As many as 30 Universitas Gadjah Mada students from various disciplines will conduct community service in Sombano Village and Mantigola Makmur Village, Kaledupa District, Wakatobi Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province, from June 20 to mid-August.
This community service is part of the Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata Pembelajaran Pemberdayaan Masyarakat – KKN-PPM) under the guidance of a Communication Science lecturer from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM), Professor Ana Nadhya Abrar.
This program is an annual event held by UGM to increase student empathy and care and encourage the realization of a learning society.
The principle of KKN-PPM implementation emphasizes sustainability and aims for tangible, impactful results.
The KKN Warnai Wakatobi team this time carries the theme “Collaboration of Maritime Communities in Sustainable Waste Management and Ecotourism Revitalization Towards Food Independent Kaledupa in Sombano and Mantigola Makmur Villages.”
This theme was chosen after observing the potential of both villages. Sombano Village is known for producing agro-commodities (coconut, sweet potato, and onion) and boasts natural beauty with ocean panoramas.
Mantigola Makmur Village offers high-quality products such as skipjack tuna, mackerel tuna, snapper, stonefish, and octopus.
“Seeing the rich potential of this community, UGM students should learn to create sustainable innovations while realizing the principles of UGM KKN-PPM,” said Muhammad Syahrillah Hikam Muin, Chairman of the UGM KKN-PPM Wakatobi Team, at the UGM campus on Tuesday (Jun. 17).
Muin explained that in line with UGM KKN-PPM in Period II this year, the grand theme raised is Food Sovereignty and Sustainable Environmental Management.
Through this grand theme, he and other KKN friends designed the Warnai Wakatobi Team’s work program. They hope to bring great spirit and hope to the people of Wakatobi.
“My fellow KKN students and I will bring that spirit in carrying out the community service program. The deployment of the UGM KKN-PPM Team itself will be carried out on (Jun. 20), 2025,” Muin explained.
Based on the online meeting session for departure preparation with the local community, Muin conveyed that the community warmly welcomed the arrival of the Warnai Wakatobi Team.
They will conduct community service for 50 days. The KKN Warnai Wakatobi 2025 team hopes this will be a step towards sustainability.
“Hopefully, this will be a strategic program building on the efforts previously made by the KKN Warnai Wakatobi Team in 2023,” Muin concluded.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Illustration: telisik.id