How to Find the Poor Families Potency as a Atrategy to Solve Poverty

Problem at Multi-Ethnic Communities?

Yunindyawati Yunindyawati

Sociology Department, Faculty of Sociology and Politics, Universitas Sriwijaya, Palembang, Indonesia

yunin.unsri@gmail.com

Keywords: Poverty, Multi-Ethnic Communities, Reducing Poverty Solving Strategy, Internal and External Factors, Poor

Families Potency.

Abstract: This paper investigates any factors of the causes poverty at the multi-ethnic communities in South Sumatera

Indonesia based on the qualitative research data. Results suggest that the poverty roots are two main factors.

The first are internal factors, such as lazy attitude, easily satisfied, mental fatalistic free- and-easy and low of

knowledge. The second are external factors, among others; have debts, fewer jobs opportunities, too many

children and have no production asset. Even though many roots of poverty, actually they have any potential

capability to reduction of poverty. The potential is 1). Human potential such as having formal education,

having many children and having good personality. 2). Social potential, among others: having religious

groups, having mutual cooperation (gotong royong), and having common security group. 3) Political potential

concerning; participation in political organization as well as policies against poverty 4). Physical and financial

potential for example the availability of facilities and business institutions (PNPM agencies and the farm

credits) 5). Nature potential by having land assets although in limited quantities.

1 INTRODUCTION

Poverty is a problem in the many countries, especially

in the developing countries. Ozughalu (2014) said

that poverty and vulnerability to poverty were major

challenges facing developing countries and have

attracted the attention of development economists and

policy analysts in recent years. Many efforts to reduce

poverty, but poverty remains challenges.

Poverty understanding and poverty research can

be said to have gone through roughly three phases:

Tale-telling, studies with a client focus as well as

development research, and knowledge building about

poverty reduction (Oyen, 2004)

Based on research showed that Agricultural

growth is the most important factor in reducing

inequality and poverty, and growth acceleration for

developing countries (Imai, 2016). Indonesia

Indonesia as a country faced to this problem, so

many program enhance to solve poverty for example:

TAKESRA, KUKESRA, KUBE, JPS, PNMP, P2KP,

and others. These programs were conducted as a

manifestation of Indonesia Constitution (UUD 1945).

One of the poorest areas is Lempuing district,

Ogan Komering Ilir regency of South Sumatra. This

region was inhibited by a multi ethnic population:

Sundanese, Javanese, Balinese as well as indigenous

people who live in this region for generations. The

majority of the work of the inhabitants are farmers

and agricultural laborers. Almost people descendants

experience poverty. Main factors cause of poverty

were difficulty of accessing knowledge and

information, and drop out of primary school.

Based on the realities, it is necessary to study the

characteristics and conditions of poor families, the

root causes of poverty, the potency of the poor family

and to address the problem of poverty in the region.

Through this research, exploration of poor family

potency and description of the characteristics and the

real condition of poor families will be known. This

research not only to explore root causes of poverty but

also to explore the potency of poor families so that the

potency can be optimized in order to make

themselves get out of poverty.

2 METHODS

Qualitative research methods are used in this

research. Using in-depth interview and observation as

data collection; data were then analyzed by

Yunindyawati, Y.

How to Find the Poor Families Potency as a Atrategy to Solve Poverty Problem at Multi-Ethnic Communities?.

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education (ICSE 2017) - Volume 2, pages 371-374

ISBN: 978-989-758-316-2

371

conducting a qualitative-analytic approach involving

reduction, presentation and interpretation of data.

Using these methods, the description of the

condition of poor families, the root causes of poverty,

the potential of poor families could be explored and

to find a variety of ways of life that can be used as a

strategy of poor families can survive and get out of

poverty, so that poverty alleviation program based on

family and potential of local communities can be

formulated.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 The Characteristics of Poor Family

Characteristics of poor families are seen from various

aspects, among others, based on; Ethnicity, age of

informant, number of children, amount of income,

amount of expenditure, job, last education, skills over

main job, social group/ organization, assistance from

government or other party, and their views on

poverty. Variations of data are obtained on such

aspects as people living in Lempuing sub-district,

among others Javanese, Komering, Bali and Batak.

The assets owned are relatively limited although there

are differences between families with each other.

Similarly, the amount of income and expenditure also

varies but is still in the poor category.

The root of poverty in poor families is caused by

several factors, among others: internal factors and

external factors. Internal factors concerning: lazy to

work, quickly satisfied, resigned to God's destiny,

wasteful, easy to give up and lack of knowledge.

While the external factors that influence are: bound

of debt, narrow jobs, many children, skills that are not

optimal, does not have production assets.

3.2 Potency of Poor Family and Social

Capital of Rural Community

Based on the characteristics of poor families, the

potency of poor families can be identified. Potency of

poor families include human potential, social

potential, political potential, physical potential,

financial potential, and natural potential.

Poor families have the human potentials such as:

formal education, have children and have personality.

Based on the data, every poor family has formal

education. This shown that they are not illiterate.

Poverty will be worse if supported by illiteracy.

Fortunately, poor families in Lempuing have formal

education.

Human potential of poor family can be identified

by having children. The children are the future asset

to a family. Although the large number of children

can also be a constraint or a problem in the fulfillment

of their life needs. But it depends on how poor family

view to their children in their lives.

Based on information from religious leaders,

poverty occurs because the number of children who

are not supported by a good understanding and

management so that children become the burden of

poverty. In addition, the personality of poor family

members can be an asset as well as obstacles in

overcoming poverty. Become an asset when each

family member has a strong motivation, tenacious,

not quickly despair, and have the ideals to get out of

the poverty. But it could be otherwise poverty still

exists because of the unfavorable personality such as;

Wasteful, hedonic, hopeless and so forth.

