Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus) conducted a reinforcement program of a village’s governance and an empowerment program in Tokolan. This program is a continuation of funding obtained by the Department of Hotel Management at Udinus at the Village Empowerment Program. 

The program was initiated by the Ministry of Education with a total of Rp. 29.9 million funding. The Village Empowerment Program was mainly conducted by ten Hotel Management Association members in a village known as Tokolan, Telomoyo, Getasan Sub-district, Semarang Regency. 

Haura Tabriza Asyan, the Leader of the Village Empowerment Team, explained that they had conducted many kinds of programs, and the Village Empowerment Program was the continuation of the success achieved by the Hotel Management Department in those programs. On that occasion, the team encouraged the locals of Tokolan to engage in a Forum Group Discussion regarding the potential held by the village. Additionally, there were several training programs organized by the team, including excellent service, tourism packaging, tourist guiding, and homestay standardization.. 

“We are so grateful, as the training programs were warmly accepted by the locals, and they could also be active in conveying their opinions and participating in our designated programs. Their activeness caused positive interactions between us and them,” she revealed. 

In addition to Haura, there were also nine other members who took part in this program, including Nabilla Dinda Ramadani, Anasthasia Indah Larasati, Dian Mita Amanda, Zahra Khoironi Aulia, Dinar Visita Dewi Anggraeni, Muhammad Askha Rafliansyach Wijaya, Fresta Indah Lestari, Ariel Sabella Siva Shan, and Genta Bernard Mahardika.

Izza Ulumudin Ahmad Asshofi, S.E., M.MPar., Che., a lecturer, hoped that those ten students would be able to hone their soft skills to raise public awareness to help the locals to actively develop their village. 

“This program gives students a platform to contribute to our local community. Here, they could not only teach, but they could also learn from the locals, so this program essentially benefits both parties,” Izza added. 

Meanwhile, Dwi Wahono, the village chief, warmly welcomed the arrival of the Village Empowerment Team. He and the other locals realized the natural potential possessed by Tokolan, and hopefully, the training programs conducted by the team could optimize that hidden potential. The potential will slowly form through those training programs. 

“Wishfully, this program could give synergies to our village, and we will also be committed to implementing those training programs for the years to come,” he concluded. (Humas Udinus/Haris. Foto: Humas Udinus)