Community Empowerment Model through Cooperative for the Villages Most Severely Affected By Eruption of Merapi

Abstract

This study was intended to set up community empowerment model for the villages most severely affected after the eruption of Mount Merapi. Among them are Tlogolele Village of Selo District in Boyolali Regency and Balerante Village of Kemalang District in Klaten Regency of Central Java Province. The method used was cooperative inquiry as a form of action research. Data was collected through interview, observation, documentation analysis and focus group discussion (FGD). Informants were selected using purposive sampling. For each village, it has been chosen 20 informants consisting of economics and business group stakeholders at the village level. The results showed that currently sand mining becomes the source of income which is more convenient and practical for profit although as livelihood, it is unsustainable and non renewable. Meanwhile, community business after the eruption of Merapi has not been well developed and thus requires the implementation of empowerment programs and the continuous assistance. Community needs economics institution as a holding company to develop and promote all types of community business. This study has resulted in the development of a community empowerment model through the formation of cooperative as local economics strengthening