The Implementation of the Family Hope Program as a Poverty Alleviation Instrument in Cirebon Regency

Abstract

Poverty is a multidimensional problem that concerns economic deprivation and the capacity of communities to utilize welfare-improvement opportunities. This study evaluates the implementation of the PKH as a technical instrument for poverty alleviation in Cirebon Regency through four operational dimensions of public policy: communication, resources, implementers’ disposition, and bureaucratic structure. It applies a descriptive qualitative design with informants selected through purposive sampling. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews with structural implementers from the Social Affairs Office of Cirebon Regency and PKH facilitators, while secondary data were obtained from statistics, regional regulations, and relevant literature. Data trustworthiness was examined through source triangulation. The findings show that the decline in the regional poverty rate is consistent with the decrease in KPM and with implementers’ efforts to support KPM socio-economic self-reliance through education and facilitation. However, program implementation still faces constraints related to limited financial infrastructure literacy, rigid digital systems, and the concentration of administrative workload on facilitators. This study recommends strengthening the digital validation system, improving workload distribution, and institutionalizing local potential mapping to support sustainable KPM self-reliance.