Urban Poverty: Community Empowerment through National Program for Community Empowerment towards in Batam City

This study examines community empowerment in overcoming poverty through PNPM (Program Nasional Pemberdayaan Masyarakat/ National Program for Community Empowerment) - Urban in Batam City. The purpose of this study was to identify the stages of participation of the poor in PNPM activities and analyze the stages of achievement of the poor after PNPM ended, this research was carried out because there were no studies that specifically discussed the achievements of the poor after the end of PNPM, especially whether the poor who participated in PNPM activities had come out of poverty. PNPM – Urban emphasizes community participation where all activities are left to the community itself, starting from socialization, poverty identification, organization, planning, implementation, to the utilization and maintenance of the results of activities. This study uses qualitative research. Data obtained by observation and in-depth interviews with 12 informants using purposive sampling technique. The results of this study indicate that community participation is at the stage of delegation of power, but the urban poor in Batam City still depend on government assistance and have not escaped poverty. The concept of community empowerment has not been optimal in the PNPM.