UGM’s Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) students successfully assisted the residents of Kendal and Sooka Villages, Punung District, Pacitan Regency, East Java Province.
They helped address challenges in providing livestock feed and introduced clean water processing technology to the communities.
In their service, UGM students also created a village profile website, updated village data, and provided training for MSME actors.
During the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of KKN-PPM activities in Kendal Village on Tuesday (Jan. 22), Dr. Arie Sujito, UGM Vice-Rector for Student Affairs, Community Service, and Alumni, welcomed and appreciated the efforts and works of UGM students.
He expressed his happiness that the students’ work had already produced results that the community could feel after only three weeks.
For him, KKN-PPM is the best way for students to practice interacting with rural communities. By engaging with the community, he said, students communicate with residents while delving into their various issues.
“These students are learning to engage, learning to interact. This is UGM’s way of educating them to interact, so they learn from the community,” he said.
During the M&E, the UGM delegation listened to a presentation on KKN-PPM activities by Raden Razaq Farel Aryabima, Head of KKN PPM Unit 2024-JI060, and Ari Cahyono, the field supervising lecturer.
In addition to discussions, the M&E participants had the opportunity to visit an MSME exhibition showcasing packaged food products such as Andini Onion Crackers, Asih Cassava Chips, Pacitan Bakpia, Banana Chips, and Ambar Arum Dried Bananas.
Punung District Head, Pudji Haryono, expressed his appreciation and gratitude, as the villages in his area had been selected for UGM’s KKN PPM activities.
According to him, the KKN-PPM has truly assisted the development efforts in Punung District, particularly in the two villages, Sooka and Kendal.
“UGM students have provided great value to the community, especially in terms of empowerment. However, we hope that what is left behind can be continued. No matter how much has been provided by these students, if there is no continuity, I feel it will eventually fade away,” he said.
Haryono also mentioned that Punung District has hosted KKN-PPM students for three consecutive years. The warm welcome from the community during these three years has been a testament to their contributions.
In addition to carrying out their main program, the students also supported other activities, such as assisting with health services at local health posts (posyandu), especially for the elderly.
“I’ve heard that they help with religious study sessions in the afternoon. These students teach Quranic studies, which is extraordinary, especially since this area still lacks teachers for Quranic instruction, and religious issues are very important because in building humans, we must not only focus on the physical but also the mental aspect,” he explained.
Sooka Village Head, Eko Wahyudi, expressed his gratitude for the presence of UGM students.
He stated that the student’s presence greatly helped the residents of Sooka, especially in preparing livestock feed for the dry season.
He noted that Sooka Village experiences a shortage of livestock feed during the dry season, while during the rainy season, there is an overabundance, which often goes to waste.
“By introducing silage and fermented livestock feed production, the community can now prepare for feed availability. Additionally, they introduced technology to draw water from underground using solar power technology, but unfortunately, the cost is not cheap,” he said.
UGM’s KKN PPM Unit 2024-JI060 in Punung adopted the main theme of village data renewal in Sooka Village and Kendal Village, Punung District, Pacitan Regency.
Several Senate Chairpersons and Secretaries attended this M&E event, including Professor Sulistiowati, Professor Hermin Indah Wahyuni, and Chair of Commission I, Professor Regina TC. Tandelilin.
Also present were Chair and Secretary of Commission II, Professor T. Yoyok Wahyu Subroto, Dr. Raden Roro Upiek Ngesti Wibawaning Astuti, Professor Ganis Lukmandaru, Dr. Ahmad Zubaidi, UGM’s Directorate of Community Service Secretary Dr. Djarot Heru Santoso, Sooka Village Head Eko Wahyudi, Kendal Village Head Bambang Widodo, and several other leaders.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Photographer: Donnie