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This study aims to analyze the role of local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in utilizing lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) as the main ingredient for mosquito repellent products and its contribution to improving the economy of the community in Timbang Jaya Village. Lemongrass contains essential oils that function as a natural insect repellent, making it a potential raw material for value-added products such as mosquito repellent sprays, aromatherapy candles, and herbal lotions. This research employed a descriptive qualitative method with data collected through interviews, observations, and literature studies. The findings indicate that local MSMEs play a significant role in the production process, product innovation, and marketing of lemongrass-based products. Besides generating additional income, this development also creates new job opportunities and supports the village’s economic independence. However, several challenges remain, including limited capital, lack of processing technology skills, and competition with chemical-based products. The recommended solutions include capacity building through training and mentoring, better access to funding, and strengthening digital marketing strategies. Therefore, the development of mosquito repellent products from lemongrass by MSMEs not only contributes to the community’s economic growth but also provides an environmentally friendly alternative beneficial for public health.

This Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata/KKN) aimed to empower housewives through environmentally friendly dishwashing liquid production training in Kuta Parit Village, Selesai Subdistrict, Langkat Regency, responding to limited female participation in productive economic activities and increasing demand for safe household cleaning products. The program sought to enhance skills, knowledge, and economic independence among women while promoting health and environmental sustainability. A descriptive qualitative approach was applied, using observation, informal interviews, and documentation conducted during program implementation. Activity stages included education on eco-friendly soap concepts, introduction to materials and their functions, demonstrations of the production process, and hands-on practice sessions involving participants directly. KKN students served as facilitators and mentors, ensuring participants comprehended each step and were able to replicate the process independently. The results indicated that housewives successfully produced liquid dishwashing soap suitable for daily household use with acceptable quality. Beyond technical skill improvement, the program stimulated entrepreneurial motivation, strengthened confidence, and created opportunities for developing home-based microenterprises using eco-friendly products. Overall, this KKN activity contributed positively to women’s economic empowerment while supporting cleaner living practices within the community.

Economic development in rural areas, specifically, aims to improve community welfare. However, in practice, many challenges remain, such as limited technical skills, minimal innovation, and low community capacity to create and develop productive businesses. One way to address these challenges is through human resource empowerment. Gunung Tinggi Village has the potential to develop creative businesses, particularly among housewives, such as dishwashing soap. This product is a household necessity that is used routinely, so demand tends to be sustainable. Therefore, a SWOT analysis was used to provide sustainability recommendations for this business. The methods used included service learning (SL) with a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to ensure active participant involvement and the program's alignment with the community's real needs. The results showed that the initial impact of this Community Service Program (PKM) activity was evident in the production of marketable products and the opening of new business opportunities, which directly contributed to the diversification of income sources and increased family economic independence. Furthermore, the application of SWOT analysis proved effective as a tool in formulating sustainability strategies for the micro-enterprises being developed.

This activity was conducted in Timbang Lawan Village, located in Bahorok Sub-district, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra Province. The results of surveys and interviews with partners indicate that most residents, especially housewives, carry out activities at home, work as agricultural laborers, and engage in farming. This situation provides significant opportunities to train and educate them through programs aimed at improving economic conditions and financial independence. However, the main inhibiting factors identified are limited access to information, knowledge, and technology, which hinder their creativity in utilizing leisure time productively. The purpose of this community empowerment program is to provide education and socialization to inspire and empower the community in addressing economic problems through training in making dishwashing liquid. After this activity, it is expected that participants can reduce household expenses by no longer needing to purchase dishwashing liquid on a daily basis. Moreover, if opportunities arise, they may also identify business prospects to develop dishwashing liquid production. The expected benefit of this activity is to foster an entrepreneurial spirit among housewives in Timbang Lawan Village.

