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Empowerment of Community Based Tourism Group in Bonjeruk Village through Training on Herbal Lotion Production Rozikin1.
Abdillah Adipatria B.
Azhar2.
Dewi Utary3.
Sabrina Intan Zoraya4.
Tri Wahyu Setyaningrum5 rozikin@unizar.
id1, abdillahadipatria@unizar.
id2, sydneydewi01@gmail.
sabrinazoraya@unizar.
id4, ayutriwahyu@staff.
1,2,3,4Fakultas Kedokteran.
Universitas Islam Al-Azhar Mataram.
Indonesia 5Program Studi Biologi.
Fakultas MIPA.
Universitas Mataram.
Mataram.
Indonesia Article History:
Received: December 11, 2025 Revised: January 13, 2026 Accepted: January 21, 2026 Keywords: Community Empowerment.
Herbal Lotion.
Pokdarwis.
Citronella.
Tourism Village.
VCO Abstract: Bonjeruk Tourism Village in Central Lombok is rich in local biodiversity, including citronella (Cymbopogon citratu.
and coconut-based products (VCO), which have high potential as herbal tourism commodities.
However, the tourism awareness group (Pokdarwi.
has not yet optimized these natural resources into standardized This community service program aims to strengthen the capacity of Pokdarwis through training on the production of standardized herbal anti-mosquito and UVprotective lotion.
The activities included education on herbal
hands-on
SOP
development, branding, and introduction of product legality.
A total of 22 participants attended the program.
Pre- and post-assessment showed a significant increase in participantsAo knowledge, particularly regarding the benefits of herbal ingredients .
45% to 68.
18% in the Austrongly agreeAy categor.
, hygiene practices .
64% to 40.
91%), and confidence in independently producing herbal lotion .
to 50%).
Following the completion of the program, the Pokdarwis Bonjeruk and community members were able to independently conduct mass production of two raw materials (Virgin Coconut Oil/VCO and citronella oi.
and herbal The products are actively used by local farmers and gardeners for daily outdoor activities, particularly for protection against ultraviolet exposure and mosquito bites.
Furthermore, the products have been commercialized and sold to both domestic and international tourists.
Positive feedback from foreign tourists indicates strong acceptance of the productsAo aroma, texture, and perceived benefits Introduction Bonjeruk Tourism Village, located in Central Lombok.
West Nusa Tenggara, is one of the leading community-based tourism destinations enriched with diverse local biodiversity.
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Several herbal plants, including citronella (Cymbopogon citratu.
and wresah/renggek (Amomum dealbatu.
, are abundantly available and traditionally used by the community.
These natural resources have strong potential to be developed into high-value herbal products, particularly those suitable for tourists, such as mosquito repellent and UV-protective formulations (Rahmiati et al.
, 2024.
Rislianti et al.
, 2021.
Safitri et al.
, 2022.
Saputra et al.
, 2.
As a community-based tourism destination, the Pokdarwis serves a strategic role in developing local products that reflect cultural identity and support sustainable tourism.
Despite this potential.
Bonjeruk has yet to produce a flagship product that can serve as both a tourist souvenir and an economic driver for the community.
Previous community service programs in Bonjeruk have focused on herbal education and practical fieldwork.
however, product development and standardization remain limited (Arjita et al.
, 2022.
Utami et al.
, 2.
Current herbal products are still produced using traditional methods without proper formulation, hygiene standards, branding, or product legality.
Similar findings have been reported in other Indonesian tourism villages, where the absence of standard operating procedure (SOP)-based production and poor marketing strategies hinder product competitiveness (Nadhifah, 2024.
Sari et al.
, 2024.
Ua et al.
, 2.
Meanwhile, herbal-based mosquito repellent and sunscreen products are increasingly in demand as safer alternatives to synthetic chemicals.
Citronella essential oil has strong repellent properties and potential photoprotective effects (Maria et al.
, 2.
Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is widely recognized for its moisturizing and skin barrierAeprotective functions (Varma et al.
, 2.
Lemongrass extract, and VCO contribute unique and complementary bioactivities for UV protection and mosquito Their combination, especially when formulated using advanced delivery systems provided synergistic benefits (Pradhan et al.
, 2.
Integrating these ingredients into a standardized herbal lotion represents an innovative and locally relevant solution for both community health and tourism development.
