From Classroom to Community: “SRIKANDI” – A Financial Literacy Program for Fishermen’s Wives in Batu Karas

Pangandaran, August 2025 – Turning theory into real-world impact, students of the Communication Studies Program at Universitas Padjadjaran Pangandaran Campus have launched SRIKANDI: Sinergi Literasi Keuangan Mandiri (Independent Financial Literacy Synergy) for Fishermen’s Wives in Batu Karas. This program aims to enhance household financial management skills among fishermen’s wives, empowering them toward sustainable financial independence.

Initiated by the student group “Saku Bahari,” consisting of six Communication Studies students, the program was born from field observations that revealed many fishermen’s wives are not yet accustomed to recording and planning their finances—despite their crucial role in managing seasonal fishing income.

“We want to turn knowledge into action. Good financial literacy is not just about numbers—it’s about independence, sustainability, and family resilience,” said Surya Nugraha, leader of Saku Bahari Group.

The SRIKANDI program will be implemented in August 2025, involving participants from six fishermen’s community groups, in collaboration with the Minarasa Village Cooperative. The training will be held in two sessions at the KUD Hall in Batu Karas: the first focusing on financial management consultation and education, and the second on practical bookkeeping exercises. The target is for 80% of participants to regularly record daily expenses and 50% to start saving independently within three months.

“This program is designed to fit the daily realities of fishermen’s wives so they can apply it immediately,” explained Naurah Lisnarini, S.I.Kom., M.I.Kom., lecturer of the Social Marketing Communication course.

Through a combination of education, mentoring, and monitoring, SRIKANDI is expected to become an effective, contextual, and sustainable model for empowering coastal women .(NL)