Training programs are an effective strategy for empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), particularly in rural areas. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of training in producing Sunlight dishwashing liquid as an effort to empower MSMEs in Jandi Meriah Village. It also examines the impact of the training on improving community skills, expanding business development opportunities, and contributing to the village’s economic growth. This research employs a qualitative descriptive method with data collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The findings show that the training significantly enhances participants’ technical knowledge and skills in producing dishwashing liquid, including understanding raw materials, formulation processes, and product packaging techniques. Additionally, the training fosters entrepreneurial motivation, strengthens basic managerial abilities, and opens opportunities for forming small business groups based on home industry activities. The socio-economic impacts include increased household income potential, strengthened community collaboration, and the emergence of new MSME initiatives. This study concludes that training in producing Sunlight dishwashing liquid is an effective empowerment instrument to enhance community capacity and strengthen the village economy, making it a sustainable program model for other rural areas.

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play a strategic role in driving local economic development, particularly in rural areas that rely on the utilization of local natural resources. However, many MSMEs still face challenges in marketing aspects, especially limited use of digital technology, weak branding, and unattractive product packaging. This community service activity aims to strengthen the marketing strategy of the “Nek Surati” cassava chips MSME located in Dolok Village, Nagori Boluk, Bosar Maligas District, Simalungun Regency. The methods employed include field observations, interviews with MSME actors, descriptive analysis of existing problems, and practice-based (hands-on) assistance through digital marketing training, improvement of packaging design, and strengthening of product branding. The results indicate an increase in the digital readiness of the MSME actor, as evidenced by the adoption of WhatsApp Business, the creation of digital product catalogs, and the utilization of social media as a promotional tool. In addition, improvements in packaging design and brand identity enhanced the visual appeal and product image in the eyes of consumers. This assistance activity had a positive impact on improving the marketing capacity of the MSME and opened opportunities for expanding market reach. With continuous assistance, the “Nek Surati” cassava chips MSME has the potential to increase its competitiveness and contribute more significantly to the local economy.

Banana blossoms are often considered waste and rarely utilized by the community, even though this material is easily obtained, has nutritional value, and has the potential to be processed into economically valuable food products. This community service activity was carried out in Melati II Village, Pasar 6, Pala Hamlet, Perbaungan District, with the aim of providing assistance to the community in processing banana blossoms into chips as an alternative snack. The implementation method included a brief counseling on the potential and benefits of banana blossoms, training in processing techniques, hands-on practice in making chips, and a simple evaluation of the quality of the resulting product. The results of the activity showed that the community was able to process banana blossoms into chips with a crispy texture, acceptable taste, and an attractive appearance. In addition to improving community skills and creativity, this activity also helped reduce organic waste and opened up sustainable household-scale business opportunities for the local community.

The digitalization of the creative economy has opened up significant opportunities for the community to create innovative products that have high sales value and are environmentally friendly. One interesting innovation is the use of used cooking oil as a raw material for making aromatherapy candles. Used cooking oil, which is usually discarded and pollutes the environment, can be reprocessed into products with economic value, thus supporting the principles of a circular economy. This study aims to examine the potential of processing used cooking oil into aromatherapy candles, analyze digital-based marketing strategies to increase product competitiveness in the market, and examine the meaning of transforming waste into innovative products from the perspective of Immanuel Kant's philosophy of reality. The research methods used were literature studies and field observations of used cooking oil processing practices by the community. The results show that used cooking oil-based aromatherapy candles have good business prospects, especially when combined with digital promotion through social media and marketplaces. Digitalization helps expand marketing reach, create brand identity, and attract consumers who care about environmental sustainability. From the perspective of Immanuel Kant's philosophy of reality, the transformation of used cooking oil into aromatherapy candles can be understood as a phenomenon, namely a reality that is visible in the practice of the digital creative economy. Meanwhile, the values ​​of sustainability, ethical awareness, and social meaning contained therein reflect noumena, namely the deepest reality that is not directly visible but provides direction and meaning for human actions.

