Village Fund Direct Cash Assistance and Its Role in Poverty Reduction: An Empirical Analysis from Indonesia

The study aims to find out and describe the effectiveness of the Village Fund Direct Cash Assistance program for the poor in Dungaliyo District. The research approach used is a qualitative method with a descriptive research method and a research procedure carried out by observation and interviews with informants. The data analysis technique used is an interactive analysis of the miles and huberman model. The results of the study show that the Village Fund Direct Cash Assistance Program (BLTDD) for the poor in Dungaliyo District, Gorontalo Regency has made a positive contribution in improving the welfare of people in need. The program has generally been running well although there is room for improvement, especially in target accuracy, socialization, and monitoring. A more holistic approach to implementation and evaluation can increase the effectiveness of the program, resulting in a more equitable and sustainable positive impact on the poor. The results of each sub-focus are: (1) the accuracy of the targets of the BLT Village Fund program in Dungaliyo District has been quite good with the efforts to improve recipient data carried out by the village government. While there are still challenges in reaching all poor families equally, the steps taken demonstrate a commitment to ensuring that assistance is received by those who really need it. (2) the socialization of the BLT Village Fund program in Dungaliyo District has been carried out through various information channels, including the village government and related officials. However, the implementation needs to be more intensive so that the public better understands the objectives, benefits, and mechanisms of the program. (3) the main purpose of the BLT Dana Desa program is to help poor families meet their basic needs and support the economic recovery of the village. In Dungaliyo District, this program has been quite effective in reducing the economic burden of the poor. (4) monitoring of the implementation of the Village Fund BLT program in Dungaliyo District has been carried out routinely by the village government and related parties. This effort is quite effective in ensuring that assistance is received by those who are eligible.