UNS — To improve the productivity of people with special needs, students in Group 108 of Student Community Service Program (KKN) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta provided training on the production of ecoprint and tie dye products in Ngreco Village, Sukoharjo District. The program collaborated with Self Help Group (SHG) Ngudi Mandiri members and was held in Rumah Laundry Ngreco for two days, Wednesday (23/2/2022) and Thursday (24/2/2022).
The training was participated by 30 people and was designed for people with special needs at productive age. The event was opened with a remark from Endang as the coordinator of SHG Ngudi Mandiri. The event was also supervised by Drs. Bambang Harjito, M. App. Sc., Ph.D., as the field supervisor for Group 108 KKN UNS.
The training materials were delivered by Group members. Mefta Rizki Qurrat ‘Aini, a student of the Biology Education Program Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), delivered materials on “Ecoprint,” while Ardian Sendy Milano from Fine Art Education FKIP delivered materials on “Tie Dye.” The materials were followed by a training session for participants to make the products.
Practice Session
The ecoprint product practice used the tote bag and pouch. Ecoprint is selected because it is easy and requires materials that are easy to find around the village. The ecoprint production started with opening fabric pores and printing using natural materials using the pounding method. The natural materials used in this training are teak leaves, Japanese papaya leaves, castor leaves, Kenikir leaves, Moringa leaves, Kenikir flowers, and other materials that participants could explore according to their creativity. The Tie Dye method was applied to a shirt. The Tie Dye method started with opening the fabric pores, tying, coloring, drying, and washing.
The Chief of SHG Ngudi Mandiri, Suparno, stated that the training is expected to open an opportunity for people with special needs to be productive and empowered. The skills are also expected to become a means to express themselves, foster self-confidence, and become an entrepreneurship idea among various businesses offered by SHG Ngudi Mandiri Ngreco, such as laundry, catering, dish soap production, and woven bamboo craft.
“We are grateful to the KKN students for the training. Hopefully, this program could benefit and increase the abilities and creativities of SHG Ngudi Mandiri members,” Suparno concluded. Humas UNS
Reporter: Rangga Pangestu Adji
Editor: Dwi Hastuti