PPK Ormawa in Ngawis Village: Developing Cocoa Potential
For some students, student organizations may be closely associated with activities on campus. Through the Student Organization Capacity Strengthening Program (PPK Ormawa), however, students have the opportunity to engage directly with communities and contribute to developing the potential of rural areas.
The program aims to strengthen students’ capacities while making a tangible contribution to communities through village empowerment initiatives. This year, one of the programs carried out is the Smart Village Program in Ngawis Village, Karangmojo District, Gunungkidul Regency.
Developing Ngawis Village’s Cocoa Potential
Ngawis Village was selected because of its considerable cocoa potential. Through this program, the team seeks to process cocoa into products with greater added and economic value. This initiative is expected to create new opportunities while helping improve the local community’s economy. Through the Smart Village concept, the community is encouraged to develop this potential into various products that can continue to grow even after the program ends.
The program primarily targets village and hamlet heads, farmer groups, Women Farmer Groups (KWT), and youth organizations. These groups are expected to continue and further develop the program in a sustainable manner.
From Theory to Practice
The program began with surveys and the identification of the community’s potential and needs. Following this, the team provided educational activities through four literacy corners: Downstream, Digital, Circular, and Entrepreneur Family. Rather than only receiving theoretical knowledge, community members were also directly involved in product processing and development activities.
As a result, the community has begun processing cocoa into cocoa paste and cocoa powder, while cocoa husks are being utilized to produce cocoa husk tea. Waste materials are also being utilized through the production of mineral blocks to support livestock protein needs. On the digital side, community members have started creating and managing Shopee and TikTok accounts to market their products. This allows cocoa development to focus not only on production, but also on waste utilization and digital marketing.
Learning Through Community Engagement
Through the program, students have gained opportunities to engage directly with the community. It has also allowed them to learn and interact with local residents. Meanwhile, the warm, welcoming, and open nature of the people of Ngawis Village provided the team with valuable experiences throughout their time in the field. As Muhammad Imam Baihaqi, the head of the PPK Ormawa team, stated,
“The success of a program is not only about how we implement it, but also about how we communicate, understand the community’s needs, and work together with them.”
This experience shows that communication and an understanding of community needs are essential parts of implementing a successful empowerment program.
The Program’s Impact on the Community
The people of Ngawis Village have begun processing cocoa into various value-added products, such as cocoa paste, cocoa powder, and cocoa husk tea. In addition, waste utilization through mineral blocks and digital marketing through Shopee and TikTok are part of the effort to expand the benefits and economic potential of the program.
Going forward, the team hopes to further develop the program and create a broader and more sustainable impact on the community. Through PPK Ormawa, students can learn directly from the community while applying the knowledge they have gained. As Haqi shared,
“Don’t hesitate to try and get involved,”
because through this program, students can gain valuable experience while making a tangible contribution to the village.
Albin M Wiryawan
