Singaraja– Students of the Ganesha University of Education (Undiksha) developed an e-commerce website for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Suana Village, Nusa Penida District, Klungkung Regency, Bali. This step is one of the contributions to improving the community’s economy. This program is an implementation of the 2021 Innovillage Program.
Innovillage is a solopreneurship competition in the field of digital technology through the collaboration of PT Telkom Indonesia and universities. During the Covid-19 pandemic, students were encouraged to be involved in providing solutions to the social problems of rural communities through applicable digital innovations that are related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The team called Team 95 Innovilage is chaired by I Wayan Ardhi Suantara from the English Education Study Program. He was accompanied by I Ketut Andika Pradnyana, S.Pd., M.Pd, and guided by Dr. Ketut Agustini, S.Si., M.Sc. Ardhi Suantara explained that the idea to roll out this program started with observations and interviews. It was revealed that Suana Village has extraordinary potential in the marine sector, especially fisheries. One of the fish caught is managed by the community who are members of the Loka Muda group to become chili sauce.
Previously, this product was only marketed manually, so the reach was still relatively low. “Therefore the 95 Innovillage Undiksha Team developed an e-commerce website to assist the Loka Muda group in marketing fish sauce products,” he explained, Saturday (4/12/2021).
In the initial implementation stage, a website-based e-commerce was developed called fishsambal.com. Its development begins with preparing product photos, then creating a developed website design concept, creating product descriptions, and business descriptions, creating product testimonial videos, creating product designs, and developing e-commerce websites.
“After the e-commerce website was developed, we provided training on using the website to the group. We also provide digital marketing training to Sekaa Truna (Youth Group, ed) in Suana Village with the aim of making businesses developed through digital technology,” explained Ardhi Suantara.
The Secretary of the Loka Muda Group, I Kadek Nova Semadi, expressed his appreciation for the implementation of this program. “We would like to thank the Undiksha Innovillage Team for helping us develop the business we started,” he said. A positive response also came from the Head of Suana Village, I Putu Rai Sudarta, S.E. He conveyed that community economic empowerment really needs to be done, especially in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The reason is quite a lot of people who lost their jobs. “I really appreciate Undiksha students working with Telkom Undiksha who have contributed to us in Suana Village. Hopefully, in the future the people of Suana Village and business actors will continue this excellent program and be able to improve their economy,” he concluded.
Deputy Chancellor for Student Affairs, Alumni, and Public Relations of Undiksha, Prof. Dr. I Wayan Suastra, M.Pd., conveyed that student participation in the Innovillage program is a form of real contribution to participating in dealing with problems in society. This is important as capital to increase competitiveness. “Students don’t only do activities on campus. But they also have to take part in overcoming problems in society,” he said. (hms)
