Semarang – Last weekend, on Saturday, September 2, 2023, the Community Service Team (PkM) of the Department of International Relations at FISIP UNDIP organized a batik ecoprint training event using natural dyes. Located at the Balai RW in the Sumeneban Village, Kauman, Semarang Central District, the city of Semarang collaborated with the Harapan Community held a batik ecoprint training activity. It was conducted in a highly conducive environment and received enthusiastic responses from the local community, as well as students and faculty members involved directly in the field. The community service team of the Department of International Relations at FISIP UNDIP is led by Marten Hanura, M.P.S, and includes Dr. Dra. Reni Windiani, MS, Ika Riswanti Putranti, Ph.D, and Fendy Eko Wahyudi, M.Hub.Int.

This community service initiative is based on the identification of the problem that economically marginalized residents need support in entrepreneurship development and optimizing the role of women, who have traditionally been primarily involved in domestic household chores or assisting family members who are mostly traders in the Johar Market area. As an implementation of one of the agendas of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, the batik ecoprint training is a manifestation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly focusing on SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. The batik ecoprint training utilizes natural materials readily available in the vicinity and is specifically designed for housewives living near the Johar Market area. Efforts to preserve the environment can also serve as a platform to enhance entrepreneurial spirit and the well-being of the residents. In addition to using natural dyes and a production process that utilizes household equipment (steaming pots and LPG stoves), it reduces production costs. Furthermore, the resulting motifs appear more authentic, even when using the same materials, due to differences in steaming time and manual pressure when pressing leaves or flowers onto the fabric using a hammer.

The training was led by Mrs. Sri Suharti SE., MM, and the batik ecoprint craftsmen explained various techniques to the community.

Screenshot: Dr. Reni Windiani, the Head of the Department of International Relations, being interviewed during the community service event (Jatengnews TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXwQ25Uzzs4).

Example of finished batik ecoprint ready for direct use or for sewing onto wider fabric.

As outlined above, ecoprint, as an effort to protect the environment, aligns with the hope of the faculty team that the craft of batik ecoprint can also improve the local community’s economy and foster a spirit of creativity among the people. The ecoprint results can be used personally and can also be marketed directly or with the assistance of third parties. Therefore, it is expected that the local economy, especially in the Sumeneban Village, will improve over time. This community service also has the potential for further research, emphasizing the Sustainable Compass concept to assess the sustainability orientation of the program, whether it prioritizes aspects of Nature, Economy, Society, or Well-being. In the future, the faculty community service team will continue to monitor the Harapan Community, which is a community of batik ecoprint enthusiasts consisting of residents in the Sumeneban area.