Semarang, April 19, 2026 – The Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Diponegoro University, conducted a Community Service activity in Kesongo Village, Tuntang District, Semarang Regency. This activity aimed to improve the financial literacy of MSME actors, particularly in cash flow management, separation of business and household finances, and readiness to access formal financing.
This activity was led by Dinalestari Purbawati, S.E., M.Si., Akt., along with a team of lecturers consisting of Prof. Dr. Drs. Ngatno, MM., Dr. Andi Wijayanto, S.Sos., M.Si., Gilda Maulina, S.AB., M.AB., and Tita Alfaricha, S.AB., MBA. In its implementation, the lecturer team was directly involved in providing training and mentoring to MSME actors on the ground.
In general, this activity was motivated by the still low understanding of MSME actors in managing their business finances in a structured manner. The problems faced included the lack of separation between business and household finances, the absence of simple cash flow reports, and limited understanding of safe and affordable formal financing access.
As a solution, the service team provided training and mentoring focused on preparing business cash flow, separating business and household finances, and increasing literacy on formal financial products. According to Dinalestari Purbawati, S.E., M.Si., Akt., the ability to prepare simple financial reports is one of the keys for MSME actors to access financing more easily and effectively.
The activity implementation method used a participatory approach, actively involving MSME actors in every stage of the activity, from socialization, practical training, to mentoring. This approach aimed to ensure that the material provided was not only understood theoretically but could also be directly applied in daily business management.
The initial stage of the activity began with socialization to MSME actors about the importance of separating business finances from household finances and the benefits of having simple financial reports. At this stage, the program’s objectives and the activity’s implementation flow were also introduced.
Furthermore, the activity continued with training on preparing business cash flow. Participants were trained to record periodic cash inflows and outflows and to understand the importance of cash flow management in maintaining business stability. The main focus at this stage was to build discipline in separating business and household finances and to create more structured financial planning.
Additionally, participants were given training on calculating the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS/HPP) and profit margins as a basis for determining product selling prices. This understanding is important so that MSME actors can set more rational prices that align with their business cost conditions.
The next activity was a simulation of access to microfinance and increased literacy on formal financial products, such as People’s Business Credit (KUR) and bank microfinance. In this activity, participants were given an understanding of administrative requirements, the importance of financial documents, and a simulation of preparing a credit application proposal. Furthermore, participants were also educated about the risks of informal loans and the importance of choosing official financial institutions.
Through this activity, it is expected that MSME actors in Kesongo Village will be able to prepare simple cash flow reports, separate business and household finances, and have a better understanding of access to formal financing. This is expected to improve business financial stability and open up opportunities for more sustainable business development.
This activity also represents a tangible contribution from the Department of Business Administration, Diponegoro University, in enhancing the capacity of MSME actors through the application of scientific knowledge relevant to community needs.