Miskiyatul Mubarokah, a student of the International Management Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business class of 2020, is one of the Unsoed students who participated in the Thematic KKN (Community Service Program) Program. The Thematic KKN program is an academic activity program that has a certain theme and program on a partner condition that is aligned with the implementation of research and community service programs. The excellent program that can be converted into credits, especially the KKN course, is organized by LPPM (Institute for Research and Community Service) Unsoed.
The Thematic KKN, which was held from January to February 2023, took place in Bandingan Village, Kejobong District, Purbalingga Regency. The focus of the work program in Thematic KKN participated by Miskiyatul is divided into several fields, namely the economy, environmental empowerment, health, education, and government services. The economic sector focuses on MSME inventory activities and BUMDes activities as well as assistance for both. The environmental empowerment sector includes yard intensification with planter bags and the introduction of home waste decomposers. The health sector includes awareness and assistance on the importance of feeding toddlers. The education sector includes the formation of study groups. The government service sector includes assisting activities at the village hall, training staff in using computers, activating the village website, and updating village data, especially those posted at the village hall.
The main program from LPPM that is featured in the Thematic KKN that Miskiyatul participated in is the introduction of home waste decomposers. In this program, KKN students make decomposters in each home yard that will be used as organic fertilizer. The main ingredient in making the decompostor is food waste that can be rotten from the residents. The students make holes in the ground approximately one to two meters deep, then the garbage is allowed to stand for about two to four weeks. It takes 10 holes in several yards to be used as a dumping site for food waste that is used as a decompostor. Once the waste is decomposted, residents can collect it to be spread on plants and used as organic fertilizer.
According to Miskiyatul, the challenge encountered during KKN was during the process of making the decompostor; since the hole was very deep, students and residents had a little difficulty when retrieving the decompostor which already had an unpleasant odor. According to her, the socialization of making decompostors is not fully complete until the finishing stage of taking and using fertilizer. As a result, Miskiyatul also found it is difficult to deal with various questions from the local villagers. In addition, Miskiyatul previously did not know much about the culture or customs in the village where she participated in Thematic KKN. For example, village board meetings were always held late into the night. She often lacked adequate rest because she had to participate in the meetings.
The benefits experienced by Miskiyatul from participating in this Thematic KKN is that students are not only familiar with learning as usual in the classroom, which is only discussing and not practicing. Through Thematic KKN, students learn directly in the real world field so that they must be prepared and disciplined to work in accordance with its time. Miskiyatul also feels that she could be useful for others because residents feel helped and grateful to the students who carry out work programs and help residents. There is a special satisfaction felt by her. The Thematic KKN program that was carried out also had a positive impact on her character development as her public speaking was increasingly trained, especially when she had to deal with people who were more mature in age. While there are some people who are very conservative, they still take care of the young people, the KKN students. Miskiyatul understands that the cultural differences between the village and the city are valuable lessons and experiences as well as provisions when she graduates as a student later.