The Change of Former Female Migrants Lifestyle in Sragen Indonesia

Abstract

Former Female Migrants are identical with less skilled workers having minimum knowledge and skill thereby relying on only remittance to fulfil their life need. This research aimed to find out the change of former female migrants' lifestyle in Sragen, Indonesia, analyzed using Garner's social change theory. This qualitative research with case study approach processed the data in-depth and comprehensively through observation, interview, and documentation. The result of research showed that former female migrants used remittance excessively until it is used up rather than used it as business capital. Originally, it could improve their family economy, but after they come back home, they should adapt to environment in their origin area in which husband relies for their life on their wife's income when they become migrants, children begins to need more attention from a mother, and household need increases. For the sake of their and family's life former female migrant takes a strategy to enable them to maintain their family wellbeing just like that when they became migrants. The strategy taken by former female migrants is to utilize their remittance optimally for business capital and creating a social network containing productive activities that can increase their income. The activity is conducted in group, including goat breeding, food catering, vegetable-processed food, and handicraft production. Former migrant women who have a business group had equal rights in employment so as to have a lifestyle change was effected in the former migrant women. Their rights when productive activities were carried out because it can access knowledge, information, and capital assistance.