Previous community service initiatives in Bonjeruk Tourism Village have been implemented through a structured and sustainable multi-year empowerment roadmap.
During the 2022Ae2023 period, the program focused on household waste management through the production of organic liquid fertilizer, which was subsequently utilized to support the cultivation of local herbal plants (Arjita et al.
, 2.
Building on this foundation, the 2023Ae 2024 phase emphasized the development of herbal-based educational tourism through the establishment and management of a community herbal garden featuring locally relevant https://journal.
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species, including ginger varieties (Zingiberacea.
, citronella (Cymbopogon citratu.
, roselle (Hibiscus sabdariff.
, and butterfly pea (Clitoria ternate.
In parallel, the utilization of these cultivated resources was expanded through the production of healthy herbal beverages, particularly those based on locally grown red ginger (Utami et al.
, 2.
The 2024Ae2025 phase further strengthened this initiative by integrating the herbal garden into tourism-based educational activities.
Building upon these sequential efforts, the 2025Ae2026 program introduced value-added processing of herbal resources into standardized products, including citronella essential oil.
Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO), herbal anti-mosquito and UV-protective lotion, and roll-on formulations.
The main problems identified through a needs assessment with Bonjeruk Pokdarwis include: lack of knowledge regarding standardized herbal lotion formulation, absence of SOPs and hygienic production skills, inadequate branding and marketing, and no preparation toward legal certification.
Therefore, this community service program aims to empower Pokdarwis through structured training on evidence-based herbal lotion production, marketing strategies, and foundational knowledge of product legality, with the ultimate goal of creating a sustainable local tourism product that strengthens community-based economic Method This participatory community empowerment approach involved 22 members of Pokdarwis womenAos micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) groups, and youth organizations in Bonjeruk Tourism Village.
This community service program employed an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach integrated with Participatory Action Research (PAR).
The ABCD framework was applied to identify and optimize local assets, including community groups (Pokdarwi.
, local herbal resources .
itronella, coconut, and other medicinal plant.
, and existing production capacities.
The PAR approach ensured active participation of community members throughout the process through iterative cycles of planning, action, observation, and reflection, allowing continuous improvement of skills and production outcomes.
The activities were implemented through a structured five-stage process: .
assessment and preparation, .
educational sessions, .
hands-on production training, .
branding and business management training, and .
This participatory and assethttps://journal.
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based approach strengthened community ownership, enhanced technical competencies, and supported the sustainability of herbal-based tourism products in Bonjeruk Tourism Village the activities were conducted in five stages:
Assessment and Preparation: Identification of community needs, local herbal resources, and existing production capacity.
Preparation of training modules, tools, herbal ingredients, and SOP drafts.
Educational Session (Herbal & Product Safet.
: Introduction to the benefits of citronella and VCO, basic principles of lotion formulation, product safety, hygiene, and pH/organoleptic Hands-on Production Training: Demonstration and practice of lotion formulation using the optimized composition .
% VCO, 3% citronella oil, 67% cream bas.
, heating, homogenization, pH measurement, and packaging.
Branding and Business Management Training: Introduction to product labeling, packaging standards, and simple digital marketing, introduction to BPOM, and halal certification Evaluation: PreAepost test using structured questionnaires, monitoring, and evaluation of independent production trials.
Figure 1: The workflow scheme of the community service activities in Bonjeruk tourism Result and Discussion Product Optimization The community service activities began with the optimization of the herbal lotion formula conducted at the Integrated Research Laboratory of Universitas Islam Al-Azhar (UNIZAR).
The formulation focused on locally available ingredients from Bonjeruk Village, namely citronella.
VCO, and moringa leaf powder.
Initial test formulation consisted of VCO .
Ae30%), citronella essential oil .
Ae5%), and moringa leaf powder (O3%) per 100 mL of lotion.
Previous studies indicate that these percentages are safe, well-tolerated, and effective for skin protection, moisturization, antioxidant activity, and mosquito repellency (Hariyadi et al.
, 2022.
Hengpratom et al.
, 2.
The first optimization yielded a greenish lotion with a slightly coarse texture due to the use of moringa leaf powder.
Although the lotion exhibited desirable aroma, warmth, and moisturization effects, the texture was considered unsuitable for consumer use.
Therefore, the formulation was adjusted by removing moringa leaf powder.
