Socio-economic Empowerment of Womens through Enterprise

Handicraft Activities "Meronce" in the Framework of Family

Economics at Dolok Merawan Village,

Dolok Merawan District, Serdang Bedagai Regency,

Province of Sumatera Utara

Badaruddin

, Lina Sudarwati

and Ermansyah

Department of Sociology, The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Jl.

Dr. A Sofyan No.1 Kampus USU Medan 2015,Indonesia

Department of Social Anthropology, The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Sumatera

Utara, Jl. Dr. A Sofyan No.1 Kampus USU Medan 20155,Indonesia

Keywords: Women's socio-economic empowerment, skills, job diversification.

Abstract: Women often become marginalized in society because of their powerlessness in contributing to family income

sources, particularly to poor families. The socio-economic empowerment of women, especially housewives,

becomes important in order to raise the dignity of women as well as to sustain family income. This community

service activity aims to make women, especially housewives become more empowered, in the sense of better

understanding the importance of organizing, having skills as an alternative to job diversification, and bettering

the level of their economic welfare. To achieve these objectives, the method of devotion used is lecture and

discussion techniques, handicrafts training "meronce" by providing tools and equipment, and strengthening

management of existing organizations of existing business groups. The results of the devotion show that

women belonging to two Joint Business Groups can understand the lectures conveyed in relation to

organizational matters which can be seen from the questions they raised in the discussion sessions. In addition,

some members of the women's group also possessed the "meronce" skills where they had gained in training

conducted by the Village Administration. Limited capital they have, making them have not been able to pass

it on to members of the group. In addition to limited capital, access to marketing of handicrafts is also a major

obstacle.

1 INTRODUCTION

Basically, development is a conscious and sustainable

process that covers various aspects of community life.

Development should also be enjoyed by every class,

including women. However, today the development

process is felt to be still less touched women groups,

especially in rural areas. One source of the problem is

that women are only considered as housewives, and

not as agents of development. The role of women is

always identified with the role of educating children

and taking care of the household. This situation

causes women to have no access to actualize

themselves in the process of community

development, especially the development of rural

communities. It is in these circumstances that the

empowerment of women becomes necessary.

Empowering women is essentially an effort to

enable women to gain access and control over

economic, political, social and cultural resources in

order for women to be self-regularized, and to

increase their confidence to participate actively in

solving development problems and building

themselves. Simon in (Widjajanti, 2011) mentions

empowerment can be interpreted as a delegation or

giving power that will result in a hierarchy of strength

and lack of power; empowerment is an activity of

reflection, a process that is maintained only by agents

or subjects who seek strength or self-determination.

At present, women's empowerment programs in

the socio-economic field are crucial in addressing

challenges while taking advantage of opportunities in

the increasingly fierce competition for household

income. The main reason for the empowerment of

women in general is to overcome the lack of income

Badaruddin, ., Sudarwati, L. and Ermansyah, .

Socio-economic Empowerment of Womens through Enterprise Handicraft Activities "Meronce" in the Framework of Family Economics at Dolok Merawan Village, Dolok Merawan District,

Serdang Bedagai Regency, Province of Sumatera Utara.

DOI: 10.5220/0010093216431647

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

1643-1647

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

1643

of head of household by involving women to work

and increase family income (diversification

occupation).

Dolok Merawan Village, Dolok Merawan

District, Serdang Bedagai Regency, North Sumatera

Province is a village whose area is squeezed by oil

palm plantation and rubber plantation owned by

government and swata. This geographical condition

makes Dolok Merawan people have very limited job

opportunities. The agricultural sector which is the

livelihood of most of the villagers of Dolok Merawan

is in a condition that can not provide an encouraging

hope, and even tends to decrease due to the

conversion of agricultural land into a settlement.

Therefore, diversification of work becomes important

done by the people of Dolok Merawan Village,

including women.

In line with the ongoing development program in

Dolok Merawan Village, women, especially

housewives in this village have also been touched by

the development programs in the village. From the

results of initial observations and interviews with

women in this village, it can be seen that some

housewives in the village of Dolok Merawan have

been trained in handicraft skills (meronce) conducted

by officials from the district, and they have been able

do it though it still needs to improve the skill. Figure

1. shows the results they have received from the

training made by the District Official.

Picture 1: Results of "Meronce" Training Activities Ever

Provided Member of Partner Group From Serdang Bedagai

Regency Official

When they talk to them it is known that they still

want the "meronce" training so they can be more

skilled. Another problem they think is how to market

the results later if they are able to produce the craft

items, and how to manage the associations they have

created in the form of Joint Business Group (KUBE).

