Six West Sumatra Universities Visited Posdaya which is Under the Patronage of Bogor Agricultural University

Delegates of six universities in West Sumatera made the  Observation Study Tour (OST) to Posdaya "Bina Prosperity" Pasir Mulya, district of West Bogor, Bogor City, on 12 May 2012. Posdaya “Bina Sejahtera” is one of the Posdaya under the patronage of P2SDM-LPPM IPB (CENTER FOR HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT – Research and Community Empowerment Institute Bogor Agricultural University). Those six universities are Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI), Padang Panjang, Muhammadiyah University of West Sumatra, University of Andalas (Unand), Padand, Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri (STAIN), Batusangkar, Tamansiswa University, Padang, and Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Imam Bonjol Padang.
   
The delegates took the OST to Early Childhood Education (early childhood) (PAUD) “Bina Mentari”, orchid gardens, livestock farming, communal, Posyandu (Integrated Health Center) “Bina Melati”,  Posyandu for elderly people “Bina Sehat”, mobile libraries, the Sharia Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs), Kompudaya Secretariat and Exhibition. The products of Posdaya Pasir Mulya, as well as products of other Posdaya under the patronage of IPB, such as Posdaya Kenanga, Posdaya Benteng Harapan, Posdaya Sauyunan, Posdaya Mekarsari dan Posdaya Mandiri Terpadu are displayed in the exhibition.

For this  special occassion  IPB held Official Reception where both the representatives of both delegates presented their remarks, and “questions and answers” session as well.  Rector of the Muhammadiyah  University of West Sumatra, Dr. Karim Shofwan Elha, expressed his sincere  appreciation for the opportunity given for him to take OST to visit this Posdaya. Dr. Shofwan showed his interest on the  activities of Posdaya.

In his remarks, Rector of STAIN Batusangkar, Prof. Hasan Zaini expressed the three key words which involve in the development of Posdaya. "There are three important terms as the basic foundation of the Posdaya development as follows, (1). First, self-management; (2). Second, self-funding; and (3). Third, self-employment ", he said. Prof. Hasan also stated that current meeting was a very intim and familiar. "Hopefully this meeting will enable us to improve our better relationship between Bogor and West Sumatra" he said.

“Pasir Mulya” is the selected village to be the location of Posdaya program, the community empowerment program under the   P2SDM-LPPM IPB (CENTER FOR HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT – Research and Community Empowerment Institute Bogor Agricultural University), which was started in May 2007. Within the five years of existence, this present Observation Study Tour (OST)  is the 20th of its kind for Posdaya “Bina Sejahtera”. Principally the activity of such Posdaya are carried out based on the development of local potential. The programs are focused on areas related in improving the welfare and the Human Development Index (HDI) in  the fields of education, health, productive economy and the environment. (Wied).