Equitable development to remote areas of the country is still a big challenge in an effort to realize justice. Students, as part of the element of change, have an important role in bridging the development gap through community service.
Bina Abdi Desa is a superior work program from the Department of Community Service Agency for the Student Executive Board of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga in 2025 which focuses on empowering villages through a continuation, participatory, and solutive approach. This program has entered its third year in Kandangan Village, Senduro District, Lumajang Regency, a historic village that is rich in potential but still faces various limitations in the education, economic, environmental and infrastructure sectors. With the spirit of Tri Dharma Higher Education, Bina Abdi Desa was present in response to the real needs of the people of Kandangan Village. Through close cooperation between students and residents, this program raises the potential of the village such as the historical site of Selo Geding, nature tourism, and superior products such as Kirana Banana, Coffee, and Etawa Goat as the basis for empowerment. However, this potential has not been managed systematically and is still minimal support both in terms of infrastructure and digitalization. In addition, limited educational and health facilities are the main challenges to be overcome through this program. The historical context and cultural wealth inherent in Kandangan Village makes it a strategic location for the service of FEB UNAIR students in supporting a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) objectives, especially SDG 3 (Health and Welfare), SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), and SDG 11 (city and sustainable settlement).
Bina Abdi Desa is committed to encouraging social transformation through strengthening four main sectors. In the field of education, this program presents inspirational and motivative education for elementary school students to foster the spirit of achieving their dreams. In the health sector, Bina Abdi Desa focuses on improving the quality of life of the elderly through free health checks and educating healthy lifestyles. In terms of the environment, this program initiated the construction of TPS in each hamlet and a waste sorting campaign to create awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability. While in the economic field, this program accompanied the community in the development of BUMDes, administrative digitalization, product halal certification, to branding and marketing of local MSMEs.
To support the achievement of its goals, Bina Abdi Desa is divided into two main pillars. The pillar of community empowerment prioritizes student involvement directly in various social activities with the community, including education, health campaigns, and waste management. Meanwhile, the pillar of the village economic revitalization focuses on strengthening local economy through the administration of BUMDes, improvement of business units, digitalizing sales, and facilitating the halal certification process of local products. This program will be held for seven days, from 4 to 10 August 2025.
With the presence of Bina Abdi Desa, it is expected that FEB students Universitas Airlangga will be able to play an active role as a pioneer of independent, healthy and competitive community development. This program is a clear proof of the contribution of higher education in assisting the village community through a sustainable spirit of service.