The problem is equally important is the issue of

capital to be able to buy materials and equipment

(tools) handicrafts.

Limited employment available in Dolok Merawan

Village, especially for women workers, which can be

done to sustain the household economy (income) is a

problem also faced by Dolok Merawan Villagers. On

the other hand, women, especially housewives, have

no other skills except to conduct their husbands'

business activities as farmers. While housewives who

do not have agricultural land, can not do anything

except rely on her husband's income. This is what

makes women helpless in sustaining the family

economy. Socio-economic empowerment activities

through "meronce" activity is expected to be an

alternative solution for the helplessness. Choice of

"meronce" activities as one of the solutions because

these housewives have already done this activity, but

not sustainable because of lack of knowledge in terms

of organization, and still low skills in the process, and

limited capital owned.

Geographically, Dolok Merawan Village is

surrounded by plantation area (State plantation and

private plantation). Such geographic conditions make

access to economic resources very limited, especially

women. This situation makes people have difficulty

in terms of job opportunities, so it is necessary

alternative work that is able to sustain the family

economy.

The description and condition of the people of

Dolok Merawan Village, especially the women who

have been presented, indicate the need for a touch for

women in this village. This touch is done in an effort

to empower women in the village, both social and

economic empowerment. On the basis of situational

analysis as described above the author is called to

perform community service through entitled "Women

Social Economic Empowerment Through

Merchandise Handicraft Business" Meronce "In

Order To Support Family Economics In Dolok

Merawan Village Dolok Merawan District, Serdang

Bedagai Regency, North Sumatera Province”

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

According to (Rahardjo and Rinakit, 1996) the

powerlessness of the community becomes more

severe due to the involvement of several factors, such

as institutional and educational weaknesses.

Therefore, the efforts of institutional activation and

improvement of education are expected to increase

community empowerment. One of the successful

efforts of community empowerment can be seen from

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

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the utilization of social capital in an effort to solve

problems that arise in individuals and community

groups through the establishment of institutions.

Research results (Badaruddin, 2016) indicates that

villagers actually have potential social capital that can

be utilized and utilized in the development effort of

rural communities. Efforts that can be made in the

framework of village community development is to

empower the socio-economic community of the

village.

(Moeljarto, 1996) argued that community

empowerment can be done by giving people the

freedom to develop an idea so that they can actualize

all their potentials. Meanwhile, according to (Salman,

2001), "participatory approach" is one approach that

can be operationalized in development work for

community empowerment. The essence of a

participatory approach actually lies in the learning

process based on experience to the local people

through the cultivation of critical awareness,

organizational development and capacity building in

terms of knowledge, attitude and skills (Ohama,

2001). There are several steps that must be taken in a

participatory approach. These steps include (1)

awareness process and (2) community organizing

formation (Salman, 2001).

3 METHOD OF

IMPLEMENTATION

Methods of community service is done by way of

counseling, discussion, tasks and training "meronce"

by involving instructors who have experience in

handicrafts, especially "meronce". The lecture

method is done by giving explanation of the material

about empowerment and capacity building of Partner

Group which serve as Community Service Partners,

especially related to organizational, building socio-

economic network in product marketing effort, and

exploring the economic potency in village.

Discussion method is done after the lecture and

explanation method is given and then give

opportunity to the participants devotion to question

and answer and solve the problems that exist in the

middle of society. The task is carried out by asking

participants to identify the economic potentials of the

village that may be developed into alternative

activities in the effort to diversify the work.

Training is done by an experienced instructor in

handicrafts, especially "meronce". In this "meronce"

training, tools and materials will be provided. The

instructor will teach the Partner Group, and the

Partner Group will practice its creation. Hopefully,

Participants Group Group also has their own idea

about the design that will be produced.

In this devotional activity, the Partner Group

(Joint Business Group "PERTIWI" and Joint Business

Group "MELATI") will contribute to preparing the

venue for lectures and discussions and inviting people

to be involved in this activity. Participants are also

expected to participate fully in each activity

(discussion and training), so they can understand the

counseling and training provided. In order to know

the level of participants' understanding of the

materials and training that have been given, an

evaluation will be conducted which includes: (1)

Participant's response to the material presented by the

speaker, (2) The participant's participation in the

discussion, and (3) The participant's ability in

practicing decoration meronce.

In order to know the level of participants'

understanding of the materials and training that have

been given, an evaluation will be conducted which

includes: (1) Participant's response to the material

presented by the speaker, (2) The participant's

participation in the discussion, and (3) The

participant's ability in practicing decoration

(meronce).

Evaluation of the implementation of this activity

simultaneously continues to be done, from the

beginning to the end of the activity. A through

evaluation will be undertaken at the time all activities

are undertaken, so it can be seen what still requires

follow-up for similar activities in the future.