This community service program aims to improve public literacy and awareness of the Islamic capital market through socialization and educational activities in Telaga Jernih Village, Secanggang District. Islamic financial literacy in rural areas remains relatively low due to limited access to information and education, leading people to prefer traditional investments such as livestock and plantations. The activity was carried out by the Community Service Program (KKN) team in collaboration with the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) as the main speaker and the village government as a supporting partner. The methods used included observation, counseling, interactive discussions, and simple simulations of Islamic investment practices. The results revealed high enthusiasm among participants, reflected in their active engagement and significant improvement in understanding the concepts, principles, and products of Islamic investment. The community began to realize that Islamic capital market investments are not only halal and safe but also offer long-term economic benefits. This activity positively influenced the community’s mindset to view Islamic financial investment as a complementary form of traditional investment. The program also opened opportunities for forming a village-based Islamic investor community and establishing a financial literacy center as a follow-up initiative. Therefore, this program plays a vital role in strengthening Islamic financial inclusion in rural areas and serves as an initial step toward creating a financially literate, independent, and economically productive society.

This community service activity was carried out to assist MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) actors in Jrebeng Kulon Village in understanding and utilizing affiliate programs as a digital marketing strategy. The training was conducted through material presentation, demonstrations, and practical mentoring to ensure participants could follow each step more easily. Before the training, most participants were unfamiliar with the concept of affiliation and lacked the technical skills to use affiliate platforms. After participating in the activity, a significant increase was observed, particularly in the participants' ability to create accounts, select products, understand the commission system, and embed affiliate links. This change indicates that a practice-based training method is effective in helping MSMEs adapt to the developments in digital marketing technology. Overall, this training provided tangible benefits in improving digital literacy and opening opportunities for MSMEs to grow their businesses through a more effective and relevant marketing strategy in the digital era.

This community service activity, carried out by KKN Group 62 Rempang Eco City, Senbulang, Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji, aims to enhance the skills and economic value of coastal communities through the utilization of gonggong shells (Strombus sp.) as raw materials for handicrafts. Gonggong is widely known as a food source, while its shells remain underutilized and are often discarded as waste. The program was implemented through a training activity on making keychains from gonggong shells in Rempang Eco City. The methods included socialization, demonstration, and hands-on practice accompanied by guidance from the facilitators. The results show that participants improved their ability to process gonggong shells into simple craft products with potential market value. Although the activity was still limited to initial production and did not yet cover marketing, it successfully provided new insights and opened opportunities for creative entrepreneurship within the community. With further assistance and development, gonggong shell utilization is expected to evolve into a sustainable handicraft business that contributes to the economic welfare of coastal communities.

This community service program aims to enhance public awareness and skills in managing household waste through an innovative recycling-based approach. The main problems identified in the target community include limited understanding of waste segregation, lack of knowledge regarding the economic potential of household waste, and insufficient skills to transform waste materials into useful products. To address these issues, the program was implemented through several stages, including an initial survey to identify community needs, environmental education and awareness sessions, hands-on training on producing recycled products, and continuous mentoring to ensure the sustainability of the activities.The results show a significant increase in participants’ knowledge of proper waste management and recycling concepts. Moreover, the community successfully produced various creative and functional recycled items such as plant pots, household crafts, and other aesthetically valuable products with economic potential. The program also facilitated the establishment of a resident group committed to continuing the initiative independently. Overall, this community service activity demonstrates that practical environmental education can effectively foster ecological awareness, strengthen community participation, and create opportunities for local economic empowerment through the utilization of household waste.

Village entrepreneurship is an initiative designed to stimulate regional economic growth by accelerating the development of rural areas, which have long been perceived as slow, less productive, and lagging behind urban centers. The creation of entrepreneurial villages offers a concrete strategy to enhance community productivity because it encourages all components of the village government, residents, and local institutions to participate in structured and collaborative entrepreneurial activities. Such villages are expected to generate new economic opportunities, strengthen local industries, and increase community independence. However, initial observations from this Community Service program show that partner villages still face significant barriers, including limited land area, geographical remoteness, and inadequate human and natural resources. Many peripheral villages have not yet utilized digital technology effectively, making it difficult to expand markets or access broader economic networks. In addition, challenges related to financial access, limited talent development, socio-cultural constraints, and weak market infrastructure continue to hinder economic progress. These conditions demonstrate the urgent need for strategic assistance, capacity-building programs, and stronger support systems to help villages transform into sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems capable of contributing to long-term regional development.

