lives in Java. That number is then spread out to 1.458.184 illiterates in East Java, 943.683 in Central Java, while the other 604.378 lives in West Java.

Although a claimed 97.93% decline in national illiteracy number since the new presidency took place back in 2014 seems to be an outstanding achievement, it is still far from a total eradication of illiteracy. Literacy is important; from an individual perspective, one needs adequate literacy skills to participate and function happily within –and contribute to- one’s communities. From a collective perspective, a literate community is a dynamic community; a community that exchanges ideas, engages in dialogue is more innovative and productive. The sharing of ideas, perspectives, and concerns also leads to greater level of mutual understanding and caring. Our economy is also enhanced when literacy number goes up. Effective literacy skills open up doors to more educational and employment opportunities so that people are able to pull themselves out of poverty and chronic underemployment. In our increasingly complex and rapidly changing technological world, it is essential that individuals continuously expand their knowledge and learn new skills in order to keep up with the pace of change.

Faced with such essential and critical situation, Universitas Gadjah Mada –as the oldest and the first state university in Indonesia- has the moral obligation to elevate the literate statistic graph. In order to do so, “Illiteracy Eradication” has been a continuous Students Community Service-Community Empowerment Learning (SCS-CEL) theme since early 2006. Third year strata one UGM students and several international students are then sent to every corners of Indonesia to take on the literacy mission.

Partnering with the Ministry of National Education, a total of 490 SCS-CEL students in 2006 and 815 students in 2007, focused themselves in allover Java and Madura Island to eradicate illiteracy. This mission is done through different creative and innovative approaches; some SCS-CEL units developed a new creative learning methodology to teach reading and writing to elementary age children, while some others tried a more culture based approach when it comes to educating the elderly. For example, elementary age children are introduced to a more first-hand experience oriented learning outside their classical classroom while the elderly are gathered in a performance of Java Wayang Puppet in which the importance of learning and literacy are emphasized. Both type of approach proved to be appealing for those age groups, as there is a steep incline in numbers of participants; 2509 participants in 2006 to over 12.000 participants in 2007.  

Through the years, students participating in SCS-CEL UGM program are delighted to learn with the continuously reducing illiteracy rate in Java and Madura Island. Only through hard work and relentless effort, this illiteracy eradication program gained a 86.3% success ratio in 2006 and 87.5% success ratio in 2007. To this day, this program has been a symbol of UGM’s commitment to the development and quality enhancement of all Indonesian citizens.

The “9 Years Compulsory Education Promotion” program is designed by the government to answer today’s global needs and challenges. According to National Education Constitution No. 2/1989, the government is required to enhance the people’s standard of living through an obligation for citizens ranging from 7-12 years old and 12-15 years old to complete 6 years of elementary education and another 3 years of junior high school. It is deemed irrelevant for children allover Indonesia today to not complete a 9 years-minimum-education and living in illiteracy.

However, Indonesia’s archipelagic state made education standardization all over the country challenging. Moreover, the inequality of education in Indonesia is a structural problem, whereas in one hand education infrastructures and human resources to facilitate the process are hard to distribute. In the other hand, different cultural understandings on the importance of formal education and economic inequality throughout the nation also stands as an obstacle to education distribution.

Until today, UNICEF’s research has found about 2.5 million children in Indonesia are unable to access education. 600.000 children are unable to study at elementary level, and 1.9 million other doesn’t have access to junior high school. These numbers are also approved by the National Statistical Bureau (BPS). Several research conducted by BPS has founded that on a provincial and regency level, children coming from poor families are unable to start an elementary level education, moreover continuing their previous education to junior high.

To tackle this complication, UGM students agreed on doing a continuous and sustainable Student Community Service – Community Empowerment Learning (SCS-CEL) program with an emphasize on promoting “9 Years Compulsory Education Promotion”. In partnership with the Ministry of National Education, this program also attracts international students to join in. A total of 90 students in 2006, and 60 students in 2007 tackled the problem head on.

The focus area for these units are in Klaten, Sukoharjo, Karanganyar, Banjarnegara, and Wonosobo District in Central Java. Each unit developed their own way of doing the program with one mission in mind: to get children in school and keeping it that way. To do this, students in SCS-CEL units also have to be able to analyze the community’s condition: their livelihood, their cultural background, their social relations, and even daily challenges for the people. Only through a thorough understanding, the program will be effective and well-tailored to meet the people’s need.

Over the years, this program has been proven successful and has helped increased local community’s level of education enrolment. In Karanganyar District, the Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) has increased to 93.2%, in Sukoharjo 96.5%, and in Klaten 98.11%. Today, SCS-CEL students are spread to the remotest area in Indonesia to repeat their previous success in promoting “9 Years Compulsory Education” in Java.