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Seren Village has abundant organic waste potential, particularly banana peel waste generated from banana-processing MSME activities and wood ash resulting from household firewood combustion. To date, this waste has not been optimally utilized and is often discarded, thereby posing potential environmental problems. This study aims to process banana peel waste and wood ash into an innovative, environmentally friendly shoe polish made from natural materials, while also enhancing the economic value and welfare of the community. The research employed a descriptive qualitative method with a case study approach. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation involving the women’s Family Welfare Empowerment Group (PKK) of Seren Village as the target participants. The shoe polish production process includes drying and grinding banana peels, mixing them with a wood ash solution that functions as a natural coloring agent, adding supporting materials, and heating the mixture until a ready-to-use shoe polish is obtained. The results indicate that the shoe polish produced from banana peels and wood ash has a solid texture, is slightly coarse, non-glossy, and has a relatively fast drying time of approximately one minute. In addition, the product shows good resistance to water splashes and does not damage the surface of shoes. The use of natural ingredients makes this shoe polish safer for health. The utilization of this waste has the potential to support MSME development, reduce environmental pollution, and sustainably improve the welfare of the Seren Village community.

Economic empowerment of rural communities through the strengthening of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is a crucial pillar in achieving national economic independence. One of the fundamental obstacles faced by MSMEs in rural areas is financial exclusion due to low digital literacy and dependence on conventional cash transaction systems. The Community Service Program (KKN) of students from the State Islamic University of North Sumatra (UIN SU) in Pematang Tengah Village was designed to bridge this gap by optimizing the Indonesian Standard Quick Response Code (QRIS). Through an intensive participatory mentoring approach, students acted as agents of digital transformation who educated, trained, and facilitated 10 local MSME actors in adopting non-cash payment technology. The results of the program show a significant shift from digital skepticism to digital trust. The implementation of QRIS has been proven to increase operational efficiency, financial management accuracy, and strengthen the image of business modernity in the eyes of consumers. This article emphasizes that the role of students is not merely as information deliverers, but as catalysts of social capital that is crucial for the sustainability of digitalization at the village level.

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are a fundamental pillar of the Indonesian economy, but their potential is often hampered by the digital divide, especially in rural areas. The Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) initiative is a way for the government to encourage digital transformation and make payments more accessible to everyone. This article aims to document and analyse the process and impact of a community service programme that facilitated the adoption of QRIS among 10 MSMEs in Pematang Tengah Village, Tanjung Pura Sub-district. This activity used the Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) method, which emphasises active collaboration between the service team and MSME partners. The process included participatory planning, collaborative action in the form of intensive training and mentoring, and joint evaluation. The results showed that all 10 MSME partners successfully adopted and used QRIS for daily transactions. The significant benefits included increased transaction efficiency, improved financial record-keeping, and a more modern business image. The main challenges identified were initial doubts about the technology and unstable internet connectivity, which were successfully mitigated through personalised mentoring based on trust. It was concluded that the CBPAR (Community-Based Participatory Action Research) method is a highly effective framework for implementing technological innovation in rural MSME communities because it not only addresses technical skill gaps but also builds crucial social capital such as trust and digital confidence.

Plastic waste management in rural areas, particularly in tourism villages, remains an environmental challenge that requires sustainable solutions. Negeri Tongging Village, as a tourism area around Lake Toba, has experienced an increase in household plastic waste that has not been managed optimally, potentially affecting environmental quality and community well-being. This community service activity aimed to enhance community awareness and capacity in plastic waste management through the implementation of a circular economy approach based on a waste exchange program and ecobrick production. A participatory approach was employed by actively involving the community in all stages of the activity, including socialization, program implementation, and evaluation. The program was carried out during the 2025 Community Service Program of Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara, consisting of circular economy socialization, collection of plastic waste through an exchange scheme with basic necessities, training on ecobrick production, and the provision of supporting facilities for environmental cleanliness. The results indicate an increase in community participation and environmental awareness, a reduction in improperly disposed plastic waste, and an improvement in community skills in processing plastic waste into useful products. In addition, the activity strengthened mutual cooperation and environmental responsibility among community members. In conclusion, the application of a circular economy approach through ecobrick-based activities can serve as an effective alternative solution for plastic waste management while simultaneously supporting sustainable community empowerment in rural tourism areas.

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.

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.

The Community Service Program (KKN) in Sidomukti Baru Village aims to enhance the community’s productive skills and financial awareness through training on dishwashing soap innovation and saving education. The main problems faced by the local community are the lack of skills in creating economically valuable products and low awareness of household financial management. This activity employed a descriptive qualitative method with a participatory approach, where the community was actively involved in all stages of implementation, from planning and execution to evaluation. The results show that the dishwashing soap training effectively improved participants’ skills and creativity in processing simple materials into marketable products with local economic potential. Meanwhile, the saving education activities successfully increased financial literacy and encouraged wise financial behavior within families. Through active community participation, this program not only provided new skills but also fostered economic independence and strengthened the spirit of cooperation as a foundation for sustainable empowerment at the village level.

