Universitas Gadjah Mada’s Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM UGM) has a village mentoring programme. One project that has run is the capacity building of the Karangkobar village to be Disaster-Resilient Village in Banjarnegara, Central Java.
Field Coordinator, Novia Kristiana, said the community service for the project was led by Dr. rer. nat. M. Anggri Setiawan, M.Si., Geography lecturer. This is a programme to follow the first one carried out by student community service in April-May 2015, after which it was officiated by Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo as a village mentored by UGM.
“The aim of the project is to form an independent and responsive community towards disaster and disaster risk reduction,” said Novia Kristiana in a press release on Monday (27/6).
Socialisation and simulations of disaster response was done on Sunday (26/6) in cooperation with BPBD Banjarnegara, Karangkobar local military and police offices, Karangkobar community health centre, and village chiefs. These are expected to become the model for other vulnerable villages.
“Through the socialisation and simulation done by student community service of period April-May 2015, the residents here already have awareness of preparedness against landslides. After the event, residents from other villages came to ask for similar socialisation and simulation in their areas,” she said.