Village Information Digitization Begins with Simple Steps

In the village of Lasem, located in Gresik Regency, Indonesia, a group of university students is spearheading an initiative to bring digital information services to the community. As part of their KKN (Kuliah Kerja Nyata) program, students from Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Surabaya are training village officials on how to manage Linktree and Google Sites, aiming to establish a unified digital information hub.

This effort addresses a common challenge in many villages: the lack of integrated digital information media. Currently, crucial information about the village profile, administrative services, population statistics, and local small and medium-sized enterprises (UMKM) is scattered across various platforms, making it difficult for residents to access official news quickly and easily. The students' project seeks to consolidate this information into a single, accessible online location.

The chosen platforms, Linktree and Google Sites, are free and relatively simple to use, demonstrating that digital transformation does not always require complex systems or large budgets. Linktree will serve as the main portal, connecting users to all other village information, while Google Sites will provide a more detailed presentation of the data. This approach prioritizes sustainability and ease of management for the village officials beyond the students' program.

According to the project's proponents, the success of digital transformation is measured not by the sophistication of the technology used, but by its ability to meet the community's needs. Simple, manageable platforms are seen as more sustainable than complex systems that are difficult to operate. This initiative highlights how collaboration between universities and local governments can initiate meaningful digital change, ultimately enhancing public service transparency and the dissemination of information.