PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT MELALUI PENGUATAN UMKM DESA DI TENGAH PANDEMI COVID-19 (STUDI KASUS: KELOMPOK PENGRAJIN GERABAH DESA WISATA KASONGAN, KALURAHAN BANGUNJIWO, KAPANEWON KASIHAN, KABUPATEN BANTUL, DAERAH ISTIMEWA YOGYAKARTA)

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the economic movement that is getting worse. Especially the MSME actors who are engaged in the pottery craft sector. Since being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, pottery craftsmen tend to experience a decline in income. For example, in Palembang, which fell by 50 percent and even in Bojonegoro, it also experienced the same thing. However, something different was felt by the pottery MSMEs of Kasongan tourism village where 3 months after the COVID-19 pandemic, they experienced an increase in turnover of up to 30%. The resilience of the pottery MSMEs in Kasongan tourism village is the intervention by the actors in it. The actors are the Bangunjiwo Village, the Bangunjiwo Village Community Empowerment Institute, and the Kasongan Joint Venture Cooperative. So interested in knowing the concept of empowerment carried out by the actors. There is a problem formulation in this research, namely How to Empower Community Through Strengthening Village MSMEs in the Middle of the Covid-19 Pandemic (Case Study: Pottery Crafts Group in Kasongan Tourism Village, Bangunjiwo Village, Kapanewon Kasihan, Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta). Then the purpose of this study is that this study aims to examine Community Empowerment through Strengthening Village MSMEs in the Middle of the Covid-19 Pandemic (Case Study: Pottery Crafts Group in Kasongan Tourism Village, Bangunjiwo Village, Kapanewon Kasihan, Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta). This research is useful for the development of knowledge in studies related to empowerment of Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the midst of a crisis. And this research is useful as a basis for evaluation that will form recommendations for improving the empowerment process to strengthen Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) engaged in the industrial sector in the midst of the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This research method uses qualitative research methods with a case study approach and data collection techniques through interviews with the Village Head of Bangunjiwo Village, Head of the Bangunjiwo Village Community Empowerment Institute, Head of the Kasongan Joint Venture Cooperative, and Kasongan pottery craftsmen. And using theory (Prijono & Pranarka, 1996) regarding a process of community empowerment. In which there are three phases of empowerment, namely the initial phase, the participatory phase, and the emancipatory phase. The empowerment carried out in the Pottery MSMEs in the Wista Village of Kasongan is said to be successful because in each phase it shows that there are positive results. And the goal of the empowerment carried out by the actors has been achieved, namely the pottery MSMEs of Kasongan tourism village are able to be independent and successfully maintain their MSMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic. And able to increase revenue turnover during the COVID-19 pandemic by 30%. Although there are still points that are not in accordance with the principle of empowerment.
The conclusion is that in the initial phase in this case study, namely the provision of empowerment to all MSMEs has been going well. Even though the empowerment provided is still inclusive or unequal. In the participatory phase where the craftsmen of the Kasongan pottery tourism village have participated in empowerment. However, this participation is only for young people. In this case, the government and LPMD failed to attract interest from other segments. In the emancipatory phase, it has shown the results of an empowerment. The results look very good because it is accompanied by increases in assets, business volume, and remaining operating results. But this is also helped by the trend of potted plants.