Education-Based Women’s Empowerment through Family Medicinal Plants: A Study of the Empowerment Process in Samarinda, Indonesia

Abstract

The limited utilization of Family Medicinal Plants (TOGA) as a productive resource indicates the need for women's empowerment that not only improves knowledge and skills, but also develops the basis of entrepreneurial competencies through community education. This study aims to describe and analyze an education-based women's empowerment model in the utilization of TOGA through the stages of awareness, capacity building, and empowerment and its contribution to the development of women's entrepreneurial competencies. The study used a descriptive qualitative approach conducted in RT 05, Karang Asam Ulu Village, Sungai Kunjang District, Samarinda City. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and document studies with three informants selected by purposive sampling, then analyzed using the Miles and Huberman model and tested through triangulation of techniques and sources. The results show that the awareness stage builds understanding of the benefits and economic potential of TOGA, the capacity building stage increases knowledge and skills through training, practice, and mentoring, while the empowerment stage provides opportunities to apply abilities in TOGA management and group activities. This process shows the gradual development of entrepreneurial competencies, especially in recognizing economic opportunities and starting to try to develop simple products. However, production is not yet routine, and TOGA businesses, marketing, and management have not yet developed independently. These findings indicate the need for mentoring, processing and marketing training, as well as support in facilities and capital to develop entrepreneurial skills toward sustainable business activities.

Keterbatasan pemanfaatan Tanaman Obat Keluarga (TOGA) sebagai sumber daya produktif menunjukkan perlunya pemberdayaan perempuan yang tidak hanya meningkatkan pengetahuan dan keterampilan, tetapi juga mengembangkan dasar kompetensi kewirausahaan melalui pendidikan masyarakat. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan dan menganalisis model pemberdayaan perempuan berbasis pendidikan dalam pemanfaatan TOGA melalui tahapan penyadaran, pengkapasitasan, dan pendayaan serta kontribusinya terhadap perkembangan kompetensi kewirausahaan perempuan. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif yang dilaksanakan di RT 05 Kelurahan Karang Asam Ulu, Kecamatan Sungai Kunjang, Kota Samarinda. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi, wawancara, dan studi dokumen dengan tiga informan yang dipilih secara purposive sampling, kemudian dianalisis menggunakan model Miles dan Huberman serta diuji melalui triangulasi teknik dan sumber. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tahap penyadaran membangun pemahaman mengenai manfaat dan potensi ekonomi TOGA, tahap pengkapasitasan meningkatkan pengetahuan dan keterampilan melalui pelatihan, praktik, dan pendampingan, sedangkan tahap pendayaan memberikan kesempatan menerapkan kemampuan dalam pengelolaan TOGA dan kegiatan kelompok. Proses tersebut menunjukkan perkembangan kompetensi kewirausahaan secara bertahap, terutama dalam mengenali peluang ekonomi dan mulai mencoba mengembangkan produk sederhana. Namun, produksi belum rutin dan usaha TOGA, pemasaran, serta pengelolaan usaha belum berkembang secara mandiri. Temuan ini menunjukkan perlunya pendampingan, pelatihan pengolahan dan pemasaran, serta dukungan fasilitas dan modal untuk mengembangkan kemampuan kewirausahaan menuju aktivitas usaha berkelanjutan.