The development of digital technology requires villages to transform not only their governance but also their public awareness of digital opportunities and risks. However, the process of digital transformation cannot be separated from the local socio-cultural context. This Community Service (PKM) activity aims to strengthen local wisdom-based transformational leadership as a strategy for dealing with digital dynamics in Pesanggrahan Village, Kutorejo District, Mojokerto Regency. The implementation methods included a situation analysis, program socialization, digital literacy seminars, discussions on Pancasila values, and mentoring for village officials, community leaders, religious leaders, and Karang Taruna youth. The activity results showed an increase in participants' understanding of digital literacy, media ethics, and the relevance of local values, such as cooperation, deliberation, and tolerance, in supporting the village's digital transformation. The community also showed enthusiasm for participating in the development of digital content and technology-based services. This PKM concluded that effective digital transformation requires adaptive, character-based leadership rooted in local cultural values. Collaboration between universities, village governments, and communities is an essential prerequisite for promoting inclusive and sustainable social change.

Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) have great potential as centers for community-based economic empowerment, but the entrepreneurial mindset of students is often not optimally developed. This community service program aims to improve the entrepreneurial mindset of students at Al-Inayah Islamic Boarding School through experience-based training and intensive mentoring. The methods used include a participatory approach, interactive training, practical training on organic fertilizer production, strengthening Islamic entrepreneurial values, and mentoring in developing business ideas. This activity was attended by 30 students and evaluated using pre- and post-training instruments. The results showed a 36% increase in entrepreneurial mindset scores, accompanied by significant developments in creativity, risk-taking, and the ability to recognize market opportunities. The program also produced three initial business groups: organic fertilizer processing, agricultural product marketing, and agricultural equipment rental services, which serve as initial steps towards the economic independence of the Islamic boarding school. These findings confirm that experience-based training and ongoing mentoring are effective in shaping the entrepreneurial mindset of students and encouraging the optimization of the Islamic boarding school's productive assets as an effort to strengthen the economy based on Islamic values ​​and sustainability.

This community service program was implemented to strengthen the capacity of the SIJATI Business Group in managing oyster mushroom cultivation in Sait Buttu Saribu Village, Simalungun Regency. This activity was motivated by the group's great potential in oyster mushroom production, but still faces obstacles in production, marketing, and business management aspects. The method used was a participatory-collaborative approach through stages of socialization, training, mentoring, provision of modern production equipment, strengthening digital marketing, and business management coaching. The results of the activity showed a significant increase in the group's capacity. From a production aspect, the use of a stainless steel steamer machine and modern baglog racks increased time efficiency, saved energy, and doubled production capacity. From a marketing aspect, digital marketing training and collaboration with students as resellers expanded market reach, increased consumer interaction, and drove increased turnover. From a management aspect, digital-based financial records and assistance with business legality strengthened institutions and opened opportunities for access to capital. This program also had a social impact by increasing the economic contribution of housewives who were members of the group, thereby contributing to the welfare of the village community. Overall, strengthening the capacity of the SIJATI group aligns with achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in poverty alleviation, gender equality, and inclusive economic growth. Therefore, this activity can serve as a model for empowering competitive and sustainable local commodity-based MSMEs.

