Pemberdayaan Masyarakat dalam Pemanfaatan Dana Desa di Desa Tanjung Beringin Kabupaten Karo

Abstract

Empowerment is a crucial aspect in improving community welfare. Through empowerment, communities are encouraged to become more independent in managing available resources, thereby improving their standard of living. In Tanjung Beringin Village, there are still issues related to the low level of community participation in the empowerment process, both in planning and implementation stages. Moreover, support from the village government has not been optimal. This has led to the village fund programs not having a significant impact on the improvement of community welfare. The purpose of this study is to identify the forms of empowerment implemented and the obstacles encountered in the program's implementation. The research method used is descriptive research with a qualitative approach. Data were collected through interviews, observations, documentation, and literature review. The data were analyzed qualitatively using Stewart’s empowerment theory (enabling, facilitating, consulting, collaborating, mentoring, supporting). The results of the study indicate that community empowerment programs funded through the village fund are still predominantly implemented in a top-down manner by the village government, with minimal meaningful involvement from the community itself. In most cases, the community is only involved during the implementation stage, not from the planning to the evaluation phases. This condition is further exacerbated by the lack of open communication and the limited consistency of assistance from village officials. As a result, many empowerment activities have not addressed the real needs of the residents and tend to lack sustainability. These findings highlight the need for a more inclusive, participatory approach that focuses on strengthening the capacity of the community.