Universitas Gadjah Mada regularly dispatches students for Student Community Service – Community Empowerment programme (KKN-PPM UGM), aiming at encouraging sustainable independence and prosperity of the local people.
In 2016, UGM dispatched 5,813 students to various regions across Indonesia. This includes the departure of 23 students to the Girikerto village in Ngawi regency on the slopes of Mt. Lawu (East Java) for 47 days to explore the natural resources for increasing the prosperity of the local people there. The area has resources for springwater, flora and fauna.
The UGM students are to create the Girikerto Green Tourism Village (DeWiGiri) to explore these natural potentials. DeWiGiri is expected to be able to preseve and protect the springwater, flora and fauna diversity of the area.
“We did ask the students to focus on protecting the natural resources of Girikerto,” said field supervisor, Atus Syahbudin, Ph.D., on Monday (18/7).
Collaborating with BAPPEDA Ngawi, the KKN PPM UGM have made strategic steps to realise the tourism potential into good use. It is expected that by next year a handicraft production house, water boom as well as cliff climbing sites can be established.
The UGM students also give training to the local people on environment through biology museum in the village, green school and tree campaign.
Teguh, the local chief of Sine district, hoped that the UGM student community service programme could maximise the potential of Girikerto village. Teguh appreciated the KKN- PPM UGM projects as the students have shared their insight and implemented it directly with the people. “I hope the positive impacts of UGM’s student community service would spread to other regions as well for the development of village potentials,” he said.