CIBUBUR, DEPOK —-— Wednesday (1 July 2026) morning was a joyful and unforgettable day for the pupils of the Nurul Akbar Integrated Islamic School (SIT), as they became part of the BesTeam supporting orphaned children. They were there as friends to help and support the orphans at the ‘Shopping with Orphans’ (BBY) event, a charitable initiative organised jointly by Dompet Dhuafa and SIT Nurul Akbar, which took place at Trans Studio Mall, Cibubur.
Coinciding with Muharram 1448 H, this served as an opportunity for the pupils of SIT Nurul Akbar to learn to share happiness, whilst also bringing benefits to the orphans. This marks the second year of the ‘Shopping with Orphans’ programme in partnership with SIT Nurul Akbar, following the successful organisation of BBY in 2025.
The activities carried out included watching a film together, followed by shopping for daily essentials and school supplies for the children at Transmart, Trans Studio Mall, Cibubur.
A total of 22 orphans were selected and accompanied by 22 NA Stars, or Nurul Akbar Stars – a title given to pupils in Years 4 to 6 by the school for various leadership and social activities.
Take Hana and Dini, for example. Hana, a pupil at SIT Nurul Akbar, had the opportunity to personally accompany Dini as she shopped for school supplies and household essentials. Although they come from different schools, their closeness and familiarity are such that they seem like long-time friends.
On several occasions, Hana was quick to accompany Dini as they went round looking for various essentials, ranging from school bags and stationery to cooking oil, soap and snacks. True to the Besteam spirit, Hana not only helped choose the items they needed, but also accompanied Dini as she enjoyed the experience of shopping and watching a film at the cinema – especially as this was Dini’s first time at the cinema.
“Earlier, Hana helped look for the essentials we needed, such as cooking oil, a school bag and pens,” Haka explained.
Read also: From School Supplies to Favourite Snacks: The Simple Joys of Shopping with Orphans
The ‘Shopping with Orphans’ programme, a collaboration between Dompet Dhuafa and SIT Nurul Akbar, was made possible thanks to regular donations collected every Friday from a portion of the pocket money of SIT Nurul Akbar pupils. These funds were then channelled through Dompet Dhuafa to bring joy to orphaned children.
“Yes, this is from our Friday donations for orphans, or for those in Palestine and victims of natural disasters, but it comes from our own pocket money. I set some aside just to help out, so that we can buy things and meet their needs,” Hana explained further.
Read also: Habibi’s Joy at Shopping with Orphans: Delighted to Have New Clothes and Sandals for Eid
In keeping with this spirit of kindness, Dini was also delighted to be able to go shopping accompanied by Hana herself.
“I’m so happy that Kak Hana helped me choose my clothes and that we went shopping together. Thank you for treating me to these, and I hope your fortune continues to flow so you can treat me again. May you live a long life and always stay healthy,” added Dini.
Ahmad Faqih Syarafaddin, General Manager of ZIS Fundraising at Dompet Dhuafa, also expressed his appreciation to SIT Nurul Akbar for collaborating with Dompet Dhuafa on the BesTeam campaign, ‘Bestian Sama Yatim’.
This activity forms part of the BesTeam (Sharing Smiles with Orphans) campaign, a Dompet Dhuafa initiative aimed at bringing care, happiness and support to orphans in various regions through sustainable programmes designed to help them become a brilliant generation in the future.
“Alhamdulillah, this Muharram, Dompet Dhuafa has once again partnered with SIT Nurul Akbar for the BBY initiative. This event forms part of the BesTeam campaign, ‘Bestian Sama Yatim’, initiated by Dompet Dhuafa. BesTeam is a programme designed to give special attention to orphaned children across the nation, so that together we can empower them and bring happiness into their lives. “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all those who have supported this programme, particularly SIT Nurul Akbar and Trans Studio Mall Cibubur, who have provided such a comfortable venue and space for today’s event,” said Ahmad Faqih.
The Head of SIT Nurul Akbar, Sri Rahayu Julas Setianingsih, explained that direct involvement in social activities provides a valuable experience not available to all children, thereby fostering empathy, compassion and a spirit of sharing amongst the pupils of SIT Nurul Akbar
“Alhamdulillah, we’ve gained so many positive impressions today. We could see the happy smiles on our brothers’ and sisters’ faces; it wasn’t just the orphans who felt this joy, but our friends from Nurul Akbar, who donate to the charity every Friday, also felt happy. So, in our view, this is one example of how the character-building we instil in the children is bearing fruit; as we’ve seen today, they are absolutely delighted. Perhaps not all children have this opportunity to get directly involved, so they are incredibly excited,” said Sri.
Read also: Orphans and the Risk of Dropping Out of School: Why is Educational Support Important?
After going shopping and watching a film together, the orphans also received financial assistance. Friends, why not join the movement of kindness and become part of BesTeam, just like the pupils at SIT Nurul Akbar, via yatim.dompetdhuafa.org.
Text and photos: Anndini Dwi Putri
Editor: Andhika SP