Maintaining Integrity, Developing Potential, Building Independence in Muara Kalaq Village, Mook Manaar Bulatn District, West Kutai Regency

Merawat Integritas, Mengolah Potensi, Membangun Kemandirian Kampung Muara Kalaq, Kecamatan Mook Manaar Bulatn, Kabupaten Kutai Barat

Abstract

Community empowerment is essential to promoting the utilization of local potential and strengthening community capacity at the village level. Muara Kalaq Village, Mook Manaar Bulatn District, West Kutai Regency, possesses community potential in education, agriculture, and livestock, yet there remains a gap between the available potential and its optimal utilization. This is reflected in the need to strengthen integrity values from an early age, improve community skills in livestock feed management, and address the absence of MSMEs as a means of developing and marketing local products. This activity aimed to improve community knowledge, skills, and awareness through three programs: anti- corruption education, appropriate technology through silage production, and competitive MSME empowerment. Program planning was based on identifying community needs through communication with the Field Supervisor (PL) and relevant parties via telephone calls and text messages. Data were collected through observation, communication, documentation, and identification of community conditions. The results showed that anti-corruption education provided elementary school students with an understanding of honesty, responsibility, discipline, and integrity. The silage production practice improved community knowledge and skills in processing livestock feed by utilizing local resources. Meanwhile, the identification of community economic conditions showed that MSMEs had not yet been established in Muara Kalaq Village, although agricultural and livestock products with economic potential were available. Through the Competitive MSME Empowerment Program, the community was encouraged to identify, process, and develop local products as a foundation for establishing businesses. Overall, these activities served as an initial step in bridging the gap between local potential and community capacity toward greater independence in Muara Kalaq Village.