Village Funds and Social Capital

Rural development as an effort to improve the welfare of villagers requires cohesiveness among the actors, namely the villagers, the government (both local and higher tiers), and other related parties.

In 2003, while conducting research in a remote area of Jambi, I met a local villager who was "confused" by his distrust of the village head. He said his distrust started when the village received external financial assistance and suspected that the fund was being managed inappropriately.

These days, I often receive information about discord among villagers stemming from the village funds. The previously harmonious ties between the residents become tenuous. Conflicts between villagers often occur.