Author : Indri Astuti

Summary : Poverty is a condition wherein individuals or household living in a society lack the minimum entitlements in that society (PGENT, 1997). It is the sustained inability of a family to meet its minimum needs such as food, clothing, shelter and medicine, and a direct consequence of inequitable access to basic services productive assets and economic opportunities. West Kupang Subdistrict has been a target area of government program for poverty alleviation implemented since 1994. This study focuses on the people participation on poverty alleviation as an object of government program. The people at study site in general had low education, low income, and with limited capabilities and facilities to improve their lives. Topography influences the human condition. The study site is hilly and mountainous, and the weather is that of dry tropical climate. Commonly, the people in West Kupang Subdistrict are farmers with a land ownership of about 1 hectare and with rice and corn as main crops. The poverty alleviation program of government was aimed at building up the capabilities of local people by carrying out training and developing projects to improve the community skills and enhance welfare.