This modification resulted in a smooth, white-colored lotion with a pleasant citronella fragrance, stable consistency, and a skin-friendly pH of 6.
The optimized formula was selected as the final product for training https://journal.
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because it met organoleptic and safety criteria and had the highest acceptance potential for Community Training and Education Activities The implementation phase of the community service program was conducted at Pawon 21 Bonjeruk and involved Pokdarwis members, womenAos MSME groups, and youth communities (BonjorAiBonjeruk Organi.
The activities included educational sessions on herbal-based formulation.
SOP, safety and hygiene practices, product branding, business management, and legal aspects such as halal and BPOM certification.
Figure 2.
educational session.
poster for the educational session During the educational session, participants were introduced to evidence-based formulation principles, including ingredient functions, ratio standardization, pH testing, hygiene requirements, and good manufacturing practices (GMP).
The branding component emphasized the importance of building product identity as an authentic, locally produced herbal product from Bonjeruk.
The objectives included strengthening product attractiveness, enhancing cultural value, and improving marketing potential in tourism markets.
The training was followed by hands-on practice (Fig.
Participants collaboratively produced herbal lotion using the optimized formula: 30% VCO, 3% citronella oil, and 67% cream base.
The mixture was mildly heated, homogenized, and tested for pH stability.
The final product was packaged into 50 mL containers (Fig.
using a simple piping technique to ensure The completed products were then labeled and tested by 22 participants.
This practical approach aligns with the principles of community empowerment, which emphasize experiential learning, skill acquisition, and community involvement.
Active participation enhances knowledge retention and motivates community members to apply the skills https://journal.
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Figure 3.
Hands-on practice Figure 4.
The final product Respondent Characteristics and PretestAePosttest Results A total of 22 participants (Table .
completed the training.
Most belonged to the adult age group .
%), followed by young adults .
%), and middle-aged adults .
%).
The majority were women .
%), which aligns with the common involvement of women in home-based industries and community MSMEs.
Regarding educational background, most participants had a senior high school education .
%), followed by a bachelorAos degree .
%), and junior high school .
%).
The demographic profile suggests high potential for effective empowerment.
Participants of productive age groups generally have strong adaptability and motivation, while the dominance of women in the group reflects suitability for herbal product development, which is typically associated with household skills, health awareness, and local Table 1.
Respondent Characteristics https://journal.
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Category Subcategory Age Group (WHO) Young Adult .
Ae24 year.
Adult .
Ae44 year.
Middle Age .
Ae59 year.
Man Woman Junior High School (SMP) Senior High School (SMA) BachelorAos Degree (S.
Gender Education Level N=22 The structured pretestAeposttest questionnaire assessed the knowledge and skills in herbal lotion formulation, hygiene practices, packaging, and readiness for knowledge The results demonstrate a notable improvement across all indicators.
Understanding of citronella and VCO benefits increased significantly, with Austrongly agreeAy responses rising from 45.
45% to 68.
Ability to mix ingredients according to correct ratios improved from 18.
18% .
trongly agre.
Hygiene and safety practices increased 64% .
trongly agre.
Confidence to reproduce the lotion independently rose from 18.
18% to 50%.
Readiness to share knowledge with others increased dramatically 45% .
trongly agre.
After three structured follow-up training sessions focusing on raw material processing and product manufacturing, all Pokdarwis participants .
%) were able to independently and confidently produce herbal lotion and roll-on essential oil products, utilizing locally sourced virgin coconut oil (VCO) and citronella essential oil as the main ingredients, indicating strong skill retention and program sustainability.
The improvement trends reflect the program's effectiveness in enhancing cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains.
These results are consistent with studies showing that hands-on and skill-based community training significantly increases participantsAo competence and encourages long-term behavioral change.
Table 2.
Pretest and Posttest Scores on Knowledge and Skills in Herbal Lotion Production Pretest (%) No Statement Disagree Agree Understanding the benefits of VCO and citronella oil as ingredients for herbal Knowledge of ingredient proportion for standard herbal lotion formulation Posttest (%) Strongly Strongly Disagree Agree Agree Agree https://journal.
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Ability to mix ingredients according to the correct ratio to produce a homogeneous lotion Ability to create variations of herbal lotion according to community or tourist Ability to maintain hygiene and ingredient safety during the production process Understanding proper lotion storage and packaging methods Confidence in independently practicing herbal lotion production at home Readiness to share this knowledge with other community members in Bonjeruk Tourism Village The results indicate that the training successfully improved participantsAo abilities in herbal lotion production.
