Kampung Wonolopo: Its Success Story with Jamu Gendong

Kampung Jamu Gendong Wonolopo is located in Sumber Sari Hamlet, Wonolopo Village, Mijen District. The village, which is included in the administrative area of ​​Semarang City, has been known as kampung jamu (herbal medicine village) since the 1980s. Starting from a handful of people, now the majority of the population is finding their sustenance through jamu.

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The Halosemarang.com page recounts that the beginning of Wonolopo as a traditional kampung jamu began with settlers from Solo in 1985. The settlers became the first jamu gendong (jamu peddler) seller in Wonolopo, which used to be part of Mijen Village.

Quoting Kholidi’s statement, Chairman of Paguyuban Jamu Gendong Sumber Husodo Wonolopo (Jamu Gendong Association Sumber Husodo Wonolopo), according to him, initially there were three people who became jamu gendong traders. Within three years, the three businesses grew rapidly. At that time the majority of Wonolopo residents worked as farmers and construction workers. Seeing the rapid development of the jamu business, the residents were also interested. Most of the jamu gendong sellers come from RT 03/RW10 and RT 02/RW10 dusun (hamlet) Sumber Sari, Wonolopo Village.

Kampung Jamu Tematik 

As the jamu business in Wonolopo grew, the village was named the Kampung Jamu Tematik (Thematic Herbal Village) in 2016 by the Mayor of Semarang. Excerpted from the Thesis entitled Pengembangan Masyarakat Berbasis Potensi Lokal (Studi Pada Kampung Tematik Jamu Kelurahan Wonolopo, Mijen, Kota Semarang) (Community Development Based on Local Potential (Study on the Thematic Herbal Village, Wonolopo Village, Mijen, Semarang City)) by Ana Milatul Khusna, 2019, there are approximately 41 members of the Jamu Gendong Society in Wonolopo. Based on Kholidi’s statement taken in December 2018, before it became a thematic village, there were approximately 20 members of the association. However, after becoming a thematic village, its members increased to 41 with approximately 35 active members.

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The purpose of the association is to embrace jamu sellers by providing education regarding the processing and management of jamu products. From this, it is expected that jamu sellers can produce good products and provide a prosperous economic effect.

The Paguyuban routinely cooperates with the Dinas Kesehatan (Health Office), BPOM, or health students to conduct counseling. Entrepreneurs are given knowledge regarding the dangers of misuse of chemicals, hygienic processing of jamu, to standardized packaging techniques.

Regarding the quantity of jamu sales that are getting bigger day by day, the association has started to promote the movement to plant Family Medicinal Plants (TOGA, Tanaman Obat Keluarga). According to Khalidi’s statement, before starting TOGA, the jamu sellers relied on raw materials from Sambiroto, Tembalang, Semarang. In addition to the raw materials for jamu, TOGA is also used as an educational tool for visitors.

Several types of TOGA planted in the Kampung Tematik Jamu Wonolopo include Kemangi (Thai Basil), Kitolod (Madam Fate, lsotoma longiflora Presi.), White Turmeric, Tapak Liman (Elephant’s Foot, Elephantopus scaber), Sambiloto (bitter leaves, Andrographis paniculate), Ginger, Temulawak (Java ginger, Curcuma zanthorrhiza), Kencur (aromatic ginger, Kaempferia galangal), Sirih Keriting, Manjakani (Aleppo oak, Quercus infectoria), Fennel, and many more.

Not only that, to further promote jamu products from Wonolopo, jamu entrepreneurs often attend bazaars. Bazaars are usually held by sub-districts in Semarang, besides that there are also bazaars held in shopping centers and bazaars by local governments.

Success with Jamu

Jamu brings blessings to the people of Wonolopo. Thanks to the jamu trade, the village was well-known to various regions. The economic welfare of its citizens also increased thanks to the sale and purchase of jamu. Thanks to selling jamu, mothers are no longer unemployed, children can also get a proper education. Village facilities also have a positive impact from selling jamu. Wonolopo residents are able to build RT buildings, repair roads, and build village drainage, all of which are self-funded by the community from selling jamu.