Gen-Z Empowerment Efforts to Manage Village Potential Neglected Due to Migration to Cities
Author: Jacob Ereste
Freelance Journalist
The weekly discussion topic of GMRI (Indonesian Moral Reconciliation Movement) held every Thursday-Monday, October 9, 2025, at the GMRI Secretariat on Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 4A, Central Jakarta, grew lively and lively in two sessions attended by friends and relatives from Solo, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya. The session was moderated by Mas Momok, accompanied by Mas Agung, who explained his desire to build spiritual communities in Yogyakarta and Gunung Kidul, as they are considered to have numerous spiritual and religious tourist attractions, to stimulate the awakening of spiritual awareness and understanding among the farmers he mentors in both areas.
This effort to integrate spiritual studies with the full potential of local wisdom within the farming community is expected to accelerate the movement to awaken spiritual awareness and understanding to build productive Indonesian human resources, particularly in the agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors, which have considerable potential for development to support national defense and food security. Because a spiritual revival movement would be more effective and beneficial if it were directed at agrarian and maritime traditions and culture, which have seemingly been neglected by Indonesians over the past century due to the Indonesian culture that positions all Indonesians as laborers or workers, diminishing the cultural identity of agrarian and maritime communities, thus forgetting their unique characteristics in farming, utilizing marine natural resources, and even the skills of weaving, embroidery, and weaving from Indonesia’s abundant natural resources to create unique and distinctive crafts.
Based on this, the desire to idolize young people or Gen Z, who have grown up with the soaring leaps in digital technology, must remain aware that everything in the universe belongs to and is under God’s control. This way, divine values can be continuously maintained and developed, preventing the forgetfulness that, no matter how perfect, humans, as God’s creatures, still have limited capabilities.
Within this shared understanding and realization, spiritual intelligence becomes highly relevant to maintaining a balance between body and soul, or vice versa. This prevents becoming increasingly materialistic but is still balanced by intelligent, meaningful, and high-quality spirituality to maintain a balanced soul.
Joyo Yudhantoro, who dominated the discussion, sparked a lively and engaging discussion, which was followed by Gus Baidhowi, Wowok Prastowo, and Agung. He elaborated on the ideal role of the Red and White Cooperative, established by the government, in the context of its function and role in protecting farmers from middlemen and loan sharks, who still seem to dominate agricultural yields, draining farmers of their hard work, including those who often struggle to find feed for their livestock and fish. Meanwhile, the Spiritual Guardian, Sri Eko Sriyanto Galgendu, who always acts as the host of the event, listened attentively without comment.
The most important thing from the discussion summary is… The preliminary conclusion is how ideal the discussion forum would be, namely the role and function of the Merah Putih Cooperative, launched by the government to synergize with MSMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises). This can eliminate market syndicates that unilaterally and arbitrarily determine the prices of farmers, fish farmers, and fishermen’s crops. They are often rendered helpless and powerless by middlemen and loan sharks who exploit their hard-earned money.
The discussion, which lasted from the afternoon until nearly midnight, explored the function and role of the Merah Putih Cooperative, which is ideal for collaborating with MSMEs in every village or hamlet. This ensures that young people from rural areas do not have to crowd into Indonesia’s major cities, and that villages do not suffer because they are being abandoned by young people seeking work in the cities. **
Pecenongan, October 9, 2025
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