HumasUPNVJ – The UPN Veterans Jakarta Community Service lecturer team (UPNVJ) together with representatives from the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) attended the Bazaar which was held in the courtyard of the Curug Village Office, Bogor Regency, West Java, on Saturday (11/12/ 21).

This opportunity was also used as a presentation activity for Curug Village and the results of the UPN Veterans lecturer service in the local area. Besides those from UPNVJ, the leadership of Gunung Sindur District, J. Dace Hatomi, S.IP, the Head of Curug Gunung Sindur Village, H. Edi Mulyadi, and the coordinator of UMKM for Curug village, Helmi Fuad Khumaedy were also present.

This Bazaar activity is a concrete form of Curug Village UMKM actors facilitated by the Village Government assisted by Village Owned Enterprises, as well as Community Empowerment Institutions. UMKM in Curug village which is a form of collaboration with various parties, one of which is UPNVJ.

Edi, the Head of Curug Gunung Sindur Village, in his remarks said that UPNVJ was very intense in providing support to Curug Village residents, "We are working with UPN, a campus that has been very, very intense in providing our support from several previous events. There is training on how to cultivate catfish, then training from catfish is processed into food such as snacks , and so on," he said.

Based on the recognition of Dr. Asep Kamaluddin Nashir, S.Ag. M.Si, one of the UPNVJ lecturers, it is known that the UPNVJ Lecturer Team has carried out a Community Service program in Curug Village as a form of fulfilling the campus' obligations to the community since 2018. The first coaching carried out was water treatment , where Curug Village residents were taught about processing catfish which is good, “We are actually from 2018 here. UPN from 2018 was present in Curug Village to conduct the first coaching, namely its relation to the water treatment of processing catfish which is processed into dimsum, typical of Japanese food and others," he said.

Asep also said that in the second year of coaching, what was being carried out was to innovate products from processed catfish. This time the coaching has experienced obstacles due to the pandemic, but that doesn't mean the service stops there. The team of lecturers continues to provide motivation by communicating and discussing with Curug Village residents as well as providing assistance.

The results obtained are product innovations made from catfish which are processed into dumplings, dimsum, and nuggets, “... In the second year we are doing product innovation. Then the pandemic rushes right, but we still do the service, because what's important is the enthusiasm, right," he added.

One of the UPN-assisted MSME actors, Kasman Sehun, who is in charge of making processed catfish-based products, admitted that he was greatly helped by the guidance from UPNVJ. Residents who initially did not know anything about the nutritional content of catfish have now begun to understand this, "The role of UPN in catfish SMEs is very useful because most people in fish do not know the content of catfish itself. Most people eat catfish just fried. But with this coaching with UPN it is very beneficial for everyone because more or less people have started to understand the value of the nutritional content in catfish.” Kasman explained.

Kasman also hopes that UPNVJ can prioritize cooperation which is considered important for people who do not understand matters related to processing and packaging so that they can further encourage small businesses in Curug Village.

With the implementation of this event, appreciation was given by the Gunung Sindur Sub-District Leader, J. Dace Hatomi, S.IP, who saw the participation of the Curug Village residents for the bazaar activities that were held, "I express my appreciation for the Curug Village Government, yes, today and tomorrow will carry out the bazaar aimed at micro entrepreneurs in Gunung Sindur Village. I see the enthusiasm of the residents is so much…” he concluded. //SF