<![CDATA[Waturaka Village, located in Kelimutu Sub-district, Ende Regency, is a nature- and culture-based tourism village situated in the buffer zone of Kelimutu National Park. Despite its tourism potential, the village continues to face fundamental challenges, including children's low reading interest, limited reinforcement of character education within families and schools, and a persistent digital literacy gap among residents. The Community Service Program "Gerbang Litera Desa" (Village Literacy Gateway) aimed to improve children's basic literacy skills, strengthen character values, and equip the community with basic digital competencies through a participatory, community-based approach. The program was implemented in five stages: preparation and needs analysis, socialization and partner coordination, implementation of the core program (literacy movement, character education, and digital training), monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability and mentoring. A total of 65 participants took part, consisting of primary and secondary school-aged children and adult community members, including village officials, teachers, and Posyandu cadres. Pre- and post-activity evaluations showed significant improvement across all indicators: reading ability rose from an average of 52% to 78%, understanding of character values from 58% to 82%, digital literacy from 40% to 71%, and reading interest from 47% to 80%. The program also succeeded in establishing a Village Reading Corner and a Literacy Volunteer group that now drive the program's sustainability. It is concluded that collaboration between higher education institutions and rural communities is effective in building a sustainable literacy ecosystem and strengthening local social capital.]]>
