Jatigede—Thursday, February 6, 2025. As part of an effort to boost literacy, students from the Padjadjaran University Community Service Program (KKN) Group 191 have initiated a village library in Jemah Village, Jatigede District, Sumedang Regency, West Java. The library, named “Perpustakaan Duniaku” (My World Library), is a core program of KKN Group 191, serving as a means of cultural preservation and literacy improvement to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This library project aims to increase interest in reading by providing an adequate reading corner and a good collection of books.
Held at the Jemah Village Hall, the library inauguration event involved members of Padjadjaran University’s KKN Group 191, accompanied by their Field Supervisor, Dr. Ute Lies Siti Khadijah, S.Sos., M.Si., and two representatives from the Unpad faculty team. The event was also attended by the Head of Jemah Village, Mr. Iden Saepullah, and the local villagers.
The event began with welcome speeches from various parties, including the Head of Jemah Village, the Field Supervisor, and the head of KKN Group 191. Following the speeches, the event continued with a cultural performance by the KKN students, which aimed to share local culture with the community.
Next, there was a screening of an aftermovie and a session where the people of Jemah Village shared their impressions and feedback on the program run by the KKN students. The event concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the Jemah Village library.
The library’s inauguration was met with a positive response from the community, as shown by their enthusiasm throughout the event.
The Head of the Jemah Village PKK (Family Welfare Movement) Team, Idah Kurniati, responded positively to the initiative. She stated that her dream of creating a reading corner and a library had finally been realized with the help of the KKN students. She also hoped that the library would be beneficial for the residents of Jemah Village.
“Alhamdulillah, you have helped us create the Jemah Village library and reading corner. I hope what the KKN team has left behind will be beneficial,” said Idah Kurniati.
The village library is expected to provide long-term benefits to the people of Jemah Village, particularly as an educational resource for improving literacy and preserving culture sustainably. This aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of supporting quality education and cultural preservation for future generations.
In addition to the library, KKN Group 191 had other activities running in their sub-groups. Here are some of the work programs that have been implemented:
- CILUKBA (Cerita Lucu Budaya Asik): A strategy to improve literacy and character-building among children at the TPA (Al-Qur’an Education Park) in Bakom Hamlet through educational dramas based on local Sumedang culture.
- Improving Letter Recognition and Literacy in Preschoolers Through Interactive Methods: A teaching and learning activity to introduce the alphabet (A-Z) to preschoolers in Bakom Hamlet.
- Improving Reading Comprehension for 5th & 6th Graders Through Literacy Activities at SDN Lontong: A strategy to help children better understand the content of stories.
- Implementing a Literacy Tree and Improving Writing Creativity for 4th, 5th, & 6th Graders at SDN Lontong: An activity designed to make students more interested in reading and learning to compose sentences.
These activities were carried out with the hope of advancing the village through creative and innovative approaches to literacy.
Author: Ratu Keisha Arzetty Callista
