Blesscon Supports the Construction of a Café-Amphitheater in a Village Tourism Project Managed by BUMDes
This article is adapted from Detik.com
The Blesscon lightweight brick manufacturer, PT Superior Prima Sukses (SPS), is actively involved in the Demi Dewi corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. Demi Dewi is a program initiated by the East Java Provincial Government in collaboration with Yayasan Rumah Kita Sidoarjo, KIP Foundation, and Sampoerna for Indonesia, running since 2019.
The program follows a collaborative format, integrating the Klinik BUMDes (Village-Owned Enterprise Clinic) program with the Dewi Cemara program. In 2022, Blesscon lightweight bricks joined as a supporting partner to assist in the development of tourism facilities. While in previous years Demi Dewi mainly focused on building tourist cafés, this year’s program includes the construction of an amphitheater as well.
As a company based in East Java, Blesscon feels a strong obligation to contribute to the program’s success. In a symbolic ceremony, Blesscon recently handed over a donation of lightweight bricks for the amphitheater construction to Nur Cholifah, the Head of Mendak Village, Dagangan District, Madiun Regency.
Blesscon’s Brand Manager, Yusuf Permadi, stated that the company’s sponsorship is expected to help accelerate economic recovery across various sectors.
“The main challenge today is people’s purchasing power. Inflation is high, but incomes have not increased at the same rate. Through synergy like this, Blesscon contributes to community empowerment,” said Yusuf in a written statement on Wednesday (July 13, 2022).
Strengthening Community Relations and Gratitude
Apart from supporting economic recovery, Blesscon also aims to strengthen its relationship with the community as a token of gratitude for their continuous support. Thanks to this support, Blesscon has won the Top Brand Awards in 2021 and 2022. Furthermore, Blesscon has achieved recognition as the only lightweight brick brand in Indonesia to hold both SNI certification and a green label.
Supporting Sustainable Tourism Development
Mendak Village is already home to Waturumpuk Nature Tourism and the Tapak Bimo Hiking Trail, which have been operational. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the village frequently held cultural festivals and agricultural product exhibitions.
“We have allocated funds for tourism management in the village, but the budget is limited. Being selected as one of the villages included in the Klinik BUMDes program has been incredibly beneficial for our development,” said Nur Cholifah, Head of Mendak Village.
She added that the most long-awaited facility for the village was a venue capable of hosting festivals and events that can accommodate large audiences. Mendak Village regularly holds karawitan (Javanese gamelan music) performances, dongkrek (masked dance), and martial arts performances.
During the program's launch, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa stated that this initiative serves as a gateway to improving community welfare. According to BPS (Statistics Indonesia) data, East Java’s poverty rate has declined, reflecting the success of the program. Therefore, the initiative has been continued and expanded to further explore village potentials.
For example, in the 2022 program evaluation, it was found that, aside from nature and culinary tourism, local cultural and traditional ceremonies also have the potential to attract tourists. Nova Haryanto, Director of Klinik BUMDes, pointed out that various traditional rituals and arts could serve as tourism attractions.
“For instance, in Blitar Regency, there is the Larung Sesaji procession,” he explained.
Although Larung Sesaji is a spiritual ritual, it is seen as a unique and valuable cultural event for tourists. The amphitheater concept aims to provide a venue for religious ceremonies, cultural performances, and other large-scale community activities. Villages receiving amphitheaters include areas in Pacitan, Madiun, and Blitar.
The Role of BUMDes in Tourism Facility Development
Nova emphasized that tourism facility development has become a key agenda for Klinik BUMDes. Over the past three years, the program has focused mainly on building cafés. This is because cafés are not only trendy but also generate stable revenue when managed by Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes).
In 2022, the program continues to build cafés, but amphitheaters have been added to the agenda.
“This is why Blesscon’s sponsorship is highly significant in making this vision a reality,” Nova concluded.
