JAKARTA -— Today, Saturday (July 2, 2022), Dompet Dhuafa celebrates its 29th anniversary. The anniversary celebration was finally held in person at the Dompet Dhuafa Philanthropy Building in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, after previously being hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic. The event began with a report from Dian Mulyadi as the Chair of the Committee.
“Today, Dompet Dhuafa marks its 29th year of spreading kindness since its inception. We ask for your prayers, ladies and gentlemen, so that this anniversary celebration will run smoothly and solemnly. Thank you also for your support and collaboration in celebrating and making the 29th anniversary of Dompet Dhuafa a success.”
Dompet Dhuafa carries the theme #KolaborAksiBangunNegeri (Collaborate to Build the Country). This is a representation of the spirit of all Dompet Dhuafa employees to continue to devote themselves to the interests of all Indonesian people, especially those in need. The 29th anniversary of Dompet Dhuafa was also enlivened by a vertical rescue performance by the Srikandi Disaster Management Center (DMC) Team of Dompet Dhuafa, who carried a giant banner depicting the logo of the 29th anniversary of Dompet Dhuafa from the top of the Philanthropy Building.
In addition, a tumpeng cutting ceremony was also held as a form of gratitude to Allah SWT for the various achievements of Dompet Dhuafa so far. Witnessed directly by all Dompet Dhuafa staff and management, the tumpeng cutting ceremony was carried out directly by the Initiator and Chairman of the Dompet Dhuafa Foundation Board of Trustees, Parni Hadi.
In his remarkable speech, Parni Hadi conveyed a message to all Dompet Dhuafa employees regarding how poverty can cause disasters, especially in urban areas. This message was elegantly packaged in a trilogy that was easily understood by all listeners present at the event.
“Poverty causes disasters, which is why I have formulated this trilogy today. First is Building Villages, so that people are not driven to seek livelihoods in the city. Second is tackling urban poverty, and third is being prepared to face urban disasters (Urban Disaster Management). The option is to build tourist villages. Remember! We build our villages, we tackle and reduce poverty, and thirdly, we are prepared for urban disasters,” explained Parni Hadi.
Furthermore, Parni Hadi also invited all Dompet Dhuafa employees to continue expressing their gratitude to Allah SWT, who has given them the opportunity to help people in need for 29 years.
“Let us all say three phrases: Alhamdulillah, Astaghfirullah, and La haula wa la quata illa billah. Why? Because we have been blessed by Allah so that Dompet Dhuafa has grown for 29 years. However, Dompet Dhuafa still has many shortcomings. Finally, Dompet Dhuafa asks for strength from Allah SWT. In our mother tongue, Matur Nuwun, Mohon Ampun, Mohon Dituntun. I hope this will be our guideline,” continued Parni Hadi.
The celebrations for Dompet Dhuafa’s 29th anniversary will continue with a series of exciting activities. Following this, there will be a Fun Walk during Jakarta’s Car Free Day (CFD). The series will conclude with a thanksgiving ceremony by all members of Dompet Dhuafa at the Philanthropy Building on Monday, July 4, 2022.
Even during its anniversary celebrations, Dompet Dhuafa remains committed to spreading benefits to the community and will sign a cooperation agreement with BNPB in an effort to handle disasters in urban areas. This is proof that Dompet Dhuafa does not want to get caught up in the euphoria and wants to continue providing benefits at all times.
“Dompet Dhuafa was born out of love. That is why we also have a newsletter called Swara Cinta (Voice of Love). Then Dompet Dhuafa found its identity as a zakat institution. In the early days of its establishment, the founders asked religious scholars for legitimacy to manage zakat privately. Through various efforts, this was realized, and Dompet Dhuafa even initiated the zakat law,” said Rahmad Riyadi, Acting Chairman of the Dompet Dhuafa Republika Foundation.
In line with Parni Hadi’s remarks, Rahmad Riyadi also urged all members of Dompet Dhuafa to continue self-evaluation through reflection and to enhance services for beneficiaries. Additionally, a sincere intention to dedicate oneself to assisting those in need was another message emphasized by Rahmad Riyadi.
“On the occasion of Dompet Dhuafa‘s 29th anniversary, what we need to do is muhasabah. First, for those involved in Dompet Dhuafa, this is a form of love for the poor (dhuafa). This should be the starting point for all amil (fund administrators) working at Dompet Dhuafa. Second, Dompet Dhuafa is not only a zakat institution, but also practices ukhuwah basyariyah, or humanity. The third point is that we, as administrators, must be self-aware, strive to purify our intentions, and on this occasion, it is also announced that the performance and financial audit results of Dompet Dhuafa have once again been awarded a WTP (Unqualified Opinion),” said Rahmat Riyadi.
Today’s event also featured a reading of a reflective poem by Parni Hadi. This poem explains the trilogy of poverty and disaster described in the previous speech. In fact, this poem should be a reflection for all Dompet Dhuafa members and the Indonesian people.
The Poor Move
(by: Parni Hadi)
The poor move,
from villages to cities and their outskirts.
The face of poverty remains,
only their appearance is slightly different.
From villagers to city dwellers,
they try to change their way of speaking and their clothes,
but their old habits remain the same.
This is because of urbanization.
Villages are no longer attractive,
especially for young people
looking to earn a living.
They flock to the city
with whatever skills they have.
They become cheap labor.
The city becomes overcrowded.
People, people everywhere!
On the streets, in the alleys, and in cramped rented houses.
They marry and have children.
Traffic jams and slums are everywhere.
Urban disasters loom,
due to the overpopulation of the poor.
Villages must be developed and made attractive to invite prosperity.
Tourist villages are an option.
This can reduce the flow of urbanization.
Urban poverty needs to be addressed
while preparing to face disasters caused by poverty.
Urban Disaster Management (UDM) is an option.
Jakarta, July 1, 2022
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