UMM Accompanies Countryside Through “Smart Village”

Illustration: KKN-PPM 05 in Pangkemiri Tulangan Village, Sidoarjo District, empowering the community with integrated rice cultivation program

One of Nawacita programs initiated by Jokowi-JK mentioned that Indonesia should be developed starting from regions and villages. The programs of government are expected to reach people who live in villages. Unfortunately in recent times, those programs are disused. That is the reason why Study program of Economic Development (EP) Faculty of Economy and Business University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) inititated “Smart Village".

The Dean of Faculty of Economy and Business, Idah Zuhro stated that most of the community service programs are realized in the form of infrastructures. “Smart Village” builds awareness and work ethos of people. The agendas of the program are building people’s awareness in thinking about environment to be more advanced.  Idah said, “People have to aware and have critical thinking to develop their villages”.

Furthermore, Idah explained that spiritual strength can build a quality work ethos which means that it will be useful for the society. She said, “The spirituality can build a good work ethos”. It is expected that people are able to bind their interests together. Idah said, “Spiritual approach can make people embody their needs together”.

The program will be started by mapping some disadvantaged villages around coastal and mountainous in Malang at the end of April. It will be oriented to 3 agendas, which are institutional, social, and development.

Secretary of Economic Development Study Program, Muhammad Sri Wahyudi, said that some agendas have been approved. Wahyudi said, “The agendas that have been proved according to the observation in some disadvantages villages”.

According to Wahyudi, Those agendas cannot be implemented in one,two, or three years. There should be a follow up and focus on the program to build people’s awareness about problems around them. Wahyudi said, “It is expected that this program can be an answer to solve problems faced by the society in developing their villages”. (lus)