As part of implementing the Kampus Merdeka (Independent Campus) program, the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia is running the Holistic Village Development and Empowerment Program (PHP2D). Two teams from Hasanuddin University (Unhas) were selected as grant recipients and are carrying out programs under the main theme: “Realizing Competitive Students Through Collaboration in Village Community Development in the Industry 4.0 Era.”
One of the Unhas teams selected as grant recipients is running a program themed “Sabe Silk Production Center Based on the Creative Industry as an Effort to Enhance the Local Wisdom of the Signature Silk Cloth of Assorajang Village, Wajo Regency.” To kick off the program, the Unhas student team held an outreach session for the people of Assorajang Village, Tanasitolo District, Wajo Regency, on Friday (18 September).
Team member Muh. Taufik explained that the program aims to encourage the village community to become more self-reliant in innovating within the silk products industry.
“Assorajang Village will eventually become an Unhas partner village (desa binaan) on its way to becoming a self-reliant village. Our hope, of course, is to create a village community capable of managing silk-weaving businesses, thereby increasing the market value of woven silk products,” explained Taufik, a student at the Unhas Faculty of Economics and Business who enrolled in 2016.
Through the PHP2D program, the village community is expected to popularize and preserve silk weaving and to increase innovation in quality products made from silk cloth, such as bags and sandals, while also introducing the cultural heritage of South Sulawesi, particularly of Wajo Regency. (*/mir/ir)
Editor: Ishaq Rahman, AMIPR
This article is an English translation of the original Indonesian report.