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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.

The Barokah Lumintu Women Farmers Group (KWT) in Siwarak Village has great potential in processing pineapple as the village's leading commodity. However, the processing activities carried out are still simple, not yet standardized, and not yet oriented towards production continuity and market needs. This community service activity aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit of KWT members and increase the capacity and continuity of pineapple processing products through the application of appropriate technology. The implementation methods include entrepreneurship training, technical training in pineapple processing, assistance in the application of appropriate technology, and strengthening of production and marketing management. The results of the activities show an increase in the knowledge and skills of KWT members in pineapple processing, an increase in production process efficiency, and the growth of a more market-oriented entrepreneurial awareness. This program is expected to encourage the sustainability of the pineapple processing business and increase the economic independence of the members of KWT Barokah Lumintu.

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.

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 engagement program addresses the limited digital marketing utilization of Be Bloomy Bouquets, a creative knitting business, within the MBKM Entrepreneurship framework. The program aims to design and implement adaptive digital marketing strategies to enhance brand visibility, competitiveness, and business sustainability. Using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, the program was conducted from October to November 2025 through preparation, implementation, and evaluation stages. The results indicate that digital marketing assistance via Instagram and TikTok significantly increased audience reach, customer interaction, and brand awareness, while marketplace utilization still requires further optimization. The discussion highlights that integrating handmade product creativity, digital branding strategies, and participatory reflection fosters entrepreneurial behavior change and strengthens local leadership capacity. In conclusion, the program generates not only technical improvements in marketing performance but also social transformation through enhanced digital literacy, independence, and local leadership. Future recommendations emphasize content consistency, production management, and sustainable digital marketing strategies.

This study aims to analyze the implementation of programs strengthening financial literacy, economic digitalization, and the creative economy carried out by students participating in the Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata/KKN) in Nagori Marihat Bukit. The programs included education on the Indonesian rupiah and the importance of saving habits, socialization of the QRIS digital payment system, a workshop on striphone production to support MSME development, and an ecoprint workshop for elementary school students. The study employed a qualitative descriptive method, with data collected through participatory observation and documentation. The results indicate that the programs successfully enhanced community understanding of financial literacy from an early age, increased the adoption of digital payment technology with 68% of participants successfully implementing QRIS, and improved creative economy skills that support the development of local MSMEs. These activities demonstrate that community-based economic education can effectively strengthen financial awareness, promote digital financial inclusion, and sustainably develop the creative economic potential of the community. Therefore, this KKN program can serve as a practical model of community-based economic empowerment in fostering economically independent communities.

Digitalization is an effort to utilize digital-based technology to transform previously conventional work systems into more efficient and effective ones, including in the management of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This study aims to apply digitalization to corn-based coffe MSMEs in Talang Balai Baru 1 Village, Tanjung Raja District, Ogan Ilir Regency. The research method used is a descriptive qualitative approach with data collection techniques through interviews, observation, and documentation. The research findings indicate that the production and marketing activities of corn coffe MSMEs still use conventional methods. The implementation of digitaization has not been optimally implemented due to the low digital literacy of business owners and limited time in business managemen. Nevertheless, the initial implementation of digitalization through the use of social media and online sales platforms has had a positive impact in the form of expanding market reach and increasing ease of communication between producers and consumers. Thus, the digitalization of corn coffe MSME products has great potential to increase competitiveness and business sustainability if implemented gradually and continuously. .

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.

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.

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.

Traditional snack micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia face increasing market competition and rapidly changing consumer preferences, particularly among younger consumers seeking innovative and symbolic food experiences. This community engagement study aims to strengthen the profitability and sustainability of traditional snack MSMEs by integrating local flavor innovation with simple business governance practices. Using a participatory action research approach under the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program in Palangka Raya, this study involved co-creation between students and local entrepreneurs in product development, production standardization, and basic financial management. Qualitative data were collected through participatory observation and stakeholder discussions, while quantitative data were obtained from sales records and simple financial reports. The results demonstrate that local flavor-based innovation, combined with standardized operating procedures and cost control mechanisms, improved product differentiation, operational efficiency, and financial performance. The intervention generated a positive net profit and strengthened the partner’s capacity for independent business management. This study contributes to the literature by positioning traditional food MSMEs as sites of cultural innovation and micro-governance, while supporting Sustainable Development Goals related to inclusive economic growth, cultural preservation, and responsible production.

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.

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.

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.

Salem District is one of the largest coffee commodities in Brebes Regency. This significant potential has yet to provide a meaningful contribution to the income of coffee farmers, especially in Gunung Jaya village, Salem District. The low income of coffee farmers is due to the fact that they still sell their coffee products in the form of cherry. Over time, in 2018, farmers began to develop small-scale and simple coffee processing from green beans to roasted beans and coffee powder, pioneered by the SME "Lulumpang Kopi". They still use simple tools and often have to travel out of town to obtain the desired coffee powder. Lulumpang Kopi can produce 100-150 packages of coffee weighing 100 grams. Seeing this potential, the Community Partnership Empowerment team (PKM) from the University of Civilisation and UNSOED, funded by DIKTISAINTEK, is conducting community service this year 2025 using training methods, workshops, and appropriate technology grants. Thus, technology has been granted in the form of 1 Huller machine with a capacity of 150kg/batch, 1 BBM Grinding machine with a capacity of 10kg/batch, and scales. This assistance aims to enhance farmers' capabilities to achieve greater economic independence and improve their competitiveness in the market. As a result of this activity, partners were able to increase the capacity and quality of coffee farmers' production through the grant of equipment such as huller, BBM grinder, and digital scales, making the processing faster, more efficient, and yielding better coffee compared to traditional methods. In addition, the training participants also demonstrated an increase in knowledge through pre-tests and post-tests, rising from 66.5% to 77.3%, an increase of 13.8% from the 40 participants who attended.

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 focuses on enhancing digital literacy, documenting cultural traditions, and developing integrated promotional media through the EthnoGring platform in Tlemang Cultural Tourism Village, Lamongan. The activities were conducted in collaboration with the local tourism group, Pokdarwis “Bukit Inggil,” through stages of needs assessment, digital literacy training, cultural content production and curation, platform development, and monitoring and evaluation. The results indicate that digitalization strengthens community capacity to manage tourism promotion while simultaneously safeguarding cultural heritage in the face of modernization. Cultural outputs such as documentaries, photographs of traditional rituals, interview transcripts with cultural figures, and an e-book on the Nyanggring tradition serve not only as promotional tools but also as efforts to conserve collective community knowledge. The integration of these outputs into the EthnoGring platform, equipped with public service and tourism information features, highlights the strategic role of digital innovation in supporting sustainable tourism village development. Early impacts include broader exposure of Tlemang’s cultural heritage, the emergence of local economic initiatives, and the establishment of a more adaptive community organization. Although challenges remain, particularly in digital infrastructure, collective engagement and institutional support serve as key foundations for sustainability. Therefore, EthnoGring contributes not only to cultural preservation but also to strengthening the social, economic, and institutional dimensions of sustainable tourism.