Mangun: Journal of Sustainable Community Development

This community empowerment program was motivated by the crucial importance of instilling independence character during the golden age phase, particularly for children in rural areas who often exhibit a high level of dependence on adult assistance. Babadan Hamlet in Polengan Village, Magelang, was selected as the intervention site through a Practical Life Skills training program for children aged 5–7 years. The primary objective of this program was to stimulate fine and gross motor skills, improve concentration, and foster children’s self-confidence through daily life activities. The method employed was participatory mentoring using direct instruction techniques, in which university students acted as facilitators and evaluators. The program consisted of five main activities: buttoning practice, washing eating utensils, folding clothes, sweeping using guiding lines, and sewing simple patterns using creative media made from recycled materials. The implementation results showed that all 14 participating children successfully completed the tasks independently, with significant improvement in accuracy and initiative. Based on the evaluation, the use of concrete and contextual learning media proved effective in transforming children’s dependency into functional autonomy. The conclusion of this program emphasizes that functional independence can be developed through structured habituation supported by educational media and a supportive environment.

This community service program aimed to revitalize the visual appearance of TPQ Mambaul Muttaqin in Gowok Hamlet, Magelang, through mural art in order to enhance children’s learning motivation, which had been affected by an unappealing physical environment. The method applied was a participatory approach consisting of physical observation of the wall area (3 × 2.7 meters), design planning tailored to elementary school children’s characteristics, consultations with community leaders, and collaborative implementation involving university students and local youth. The results of this program demonstrated that the visual transformation, featuring colorful elements and creative illustrations, successfully created a more cheerful and interactive learning atmosphere. The program sought to observe changes and developments in children’s responses before and after the visual revitalization process of TPQ Mambaul Muttaqin. The initiative succeeded in increasing the students’ enthusiasm for regularly attending Qur’anic learning activities and provided a new visual identity for the TPQ. This visual revitalization proved effective in building children’s emotional connection with the religious learning environment while also strengthening social relationships through collaborative artistic activities among community members.

The 2025 Merah Putih Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata / KKN) was a community engagement initiative organized by Universitas PGRI Sumenep as a concrete implementation of the Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi. This article presents a report and analysis of the activities conducted by Group 25 in Romben Guna Village, Dungkek District, Sumenep Regency, East Java, during the period of July–August 2025. This coastal village is predominantly inhabited by communities working as fishermen and farmers. The KKN team, consisting of 13 students from various study programs, designed and implemented eight work programs categorized into main and supporting programs. The main programs included the Fishermen’s Aspiration House, the Celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia’s Independence, and Training on Recycled Product Manufacturing. The supporting programs covered tutoring for children, communal Qur’anic study sessions, community health exercise activities, mosque cleaning programs, and the installation of educational boards on waste decomposition. The implementation method employed a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approach, emphasizing active community involvement at every stage of the activities. The results showed that all programs were successfully carried out despite various challenges, such as participant delays, limited equipment, and scheduling conflicts. The KKN team managed to overcome these obstacles through proactive and collaborative solutions. Overall, this KKN program provided dual benefits: meaningful learning experiences for university students and tangible contributions to the development of the Romben Guna Village community.