Inspiring Woman In Building Community

Jero Luh Padma Wati, a woman born in Banjar Dharma Winangun, East Tianyar Village Karangasem on 19 Pebroari 1963. She is the 8^th child of ten siblings that was born to Jero Mangku Village and Ni Luh Narti. Padma Wati's childhood was very difficult; that is because she lived together with ten siblings and his father's income was only from making palm sugar and her mother was only selling snacks. Therefore Padmawati had to work everyday to help her parents. During her education at the elementary and junior high school level, Padmawati had made a number of proud achievements including the exemplary students at the sub-district and district levels in 1975. Padma Wati did not continue her education at the high school level because of limited funds.

Since her marriage with Dewa Putu Cakra from Tembok Village, Padma Wati realized that most of the people at Tembok Village were illiterate. School-age children find it were difficult to study because of limited funds. This condition prompted Padmawati to engage directly as an illiterate tutor. The effort to eradicate illiteracy was carried out without receiving compensation. While teaching she made her students’ parents aware of the importance of education for the better life of society. Her efforts to encourage the field of education in her village carried out tirelessly.

The Padmawati family business which had improved the welfare of her life did not make her live peacefully. There was a desire to be able to improve the standard of living of its citizens as employees in her Micro, Small and Medium Businesses and be able to make the community live independently with their own business without being dependent on others. To realize her hopes and awareness that she had only has limitations of formal education, Padma Wati seeked to participate in various trainings such as PKK cadre training, P2WKSS cadre training, UP2K cadre training, Posyandu cadre training, facial training, and Balinese traditional dress training. In addition, she also participated in training to make shredded sea fish, training on processing non-rice food, training on making cakes, training to make peas and cassava chips, home industry training, training on making a dish, PKDRT training, gender training, training cadre of homestead, village’s apparatus leadership training, and others.

The knowledge she gained during the training was directly practiced in the community by forming home industry groups such as: Sekar Sari Inka handicraft with 10 members in Banjar Ngis; Dodol Sekar Wangi group which has 10 members in Banjar Ngis; Merta Sari coconut oil group with 10 members in Banjar Ngis; Tamas craftsmen group named Muncul Sejati, which has 18 members in Banjar Ngis; the group made an offering called Sekar Sari which had 20 members in Banjar Sembung; Tunas Jaya group consists of 24 people in Banjar Sembung; Sarining Merta Segara group that focused in fish processing in Banjar Tembok with 20 members; serati banten group named Asta Karya Banjar Tembok with 15 members; Merta Tumpang Sari snack maker group in Banjar Tembok with 24 members; Sari Mulya Banjar Yehbau palm sugar group with 33 members.

In addition to the groups outlined above, Padma Wati also promoted groups of livestock farmers and fishermen, such as: Sari Mekar, Tumpang Sari, Tirta Sari Banjar Ngis cattle; Giri Sentosa livestock group, Tirta Yadnya, Dwi Tunggal Banjar Sembung with 23 members; Tirta Yadnya Banjar Sembung cattle group; the livestock group Asta Gina Sarining Pertiwi Banjar Dapdap Tebel with 44 members; Sari Wangi Banjar Tembok fishing group has 16 members; Pala Mukti, Nunas Sari Merta, Merta Sari, Beringin Sari, Merta Nadi Banjar Tembok cattle groups; the Jaya Mahe fishing group Banjar Yehbau, the Mekar Jadi Banjar Bulaka cattle group. In addition to fostering the existing groups Padma Wati that worked as Perbekel also facilitates farmer groups and fishermen to get help from the provincial and central government, facilitating household industry groups to get assistance from district and provincial governments.

Padmawati's childhood life which was very difficult made her had a high sense of empathy for others, especially to members of the community who experienced difficulties in their lives. This proofed when the idea of ​​forming groups to improve the household economy has difficulty getting initial capital, Padma Wati voluntarily provided capital in the amount of between 1 million and 2 million to those groups. Due to the seriousness and good intentions in fostering the groups that exist, currently the economic groups in Desa Tembok have developed quite well.