Empowering Women in DLT Pudak Through Diversifying Healthy Food Based on Honey Gourd with an Entrepreneurship Orientation

Abstract

Rural women as the pillars of family life must be able to become independent women. One way to empower rural women to become independent and resilient human resources to be able to improve the welfare of their families is through Entrepreneurship-Oriented Honey Pumpkin-Based Healthy Food Diversification Training. Honey pumpkin production at DLT Pudak is quite large, so there is an opportunity to be processed into processed foods that will add sales value as well as increase the marketing of the honey pumpkin itself. The purpose of this program is to increase the income of rural women by increasing motivation in diversifying honey pumpkin processing so that available free time will be utilized well to increase income. With the opening of honey pumpkin-based business opportunities, it is hoped that it will become an additional source of income for rural women. Student involvement in this activity is expected to produce students who have soft skills in varying various honey pumpkin preparations in various creativity. An entrepreneurial spirit will form naturally if creativity in varying products can be increased and applied. The Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) method is used to encourage active community participation in the implementation of the program and the Learning by Doing method aims to ensure that participants are able to do it themselves after the activity is completed. Women's empowerment activities at DLT Pudak began with socializing the benefits of honey pumpkin for health, demonstrations and training in making noodles and crackers from honey pumpkin, providing assistance in product making and product packaging, promoting and offering products to the local community to train and improve the entrepreneurial spirit. Women's empowerment activities in Pudak Village have been carried out and received a very positive response from the community, active participation is seen in every activity. The transfer of knowledge and technology carried out can be well received by the local community. This activity is expected to be supported by the local government so that this business can continue to run and develop to increase income and improve the household economy of women in PUDAK village.