The Empowerment of Society Through Woven Sarong Production Activity in Wanarejan Utara Village of Taman Sub District of Pemalang Regency of Central Java Province
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THE EMPOWERMENT OF SOCIETY THROUGH WOVEN SARONG PRODUCTION ACTIVITY IN WANAREJAN UTARA VILLAGE OF TAMAN SUB DISTRICT OF PEMALANG REGENCY OF CENTRAL JAVA PROVINCE 1H. Ismail Nurdin, 2Hj. Sri Hartati, 3Farina Rahmawati ABSTRACT Poverty becomes the biggest development problem of this century, not only for Indonesia, but also for every country around the world. Unavailability of sufficient number of jobs causes government to make comprehensive and sustained efforts to reduce the poverty. Now community empowerment becomes appropriate solution in enabling people and improving independent people to reach the social welfare. The title of this research is “Community Empowerment through Woven Sarong Production Activity in Wanarejan Utara Village of Taman Sub district of Pemalang Regency of Central Java Province”. The research aimed to describe the process of woven sarong production as community empowerment activity, to identify inhibiting factors, and to determine the local government effort as empowerment strategy. It used an exploratory method with an inductive approach, using descriptive analysis to portray the empowerment process. It also used non-scoring SWOT analysis to identify internal and external factors which influenced the empowerment. According to research and data processing, the author could conclude that community empowerment through woven sarong production in Wanarejan Utara Village did not run optimally. It could be showed from the community welfare level that has not increased yet and from the inhibiting factors such as low of capital, inefficient production, and the worker regeneration. The best recommendation is to optimize the training and monitoring that is done by local government, along with the establishment of woven sarong as a main product of Pemalang Regency. The last one is to form production cooperative that can guarantee the materials production and distribution networking in order to increase the community outcome. The roles both local government and community itself are needed to sustain the production activity as a community empowerment in Wanarejan Utara Village. Keywords: community; optimalization; influenced the empowerment I. INTRODUCTION 8 development goals as a goal package Poverty becomes the biggest problem of from 2000 until 2015 in which the first development in 21st century, not only in goal is to eradicate extreme poverty and Indonesia, but also all over the wolrd. It is stated in hunger. (Source: http://www.un.org. Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). Millennium Development Goals. Millennium Development Goals Monday, 9th of December 2013.) (MDGs) is agreed by presidents and delegations from 189 country members In Indonesia, alignments against poverty of United Nation (UN). The MDGs begin with the foundation of our constitution, the contains commitment of each country Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia Year and international community to achieve 1945. Preamble to the Constitution of 1945 sets 80 out the purpose of the state , they are to protect all strive to improve the dignity of society (which in the people of Indonesia and the entire country of its present condition has not been able to escape Indonesia, promote the general welfare, educate from the trap of poverty and underdevelopment) the nation, and participate in the establishment of a become capable and independent by world order based on freedom, eternal peace, and strengthening the potential or power possessed social justice. All these objectives can be achieved by the community so as to create an atmosphere if development issues in Indonesia (such as allows them to achieve a better life. poverty) can be resolved. This is in line with the thinking of According to the Central Bureau of Subejo and Narimo in Mardikanto (2013:31) Statistics, poverty is the inability to meet the who say that: minimum standards covering the basic needs of The process of community eating and non-eating needs. In addition to empowerment is a deliberate effort to meeting the needs factor, the United Nations facilitate local communities in Development Program (UNDP) defines poverty as planning, deciding and managing the inability to expand life choices, such as by owned local resources by the inserting valuation absence of public participation collective action and networking, so in policy-making as an indicator of poverty. Those that in the end they have the ability who are poor are also weak in entrepreneurial and independence economically, skills and limited access to economic, so they are ecologically and socially. getting left behind from other communities that have high potential (Huraerah, 2008:184). Pemalang