The Development of Low-Income Settlement by Community Driven Strategy and Introducing Batik Home Industry

Abstract

Indigenous people demonstrate great ingenuity in developing their residential neighborhoods and improving their living standard. The poor in low-income settlements is an example of indigenous people living in urban areas. If they are given a chance to develop their houses and surrounding areas as well as their living standard, they will show their great capability to improve their settlements, because they know exactly what they need and they know also their capabilities regarding their financial activity. To improve the environmental quality of low-income settlement, it is better and more sustainable, if the inhabitants are involved at the whole process of development. Community driven strategy is a total participatory development which enhances the potencies and minimizes the problems of low-income settlements based on community needs and closely assisted by facilitators. This strategy is very useful for improving the environmental quality within the low-income settlements. To enhance their living standard, those people living in low-income settlements need an income generating activity that is familiar with their daily life. The real batik cloth is a piece of a deep philosophical artwork for it contains prayer and hopes for the person who wears it. Resiliency in batik as an intangible cultural heritage can be achieved by encouraging batik making as a way of life as well as a way of make a living. Therefore, batik making should become a skill for the common, including the challenged one. Keywords: low-income settlement, batik home industry, community driven