YOGYAKARTA – Universitas Gadjah Mada has established 1,348 new Family-Based Empowerment Posts in Yogyakarta, involving 2,062 student participants of KKN PPM. In total, there are 3,000 posts having been established in Yogyakarta. This was stated by Vice Rector for Research and Community Service, Prof. Dr. Suratman, M.Sc., in the MoU signing of establishment between LPPM UGM and Yayasan Damandiri, Tuesday (20/11).
The cooperation is expected to increase empowerment through human resource enhancement, creation of prosperous and social-just family.
University’s participation in post establishment, Suratman said, is directed towards refreshing the function of family, which is religiosity, culture, love, protection, reproduction and health, education, economy, and the environment. “The fulfillment of these functions has the aim to achieve the MDGs set out by government,” he said.
In Yogyakarta, the development of empowerment post is based on area and mosque. In the implementation, UGM teams up with Universitas Janabadra (UJB), Universitas Ahmad Dahlan (UAD), Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY), Universitas Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa (UST), Sekolah Tinggi Pembangunan Masyarakat Desa (STPMD) and UIN Sunan Kalijaga.
UGM gives coaching for the districts of Kokap and Samigaluh in Kulonprogo regency, Rongkop, Girisubo, Ngawen and Nglipar in Gunungkidul, as well as Gondomanan and Gondokusuman in Yogyakarta.
Prof Dr. Haryono Suyono, Chairman of Damandiri foundation, said the programme was initially to reinvigorate the spirit of working together and to accelerate poverty alleviation. “All of the activites are measured through the level of participation, particularly from the disadvantaged people,” he said.