Sustainable
development becomes a real concern right now. How to make a development that
can stand in a very long time and touch in every aspect of life. More important
is to make a people become development’s subject not an object. One of
development’s models that cover those aspects is the community empowerment.
Community empowerment concerns on the developing people.
Kartasasmita
(1995) stated that community empowerment is an effort to enhance dignity in any
layer of society. It is also to break away from the poverty and backwardness. Community
empowerment wants to make autonomy toward society through developing the potential.
The society becomes main concern in here. Idea and initiative come on them. Society
has to active and participates well so that the duty to develop not only comes
in the hand of government.
As
a way to make community empowerment toward all kind of society, Indonesian
government builds a national program. It is called PNPM (National Program of
Empowering Community) Mandiri. This program is hoped to alleviate poverty. Meanwhile,
it is also to empower the society. This program consist on many subs such as
PNPM Pedesaan (rural society), PNPM Mandiri Perkotaan (urban society), and also
PNPM Pariwisata (tourism). Each sub programs have their own purpose and
activities.
Rembang
as a region that located on very east of Central Java, actually have so many potentials
for example in marine sector and also tourism. But, with those huge resources,
Rembang is known as one of the poorest region in the Central Java and also
known as a slum area too. This fact becomes unreasonable while Rembang has a
large sea, wide rice field, and so many tourism spot. The problems come on to
how that resources being used. Society cannot utilize well those resources to
become more profitable.
As
a gate between Central Java and East Java Rembang is a strategic place. It is
also supported by the place that is on the north coast which is as a national
and main way in Java. Tourism spot actually spread in all zone in Rembang.
There is nature tourism such as in the north side there is a beach alongside.
Another destination is historical tourism such as about RA Kartini as women
emancipation hero in Indonesia or archeological site. There is also religious
tourism such as Sunan Bonang’s hermitage, pagoda, or old Chinatown area. Not to
forget, batik from Lasem. Those tourism spots actually can make a huge income
toward Rembang but not in fact.
Parallel
with the purpose of community empowerment, Rembang Departement of Tourism in
corporate with PNPM Pariwisata help the society around those spots to develop and
manage the superintendence of potency tourism spot so that can make more
profitable and enhance standard of living in there. They make a group of people
that concern on how to develop tourism spot and every effort that relate on it.
It is called Pokdarwis (Tourism Awareness Group). Member of Pokdarwis is
indigenous people, businessman, and some people that associated with that
developing effort. This Pokdarwis is made in every place that has potential in
tourism. PNPM Pariwisata will accompany, facilitate, and direct that Pokdarwis
so that the plans and the activity can go well through Tourism Facilitator.
Tourism Facilitator comes from the society itself. PNPM Pariwisata will also
accommodate between Pokdarwis and Rembang Tourism Department. So here, PNPM
just facilitate meanwhile society do the initiative based on their area’s
potency.
One
of Pokdarwis is in Babagan, Lasem, Rembang called Pokdarwis Sarwo Endah. Surprisingly,
that Pokdarwis is First Champion in Pokdarwis Contest in Central Java. Tourism
in Babagan concerns in batik village. Many of people in there are batik
craftsmen. So there is so many batik is produced. Babagan even have its own
brand. The specialty is come on pattern that just owned by Babagan craftsmen.
So, to expand and develop Babagan’s batik, Pokdarwis Sarwo Endah already
received 75 million in this 2013 from National Budgeting through PNPM
Pariwisata. Even the fund also comes from society itself. This fund is used to
promote, public, and develop Babagan as Batik Village. The expectations are to
make Babagan as an area of batik tourism in Rembang. Tourist can explore and
enjoy the uniqueness of it include how to make and the product itself moreover,
can enhance society’s income.
PNPM
Pariwisata in Desa Babagan concerns on empowering batik craftsmen parallel with
the purpose to build Batik village. Tourism Facilitator as a part of PNPM give
training in how to make a profitable batik, assist in marketing and managing,
and also consulate and consolidate with government.
Pokdarwis
in Babagan has been running for three years. All this time the programs go
well. They already bought a bus. Because
of the location of Batik Village Babagan is far enough from the main street,
this bus will pick the tourist to go to the Batik Center and to go around
Babagan Village. Because of Babagan not only have batik center but also a
Chinese town and pagoda. Society also already provides home stay. This action
is based on the Rembang Tourism Department’s advice. Then society prepare
appropriate home to do that. It means that society participation in this
tourism development is really high, man as well as women. Batik businessman
also batik craftsmen speak actively in the forum. They give an opinion, and
involve in every action such as propose a marketing training and help PNPM
identify every problems and its solution.
In
another side, that effort cannot bring in tourist in a lot number. The tourists
just come from Rembang and its surrounding such as Pati or Tuban. The problems
come from lack of promotion and publication in outside. Tourism Facilitator is
less vocal in promotion when do or join exhibit. Human resources also become
problem. Society sometimes seems cannot identify their problem neither the
solution. That is the Facilitator’s responsibility to enhance not only
awareness but also the knowledge. So in future, society can be autonomy. Infrastructure
also has not supported yet. There is not any gateway that shows about Batik
Village Babagan. Whereas that sign is useful toward tourist. The street still
broke and narrow. There is not a museum as a central. Babagan just offer a trip
to see how they made batik.
Although
there are still many problems in effort to develop Babagan as Batik Village and
tourism spot, with cooperation between government, PNPM, and all kind of
society those program can alleviate poverty not only for batik craftsmen but
also other society an make independent society. This is as an output of
community empowerment.
Sources:
Diana Pradipta, S. H. as Fasilitator Community Development in PNPM-MP Rembang
Bibliography:
Kartasasmita,
Ginanjar. 1995. Pemberdayaan Masyarakat. Kumpulan Materi Community
Development: Pustaka Pribadi Alizar Isna.Msi.