Regency is one of It takes comprehensive and sustained regencies in Central Java Province located on the efforts in tackling poverty right. In this running North Coast of Java Island. Astronomically era, SBY and The Cabinet, have development Pemalang Regency located between 109°17'30" - priorities up to 2014 (August 16th, 2013 109°40'30 " East Longitude and 6°52'30"- President's Speech in the House of Parliament), 7°20'11" South Latitude. Pemalang Regency is namely (1) economic growth, (2) job creation, divided into 14 sub districts namely Bodeh, (3) price stability, (4) poverty eradication, (5) Ulujami, Comal, Ampelgading, Petarukan, food security, and (6) energy security. Taman, Pemalang, Bantarbolang, Randudongkal, The availability vocation may Warungpring, Moga, Pulosari, Watukumpul and decrease the number of poor and boost economic Belik. growth. When people already have jobs and Based on Population Census of the incomes, food security will increase. When this Central Bureau of Statistics in 2010, the total has been achieved, there will be price stability population in Pemalang Regency was 1,261,049 and create safe conditions. However, when the people. Pemalang Sub District as the Capital of number of jobs available is not sufficient, it will Pemalang Regency has the highest population of be a lot of unemployment and can increase social 172.822 people and then Taman Sub District is problems. Government as a representative of the 157.658 people. The high number of population public should anticipate this in order that in this two sub districts can be an asset in the essential function of government, which is to development of Pemalang Regency if the local maintain law and order, can still be achieved. government knows the best way to optimize the The government should empower the people so potential of the community. that people become self-sufficient and have the People of Wanarejan Utara Village, ability to compete as effort to sustain life. Taman Sub District, has initiated to do Law No. 32 Year 2004 about Local community development as one of the efforts to Governance states that the local administration is improve the community's economy and directed to accelerate the realization of public providing jobs. There is weaving production welfare through service improvement, activity using Non Machine Loom (ATBM: Alat empowerment, and community involvement, as Tenun Bukan Mesin) that ever reached the glory well as improving the competitiveness of the in 1995-1999. region by taking into account the principles of According to data from the Agency democracy, equality, justice, privilege and the for Community Empowerment and Family specialty of a region. Local governments should Planning Pemalang Regency in 2012, ATBM 81 woven sarong Wanarejan Utara has 169 3. Regeneration (workforce needs are craftsmen with 7,171 labors. The main product increasing, but it is not supported by the produced in this industry is goyor sarong. preparation of young people to learn). The existence of the community 4. Production of woven sarong in Wanarejan activity that has been aged longer should provide Utara do not affects Pemalang Regency great benefits to community. Observation by the revenue yet. writer in apprenticeship activities showed that 5. Local Government is not optimal yet on the the living conditions of weavers in Wanarejan development and existence of woven sarong Utara is still simple. Community income from production activities in the village of this business is still under the Minimum Wages Wanarejan Utara. of Pemalang Regency. In addition, based on data The writer formulated some observation and from the Agency for Community Empowerment issues as follows. and Family Planning Pemalang Regency In 1. How does the process of community 2012, 61.27% or 4,497 weavers are over the age empowerment through woven sarong of 40 years. Young people (under 40 years) are production activity in Wanarejan Utara more interested in doing urbanization and Village? consider job as a weaving laborer is at a low 2. What are the inhibiting factors of the level. community empowerment through woven Production activity of woven sarong sarong production activity in Wanarejan has lasted long enough in the village of Utara Village and what are the efforts of Wanarejan Utara, but until now, the tools used to Pemalang Regency Government in produce woven sarongs are Non Machine Loom overcoming these barriers? (ATBM) which uses wood as raw material. Apprenticeship activity conducted by Operation of the manual ATBM makes the writer had several objectives, namely as inefficient production, as it takes a long time and follows. great effort which is 12-14 hours per day to 1. To find out the production process of woven produce only five sarongs per week. sarongs as a form of community According to data from the Regional empowerment in Wanarejan Utara Village. Office of Cooperative,