The Bulusari Film Village Community possesses considerable potential as a community-based creative space, yet it continues to face limitations in technical film production skills and community management. This community engagement program aims to strengthen the community’s creative capacity and professionalism through training in scriptwriting, cinematography, production, and film editing, as well as reinforcing organizational management using the Participatory Community Appraisal (PCA) approach. The activities were implemented through five major stages, namely needs identification, formulation of alternative solutions, technical training, short film production mentoring, and strengthening of the community’s management system. The results demonstrate significant improvements in members’ technical competencies across all stages of film production, from pre-production to post-production. The community successfully produced a script and one short film with enhanced visual and narrative quality compared to their earlier works. In addition, the establishment of a new organizational structure, operational SOPs, and a simple administrative system effectively improved community governance. The program also broadened the community’s collaborative network with local government, educational institutions, and other creative groups. These findings indicate that PCA-based empowerment supports increased creativity, autonomy, and competitiveness among local creative communities in alignment with the SDGs, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Communities).

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.

The community service program in Purworejo Village, Sragi District, Pekalongan Regency, was implemented to enhance the capacity of local MSME actors in utilizing digital technology as a modern marketing tool. The program adopted a participatory approach involving youth organizations, business actors, village authorities, and the implementation team in every stage of the activity. Assistance included field observation, data collection, content development training, and the creation of a dedicated MSME website as a shared promotional platform. The results indicate significant social changes within the community, including improved digital literacy, stronger awareness of the importance of technology-based marketing, the emergence of local youth as digital facilitators, and the development of collaborative working patterns in managing digital media. These findings reinforce that participatory-based mentoring can strengthen community capacity in adopting technology, consistent with theoretical perspectives that position the community as key agents of local development. Therefore, the program not only produced a functional digital product in the form of an MSME website but also laid the foundation for a more adaptive, competitive, and sustainable village economic ecosystem..

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infectious diseases transmitted through sexual contact including vaginal, anal, oral intercourse and are caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites, either directly or indirectly. Half of the 15-24 year olds contribute to sexually transmitted infections in the world. So that adolescents in Bangun Rejo Village are able to independently maintain their reproductive health to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. Method: Providing education about the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents. The number of adolescents is 30 people. Population: all adolescents in Hamlet II, Bangun Rejo Village. Sample: all populations or total sampling. Data is frequency distribution. before education, adolescents' knowledge about the prevention of infectious diseases was mostly lacking as many as 12 people (40%) and a minority of good as many as 7 people (23.3%), while after education, the results obtained were a majority of good as many as 16 people (53.3%) and a minority of less as many as 5 people (16.7%). Conclusion; There was an increase in knowledge after education about early disease prevention about sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents in Bangun Rejo Village. Provide counseling facilities for adolescents regarding sexually transmitted infections.

Background: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infectious diseases transmitted through sexual contact including vaginal, anal, oral intercourse and are caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites, either directly or indirectly. Half of the 15-24 year olds contribute to sexually transmitted infections in the world. Objective: so that adolescents in Bangun Rejo Village are able to independently maintain their reproductive health to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. Method: Providing education about the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents. The number of adolescents is 30 people. Population: all adolescents in Hamlet II, Bangun Rejo Village. Sample: all populations or total sampling. Data is frequency distribution. Results: before education, adolescents' knowledge about the prevention of infectious diseases was mostly lacking as many as 12 people (40%) and a minority of good as many as 7 people (23.3%), while after education, the results obtained were a majority of good as many as 16 people (53.3%) and a minority of less as many as 5 people (16.7%). Conclusion; There was an increase in knowledge after education about early disease prevention about sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents in Bangun Rejo Village. Suggestion: Provide counseling facilities for adolescents regarding sexually transmitted infections.

This community service activity aims to empower the Galansia Business Group in Sait Buttu Saribu Village, Pematang Sidamanik District, Simalungun Regency, which is engaged in the processing of agricultural products and household products. The main problems faced by the partners include limited production capacity, inconsistent product quality, simple business management, and traditional marketing methods. To overcome these problems, the community service team applied a participatory approach by providing appropriate technology, business management assistance, and digital marketing training. The results of the activities showed a significant increase in production capacity, time efficiency, and product quality consistency thanks to the use of onion slicing machines and liquid soap mixing machines. In terms of marketing, the partners successfully utilized social media as a means of promotion and distribution, and improved product packaging to make it more attractive and professional. In terms of management, the partners were able to implement simple digital-based financial records and were facilitated in handling business legality. The impact achieved was an increase in members' income of more than 50% and the growth of entrepreneurial spirit among the village's elderly. This program has proven to be effective in supporting business independence and can be used as a model for community-based MSME empowerment in the digital era.