To ensure the sustainability of this empowerment

effort an agreement will be made at the end of the

activity with village officials to establish a system or

mechanism of continuous monitoring and

communication mechanisms.

4 RESULTS

In line with the method of implementing the devotion

that has been described in the previous section, which

is to conduct extension activities and discussions with

the partner groups as well as provide financial

delivery in the form of the provision of materials and

equipment necessary for the "meronce" activity to the

partner group, the first step taken on this community

service activity is the arrangement of permission to

carry out community service activities to the village

administration in this case to the village officials.

Socio-economic Empowerment of Womens through Enterprise Handicraft Activities "Meronce" in the Framework of Family Economics at

Dolok Merawan Village, Dolok Merawan District, Serdang Bedagai Regency, Province of Sumatera Utara

1645

4.1 Capacity Building and

Organizational Leadership

Implementation of counseling is done by community

service team with lecture method and discussion. The

participants of the discussion are members of 2 (two)

partner groups namely Joint Business Group

"PERTIWI" and Joint Business Group "MELATI"

plus the Village Head and its officials and also

management of Dolok Merawan Village. There are

two extension materials that are submitted are: 1).

Capacity Building and Group Empowerment; 2).

Leadership in Organizations.

The first material was presented by the Team

Leader, discussing the importance of the organization

to achieve group goals, and the need for strong and

solid groups to achieve group goals. While the second

material delivered by the team members with the

main content of lecture content revolves around how

the role of a leader in an organization. Leaders are the

main motors to move the wheel of the organization or

group in achieving its goals.

After the submission of the finished material,

followed by a discussion of the material that has been

submitted. In the discussion revealed various

problems which, according to the residents become

problems and obstacles in running the group so far.

Issues that arise from members of the partner group is

the issue of lack of capital, and marketing of

handicrafts. However, from a fairly relaxed

discussion, there are indeed many brilliant ideas from

group members about how the group should go

forward in order to achieve their goals. The delivered

lectures have opened their horizons of thinking about

what exactly they can do to diversify

their occupations. Their hope that such lectures

and discussions can be done in a sustainable manner.

One participant (village apparatus), offers that in

the future North Sumatera University can conduct

similar activities for other economic fields and related

to the marketing strategy of the community's

production, including the handicrafts of the citizens.

Especially for women, according to him, women have

more free time at home, so it needs to be empowered

to sustain family income.

After the lecture and discussion have been done,

it is continued with the delivery of materials and

equipment needed by the group to practice

"meronce". Prior to the delivery of materials and

equipment to the group leader, a handover ceremony

was first signed by the group leader and several

members of the group present and witnessed by the

Village Chief of Dolok Merawan.

Furthermore, each group leader distributes

materials and equipment for each member to start

learning and practice "meronce". This "meronce"

practice is guided by one of the members who are

already skilled at doing this job with various types of

motifs and types of items such as wallets and purses.

Once the "meronce" practice is completed, it is agreed

with the group leader that they will continue their

work in their respective homes, and if there are

obstacles they can be conveyed to the group leader so

that each member will be able to "meronce". It was

also agreed that the handicrafts would belong to the

group and be entirely handed over to the group leader

in the management.

The result of this dedication shows that women

actually have the ability and skill to diversify their

business in sustaining the family economy, but there

needs to be assistance for them, so that they have

higher self confidence to be able to rise in the effort

to improve their household economy. Increasing the

capacity of women groups, both individually and in

groups, needs to be done so that women become

women who are truly empowered.

5 CONCLUSIONS

From the description that has been described above

can be drawn some conclusions, namely:

1. Villagers of Dolok Merawan in general and

members of the partner groups in particular are

very welcome to the community service activities

conducted by the team of University of North

Sumatera.

2. Knowledge of partner group members is increasing

especially in relation to leadership knowledge and

organizational/group strengthening. In other

words, the group's capacity is getting better.

3. The horizon of thinking that members of the group

of partners is more open in view of the economic

opportunities that exist in the midst of their

environment that can be utilized for economic

empowerment of rural communities.

4. Through the help of materials and equipment

"meronce" to the group of partners, the group's

economic assets become increasing and this

makes their motivation to succeed to be higher.

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors gratefully acknowledge that the present

of community services is supported by niversitas

Sumatera Utara (USU) of Year 2018.

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Socio-economic Empowerment of Womens through Enterprise Handicraft Activities "Meronce" in the Framework of Family Economics at

Dolok Merawan Village, Dolok Merawan District, Serdang Bedagai Regency, Province of Sumatera Utara

1647