UNG – Gorontalo State University (UNG) helps empower the economy of the people of North Tamaila Village, Gorontalo Regency, by producing Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) which was developed through Bumdes.

This can be seen when the VCO making machine belonging to North Tamaila Village, which is a village supported by Gorontalo State University in the Innovating Village program, was officially operational on Tuesday (22/12/2020).

The Chancellor of UNG, Eduart Wolok, said that innovation related to VCO was the second stage after the empowerment carried out in Tumba hamlet, North Tamaila Village, during the national technology revival day which was launched by the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia.

“In the future, this collaborative work will contribute to improving the economic aspects of the North Tamaila community,” said Eduart.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, Bambang Permadi, hopes that equipment assistance and technical assistance can continue and bring prosperity and provide employment opportunities for village residents. As well as being able to promote VCO products as the pride of the residents of North Tamaila Village.

“We hope that the Innovating Village Program in collaboration between the Ministry of Research and Technology/BRIN and the Ministry of Villages PDTT can become a program that can have a direct impact on the beneficiaries, namely village communities including business actors who can be categorized as Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs),” explained Bambang.

Bambang added, when the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted economic activities, there was no immediate solution. So according to him, the village innovation program that was launched can strengthen rural economic fundamentals which will later become the basis of regional economic fundamentals.

On the same occasion, the Head of North Tamaila Village, Bukhari Buroma, revealed that the VCO machine was able to increase the village’s original income through BUMDES Business Partners, and improve the community’s economy by providing jobs to housewives.

“All this time we have been accompanied by the UNG Village Working Group. “The Working Group has provided full assistance so that we can carry out VCO production,” explained Bukhari. (Rls/aan)