Political potentials include participation in

political organizations, and policies on poverty (cash

transfers, raskin and village funding allocations for

the poor). In Lempuing sub-district, the allocation of

village funds for the poor has been posted. This is

known from the village informant's informant, that

the problem of poverty has received attention in the

form of cash transfers, raskin and village funds.

Physical and financial potential, in the form of

availability of facilities and business institutions

(PNPM loan and farming credit). Physical potential

that provides opportunities for poverty alleviation in

the form of the existence of institutions such as co-

operative village units, savings and loan cooperatives,

and non-formal institutions such as customary

institutions. In almost every village these customary

institutions still survive, in the midst of the

globalization of development. This shows that local

wisdom is retained in social life in multi-ethnic rural

areas.

Social potentials are; Study groups, gotong

royong, farmer groups, night patrols. The study group

is not only interpreted as a means of worship but also

means of socialization among the people for the

benefit of community life. In addition, the mutual

assistance that has been lost in some areas, still live

in the poor lempuing especially. Through mutual

cooperation work that was originally required

financial costs to be lighter and also can strengthen

the intimacy and quirks. Similarly, farmers' groups

and night watchmen. In addition to discussing the

difficulties experienced to solve rural problems, this

can be a resilience mechanism for rural communities.

The natural potential of land assets though in

limited quantities. Poor families have natural assets in

the form of land ownership ranging from 0.25 ha-2

ha. This land ownership becomes a potential for

family subsistence. In addition to the natural potential

is supported by the added value of trade skills, and

ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education

372

other businesses. Poor families have skills that can

support their potential; Construction workers, brick

making, service, HP, sewing, cooking.

The concept of social capital refers to the

conceptualization of Fukuyama, there are three

things: norms, social networks, and mutual trust. A

society is wired by billions of exchanges that take

place at any time between citizens or individuals, it

can be argued that exchange serves as an important

integral factor of social unity, which works through

and builds social networks (thus resulting in a social

order of society.) The social order of a society will be

said in an orderly fashion, when the social networking

is formed based on mutual trust between the citizens

and formed in the arrangement (norms) that are

mutually agreed as guiding action and orientation of

collective behavior of the citizens (Dharmawan,

2010).

The social capital of the community Lempuing

and in particular Poor families include values, norms,

network / networking, trusts, values and norms

underlying social activities that can be the basis of

community capital The values of togetherness,

mutual cooperation, religious values become the

capital of attachment among the people Social

network They formed organizing farming groups,

village unit cooperatives, which can be used as a

means to access information and financial for their

business. Their beliefs wake up among tribes,

although the elements of primordial then surfaced.

3.3 Poverty Alleviation Model Poor

Families

The formulation of the poor family poverty

alleviation model in Lempuing sub-district

essentially emphasizes on optimizing the potential of

poor families through internal and external

strengthening. Internal strengthening is done

synergistically between individual, religious leaders

and introduction / government intervention through

empowerment and extension program.

External strengthening provides the widest

possible opportunity for the role and participation of

poor families in improving their economic and social

capacities. With this effort, the roots of poor families'

poverty will be eroded and can pull out of their

poverty chains. Of course, to be strong internally and

externally cannot be separated from state /

government intervention.

Therefore, public policies that favor the poor

family either directly or indirectly are needed. it

needed because the root causes of poverty of poor

families in Lempuing there are cultural and structural.

It is necessary to create opportunities, opportunities,

access and participation of poor families.

The root causes of poverty in the form of

psychological aspects and cultural values that

because poverty need to be reduced by involving the

role of stakeholders from government elements,

religious leaders and the general public. In this way,

poverty alleviation can be done synergistically and

hope can be holistic to erode the root of poverty for

the community context Lempuing. These can be

understood because the uniqueness of poor families

in multi ethnic areas brings the consequences of

differences in values, strong primordial and village

harmony demands more attention to poor families.

Surely this can benefit poor families to get out of

poverty to self-reliant families.

4 CONCLUSIONS

The formulation of the poor family poverty

alleviation model in Lempuing sub-district

emphasizes on the optimization of the potential of

poor families through internal and external

strengthening. Internal strengthening is done

synergistically between individual, religious leaders

and introduction / government intervention through

empowerment and extension program. External

strengthening provides the widest possible

opportunity for the role and participation of poor

families in improving their economic and social

capacities. With this effort, the roots of poor families'

poverty will be eroded and can pull out of their

poverty chains.

It needs the involvement of all parties in efforts to

alleviate poverty, both government, community

leaders, communities and poor families themselves.

Poor families have cultural and structural poverty

roots and therefore poverty alleviation must also refer

to both the root of the problem.

REFERENCES

Dharmawan, A. H., 2010. Pertukaran dan Modal Sosial:

Refleksi Sosiologi Pedesaan di Indonesia, Pasca sarjana

IPB. Bogor, Bahan Ajar.

Imai, S. K., 2016. Agricultural Growth, Poverty and

Inequality in Developing Countries. Development June

2015, Volume 58, Issue 2–3, pp 230–236.

Oyen, E., 2004. Poverty Production: A Different Approach

to Poverty Understanding. Advances in Sociological

Knowledge. pp 299-315.

How to Find the Poor Families Potency as a Atrategy to Solve Poverty Problem at Multi-Ethnic Communities?

373

Ozughalu, M. U., 2014. Relationship Between Household

Food Poverty and Vulnerability to Food Poverty:

Evidence from Nigeria. Social Indicators Research

January 2016, Volume 125, Issue 2, pp 567–587.

ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education

374