Borobudur Law and Society Journal

The Village Fund is meant to improve rural welfare through development and community empowerment, yet little is known at village level about whether empowerment spending leaves lasting results. This study examines how effective the Village Fund was in empowering the community of Ketitang Village, Temanggung Regency, in 2017–2021, and what stood in the way of welfare. Using socio-legal research, it reads village budgets, work plans and interviews through Soerjono Soekanto's five factors of legal effectiveness and analyses them qualitatively. Empowerment received 10.7 to 13.8 per cent of the Fund each year. All five sampled programmes were carried out, but participation then declined: only 17 of the 60 people who began the four group programmes remained, most waste bins are neglected, and no one now produces batik for sale. The legal provisions and facilities were adequate. The obstacles were poorly targeted programmes, low community awareness and consistency, and a habit of joining because others do, compounded by weak links to markets and follow-up. The programmes have therefore not been effective. Villages should assess needs and markets before choosing programmes, select participants by clear rules, and provide at least twelve months of mentoring, with monitoring indicators in the village work plan.