The significant increases in pretestAeposttest scores demonstrate the trainingAos positive impact on knowledge, technical skills, and community readiness to adopt herbal product production as an economic activity.
The demographic distribution, dominated by women and productive age groups, played a substantial role in the programAos success.
Women often drive local entrepreneurship and are more likely to engage in product-based economic activities.
Their ability to absorb practical training efficiently aligns with previous studies highlighting the effectiveness of women-driven MSMEs in rural development.
The optimized lotion formula produced during the training meets acceptable cosmetic standards, including pH stability, odor, texture, and homogeneity.
This finding corresponds with previous literature affirming the effectiveness of citronella and VCO as active ingredients for mosquito repellent and skin protection products.
The success of the formulation supports its potential to be developed as a flagship product and tourist souvenir for Bonjeruk Tourism Village.
Moreover, the increase in readiness to disseminate knowledge indicates strong community engagement and potential for program sustainability.
This aligns with empowerment theory, which emphasizes capacity-building as a primary driver for long-term impact in community-based programs.
The positive training outcomes, combined with strong local resources and community motivation, indicate that herbal lotion production has strategic potential to strengthen BonjerukAos tourism identity, expanding MSME opportunities, and supporting eco-friendly product innovation.
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Monitoring and Evaluation Figure 5.
Monitoring and evaluation .
Figure 5, shows the on-site monitoring and evaluation activity conducted by the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM UNIZAR) team to assess the effectiveness and sustainability of the community service program.
The field visit was carried out to directly observe how the training outcomes were applied by the participants in the actual production of herbal lotion.
The monitoring results demonstrated a significant improvement in the participantsAo technical skills.
The Pokdarwis members were able to reproduce the herbal lotion with better homogeneity, cleaner preparation processes, and a more consistent citronella aroma compared to the initial training phase.
Participants confidently explained each stage of the production workflow, including ingredient measurement, heating and mixing techniques, hygiene standards, packaging steps, and pH checking.
This indicates strong knowledge retention and successful transfer of skills from the training sessions.
Several participants had already begun experimenting with independent production trials, showing their readiness to continue the activity beyond the training phase.
Their selfproduced lotion samples had improved texture, stability, and overall product quality, proving that the community has transitioned from learning to practical application.
During the monev discussion session, the LPPM team also identified several challenges faced by participants in the post-training stage, particularly the limited availability of small-scale equipment such as handheld mixers and accurate weighing tools, as well as the need for a more consistent supply of raw materials.
Despite these constraints, the participants expressed strong enthusiasm and commitment to continue developing and improving the product.
Some even conveyed interest in creating additional herbal product variants as part of business diversification for the tourism https://journal.
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Figure 6.
Results of herbal lotion production (A and B), roll-on freshcare essential oil (A and C), production of base materials including virgin coconut oil (VCO) (D) and citronella essential oil (E), and a testimonial from an international tourist Overall, the monev findings (Figure 5-.
confirm that the community service program successfully enhanced participantsAo capacity and fostered early sustainability.
The combination of increased technical ability, motivation for independent production, and willingness to innovate indicates that herbal lotion production has strong potential to grow into a signature economic activity within Bonjeruk Tourism Village.
Conclusion This community empowerment program achieved its primary objective of strengthening the capacity and independence of Pokdarwis members in developing standardized herbal-based tourism products derived from local resources.
The intervention contributed to improved production readiness, enhanced confidence in independent manufacturing, and the establishment of herbal lotion as a feasible community-based tourism product.
Beyond shortterm skill acquisition, the program lays a foundation for sustainable economic activities by integrating local herbal utilization with tourism development.
Future initiatives should focus on strengthening product certification, market expansion, and long-term mentoring to ensure business continuity and broader economic impact for Bonjeruk Tourism Village.
Acknowledgements https://journal.
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This work was supported by the Program Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat Kemitraan (PKM Kemitraa.
DIKTI 2025.
The authors thank the Directorate General of Higher Education for its funding support, the LPPM Universitas Al-Azhar Mataram for facilitation, and the Bonjeruk
Tourism Village community for their cooperation and active participation References