POLITEKNIK NEGERI JEMBER (POLIJE) STUDENTS FORMED A COMMUNITY THAT FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY SERVICE

Those who are members of the Denah Pengabdi Kangsa Pertiwi (Dedikasi) community have a vision of creating a forum to encourage Indonesian youth to be at the forefront of change to provide benefits to the community through community service programs. One of the Dedikasi founders, Khoirul Azka Azkiya, is a student of the Polije Applied Coffee Undergraduate Study Program. He said that the beginning of the formation of this community was based on the hobbies of the founders who had participated in many community service activities. “Dedication is similar to community service on campus such as village development, and gathering friends who have the same interests as volunteers by coming to the village,” Azka explained.

Currently, Dedikasi is still focusing on doing community service around the Horseshoe area such as Jember, Banyuwangi, Bondowoso, Situbondo, Lumajang, Probolinggo, and Pasuruan.

“Currently we are still around the Horseshoe area because there are still many underdeveloped and remote villages in the Horseshoe area. But it is possible that we will also do service outside Tapal Kuda and even outside Java,” he continued.

There are 40 volunteers who have registered with Dedikasi, consisting of various occupations such as students, teachers, health workers, and even employees of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

“We are open to all groups, the point is that they really have the intention to do community service,” said Azka.

Dedication also has various partners such as orphanages, village offices, and various other partners.

“We have partners in various fields too. Because for us, the more partners we establish, the more we will also provide service,” Azka explained.

Dedication focuses on five areas, namely education, health, social environment, tourism economy, and media.

“We fulfill all five attributes of this field carefully in one service project,” he continued.

Azka hopes that with Dedication, more and more students, especially from Polije, will participate in community service and channel their knowledge to the wider community. (ang)