This community service initiative was designed to empower housewives in Dusun III, Desa Pematang Sijonam, by introducing ecoprint as a sustainable craft and a potential driver of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The activity was motivated by the limited access to alternative livelihoods in rural communities and the increasing relevance of environmentally conscious products in contemporary markets. The program adopted a descriptive qualitative design, emphasizing participatory involvement through workshops and direct practice. Participants were guided to identify tannin-rich leaves from their local environment, arrange them on pre-mordanted cotton tote bags, and apply steaming processes to transfer pigments. The outcomes revealed that participants not only acquired technical competence but also demonstrated heightened creativity and confidence, producing distinctive motifs that carried cultural and ecological values. More importantly, the training raised awareness of the economic potential of natural resources that had previously been overlooked. This activity suggests that ecoprint is not merely an artistic expression but also a practical strategy for fostering women’s economic independence, stimulating rural entrepreneurship, and strengthening sustainable development at the community level

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.

Community empowerment is an important pillar in social development in Indonesia. This article discusses the implementation of the Merdeka Belajar-Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) Program by students of the Christian Leadership Study Program, Faculty of Theology, Tarutung State Christian Institute in Hutaraja Simanungkalit Village, Sipoholon District, North Tapanuli Regency. This activity focuses on spiritual and social development, through a literacy mentoring program for children and support for the elderly. The research method used is a qualitative descriptive approach with a collaborative participatory method, which allows active interaction between students and the community. Data collection was carried out through observation, informal interviews, and documentation of activities. The evaluation results showed that the program succeeded in improving children's basic literacy skills and providing emotional support for the elderly, as well as strengthening social relationships in the community. Through this experience, students developed social skills and empathy, while the community felt the positive impact of student involvement. This article emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the academic world and local communities in realizing effective and sustainable empowerment.

This Community Service Program (KKN) was implemented as an effort to address the health and environmental risks associated with the use of chemical-based dishwashing soap. The program’s lack of knowledge and skills in making natural household products among women underpins the program’s implementation. The goal was to raise awareness and empower women through training in making environmentally friendly dishwashing soap. The program was conducted at the Women’s Witness Building and included outreach, demonstrations, hands-on practice, discussions, and the sharing of results. During the workshop, participants were taught how to make soap using simple ingredients such as baking soda, liquid soap, water, and the addition of glycerin, dyes, and fragrances. The results demonstrated high enthusiasm from the participants, reflected in their active involvement during the workshop and their understanding of the benefits of natural products. This activity not only improved the women’s skills but also encouraged a frugal, healthy, and environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Extreme poverty remains a major challenge in rural areas of Indonesia, including Nagori Bandar Manik, Pamatang Sidamanik District, Simalungun Regency. The 2025 UINSU Community Service Program (KKN) was carried out to empower local communities through various activities covering economic, educational, religious, social-environmental, and health aspects. This program employed a qualitative approach by involving active community participation in needs assessment, socialization, training, and evaluation. In the economic aspect, workshops on dishwashing liquid and herbal pesticide production were implemented as alternative household businesses. The educational sector included religious moderation through a short movie screening Mabbere, anti-bullying campaigns, ecoprint totebag training, and teaching at kindergarten, elementary, and junior high school levels. In the religious field, activities included Qur’an learning after Maghrib with children and Yasin recitals for both men and women. The social-environmental aspect was realized through community clean-up, educational boards on waste decomposition, distribution of garbage bins, and environmental awareness campaigns. Meanwhile, the health aspect focused on education about clean and healthy living behaviors, stunting prevention campaigns, and community exercise. The findings revealed improvements in entrepreneurial skills, children’s literacy, spiritual values, environmental awareness, and healthy lifestyles. The implication highlights that multidimensional community empowerment can serve as an effective strategy to reduce extreme poverty and promote sustainable village development.  

This Community Service Program (PKM) was implemented at UMKM Wedang Rempah 3 Putri Sukoharjo with the aim of enhancing competitiveness through the application of e-prospek, strengthening digital marketing, and product diversification into ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages. The program employed mentoring, training, and hands-on practice, engaging UMKM actors actively from the planning stage to implementation. The results show that the use of the e-prospek application successfully expanded market access, digital marketing improved promotional effectiveness, and RTD product diversification attracted modern consumers who value practicality and health benefits. Beyond the economic impact of increased sales, the program fostered digital awareness, local leadership, and community independence. Theoretically, these findings reinforce the literature on the significance of digital transformation and product innovation in community-based MSME empowerment. This program is recommended for sustainable development through enhanced digital literacy, stronger local branding, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to establish an adaptive, innovative, and competitive MSME empowerment model.