Paper short abstract:

This article tries to the communal capability creation process from a long-standing empowerment activity in one of the local communities in Indonesia. The empowerment initiative started with the activism of a local leader who successfully initiated a micro-hydro power plant. This research seeks to review how local figures who have capabilities have the process of growing communal capabilities.

Paper long abstract:

Research Context

In the Indonesian context, initiatives are often initiated by individuals who are considered to have abilities and capabilities by the community. However, it is often the case that these capabilities only stop at individual capabilities and cannot yet become the cause of communal capabilities. In other words, Sen's approach is often limited to the discussion of subjective well-being and not yet at the transformative stage of objective well-being. However, this study tries to paint a different picture. Focusing on the initiative of the people of Andung Biru Village (Indonesia) in providing electricity independently, they show a pattern of change from individual capability to communal capability. Electricity, which was initially initiated by a local figure through utilizing water resources in his village, in its journey turned into a "tool" for community functioning.

From a technical point of view, the discussion about massive new and renewable energy today has been their practice for decades before with their independent power plant (Micro Hydro Power Plant). Not only stopping at the novelty of energy, the change from individual to collective capabilities is an interesting finding to examine given the complexity of the structure and hierarchy of village communities (especially remote villages). Thus, this article is expected to provide a new and complete picture of various issues that intersect with each other, namely inclusive local resource-based development.

Methodology

The case study approach is used in this research as one of the approaches in the qualitative method (Mills et al., 2010). At least researchers use a case study approach referring to the explanation of Sturman (1999), which explains case studies as an effort to find research answers by trying to understand individuals, groups, or phenomena that occur at a specific time. Research questions that seek contested answers to the question "how" also feel more relevant to using this approach to reveal something compared to the question "what" (Yin, 2009). Apart from that, this approach is appropriate for exploring further a phenomenon that is different from the others (Mills et al., 2010).

Based on some of the previous explanations, at least several arguments underlie the use of case studies in this research. Seeing that there are very few references that describe the phenomenon of electricity supply similar in Andung Biru Village, the case study approach is considered appropriate for researchers to explore and understand more about the facts that are currently developing. This case study approach is also a differentiator for research results that will be sought by researchers with others who are already in Andung Biru Village. Researchers will focus on the case in the past and the current situation that the process can show transformation from individual capabilities to communal capabilities. At least these two things, namely the uniqueness of the case and the limitations of the research to be carried out, are the basis for using the case study approach in this research.

The research was carried out by field work of research activities, one of which was interviewing some of informants that’s inherent to the electrification process in Andung Biru village. The informants were selected based on the preferences of the researchers with the criteria of being able to provide important information regarding the electricity supply that occurred. Of course, each informant was re-adjusted to the interview guide based on the purpose and type of information needed in the research.

Analysis & Conclusion

Looking at the case of Andung Biru village, the necessity to solve the electricity problem led to individual initiatives. Rasid, as local initiator, who has a wide range of skills based on his own experience, was able to initiate water-based electricity (re: micro-hydro) in 1993. To date, this electricity has been able to provide electricity services to hundreds of households in Andung Biru. As a result, the change from a village without electricity to one that is self-sufficient in electricity is widely known.

This phenomenon is not only interesting in terms of changes in village conditions. The story of Rasid, who has the capacity and capability as a local actor, is another interesting side of the story of how individual capabilities are transforming into communal capabilities. Rasid managed to manage the potential and individual assets into group assets. This is shown by the management pattern that involves people from various groups, ranging from youth groups, farmer groups, to forest enthusiast groups. As a result, the local community group transformed from a group that previously had no ability and capability in development programs, especially micro-hydro, to a group that can be empowered.

This article infers communal system can be concluded as a capability that involves community rights fulfilment in hierarchy relation. Community rights are identified with the indigenous values and customs embedded in a local community system. Rasid's leadership in the community characterises the patron-client relationship in communal communities in Indonesia. The large role of the leader with the aim of benevolence creates trust and a strong attachment of the community to the figure of the leader. Thus, the community - in the case of community empowerment in AndungBiru - views the process of community organising as a hierarchical process.

Based on these findings, it is illustrated that the process of creating a complete capability to a community group is strongly influenced by the system of social relations that is present socio-historically. This becomes a critical point for the capability approach when it turns out that the creation of capabilities occurs in the hierarchical process of a typical society with patronage. The collectively that is sought in the process of activating the functioning of individuals in an egalitarian manner will not be able to exist when the community has effectively worked in a patronage process. In addition, the presence of a leader with a strong interest in community empowerment is a key determinant of the creation of capability in communal communities. This argument then encourages that communal capabilities can emerge when there is a process of capability transformation from one influential figure to the surrounding community.