Khairul Ummah
This project aims to improve the quality of life in Nabaheng Village, Southeast Maluku, by addressing two primary issues: the lack of internet connectivity and water scarcity during the dry season. Situated on the coast of Kei Besar Island, Nabaheng Village faces significant infrastructural challenges that hinder its economic and social development. To tackle connectivity issues, the project will implement a satellite internet solution tailored to the village’s geographical conditions. This initiative seeks to provide residents with access to information, remote education, and digital economic opportunities. A participatory approach will be employed, involving the local community in planning and implementation to ensure long-term sustainability. As part of this effort, a "Knowledge House" will be established, utilizing internet access to deliver educational resources to the community. Training programs will be conducted to teach internet usage, focusing on skills like information searching and leveraging YouTube as a tool for practical solutions. Regarding water scarcity, the rocky mountainous terrain causes water to seep underground, necessitating boreholes to bring it to the surface. As a temporary solution, the project proposes constructing ponds to collect river and rainwater. However, the hard rocky terrain poses significant challenges, making this initiative better suited for a large-scale government project. Additionally, educational programs on water conservation and water-efficient agriculture will be introduced to enhance the community’s resilience to drought. The educational component also extends to teaching safe and productive internet usage, raising awareness about online fraud and data theft. The community will also learn value-added processing of available resources, such as producing longer-lasting coconut oil, making coconut shell charcoal, manufacturing cassava-based mocaf flour, processing banana chips, producing clove oil, and improving packaging techniques. A joint group between ITB and the village will be established to ensure continued support and mentorship. Through ITB's assistance, this initiative is expected to improve information accessibility, enhance community productivity, and strengthen water security in Nabaheng Village, ultimately fostering sustainable development in the region.
"Significant benefits from the Digital Village program, which aims to provide internet access and digital literacy training for the remote villages of Nabaheng and Ohoilim on Kei Besar Island, Southeast Maluku. The main benefits of this program include: Improved communications and connectivity: The installation of satellite internet and Wi-Fi access points in these villages has enabled residents to communicate more easily with family members and access information, breaking the isolation they previously experienced. Increased educational and learning opportunities: Internet access has given children and youth in these villages a new outlet for learning, enabling them to take advantage of online educational resources and applications. This has the potential to expand their knowledge and future prospects. Increased economic opportunities: This program has opened up new possibilities for villagers to explore value-added processing of their agricultural and fisheries products, such as making coconut oil, charcoal, cassava flour and banana chips. This can help improve their livelihoods and income potential. Increased collaboration and knowledge sharing: This program has facilitated collaboration and knowledge sharing between the three villages, Nabaheng, Ohoilim, and Ohoinangan, enabling them to jointly identify and overcome common challenges through participant learning and ITB team guidance. Overall, the Digital Villages program has demonstrated the transformative impact that digital connectivity and capacity building can have on remote and underserved communities, empowering them to better utilize technology for their social and economic development. For the ITB Team, this activity provides benefits as a means of applying knowledge and contributing to lecturers and students for community service. Faculties benefit from increasing the competence of lecturers and students. ITB has the benefit of being able to make a real contribution to development in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Indonesia has benefited from accelerating poverty alleviation and advancing rural areas in the 3T region."
Providing internet access and communications infrastructure, Community empowerment, Business Development