The findings of this study indicate that work environment, job satisfaction, and motivation simultaneously have a significant effect on the commitment of teachers and staff at Petukangan Selatan 01 Public Elementary School. This shows that a conducive work environment, such as adequate facilities, supportive colleagues, and a comfortable atmosphere, can increase the sense of belonging and loyalty among employees. Job satisfaction, which includes aspects such as fairness in rewards, recognition of achievements, and appropriate workloads, also contributes to strengthening work commitment. In addition, motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, plays a central role in encouraging employees to perform their duties with responsibility and enthusiasm. These findings also reinforce the importance of creating a balance between external factors (such as work environment) and internal factors (such as motivation and job satisfaction) to achieve strong commitment. Therefore, the implication of this research is that school management needs to continuously improve working conditions, develop fair reward systems, and provide opportunities for career development. By doing so, the commitment of teachers and staff can be maintained and even enhanced, which in turn will support the achievement of school goals more effectively.

This community engagement activity aims to introduce and promote Es Pisang Ijo, a traditional culinary delight from Makassar, to the mothers of Aisyiyah Ranting Suterejo in Surabaya. The program was implemented through the National KKN-Dik collaboration between Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar and Universitas Muhammadiyah Surabaya. The method applied was a field study involving several stages—explanation, demonstration, and direct hands-on practice. The activity received a highly positive response, as participants were actively involved in every phase, showing enthusiasm and curiosity. The outcomes of this activity include improved culinary skills, strengthened cultural awareness, and the creation of new opportunities for micro-enterprise development rooted in traditional cuisine. Additionally, this program enhanced cross-cultural communication and strengthened social solidarity among Aisyiyah members. Es Pisang Ijo thus represents not only a dessert but also a symbol of togetherness, women’s empowerment, and cultural preservation. This initiative reaffirms Aisyiyah’s role as an empowered women’s community that contributes to economic independence and cultural resilience through traditional culinary innovation as a medium of empowerment and community development.

Community Service Learning (CSL) is a tangible manifestation of the implementation of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, which aims to apply knowledge within the community, particularly in addressing economic challenges in rural areas. This study focuses on the effectiveness of the UIN SU student KKN programme in Sugihen Village, Juhar Subdistrict, Karo Regency, which carries the theme of economic empowerment of the community. The research method used a qualitative approach with participatory observation and practical demonstration techniques, directly involving the Sugihen Village community. The results showed that this programme significantly improved the participants’ knowledge and technical skills, transforming their roles from passive consumers to active producers. This training not only helped reduce household expenses but also opened up new business opportunities that had the potential to increase family income. Therefore, this KKN programme can serve as an effective strategic model for creating stable and independent community-based economic growth.

The development of wearable technology, especially smartwatches, opens up great opportunities in preventive health monitoring, especially in rural areas such as Sembung Village, Wringinanom, Gresik, where access to health services is limited. However, this technology is still alien to the local community. Preliminary surveys show that the majority of citizens, including health cadres, have never used or even seen a smartwatch in person, and view it as a luxury and irrelevant item. In fact, the potential of smartwatches as “digital health assistants” is huge from tracking heart rate, blood oxygen levels (SpO₂), stress levels, to physical activity reminders that are essential for early detection of health disorders. This service activity aims to improve digital literacy and adoption of smartwatch technology through a participatory educational approach and direct assistance. Implementation methods include: (1) coordination with the village government and health workers, (2) Interactive socialization using local languages, (3) step-by-step practical training, (4) simulation of application in the field, and (5) pre-test and post-test evaluation of 27 participants (25 health cadres, 1 midwife, 1 nurse). The results showed significant improvements: function understanding from the original value of 1.8 increased to 4.2, consumption interest from the original value of 2.1 increased to 4.0, benefit perception from the original value of 1.9 increased to 4.3, self confidence from the original value of 1.5 increased to 3.8, and digital literacy awareness from the original value of 2.0 increased to 4.1. The hands-on approach proved effective in changing participants ' mindset from skeptical to enthusiastic, proving that the digital divide is not due to incompetence, but the lack of access to contextual education. The implication is that smartwatch has the potential to become a strategic tool for village health cadres in early detection and real-time data-based health education, provided that it is supported by sustainable mentoring.