LAMPUNG — Dompet Dhuafa Lampung Branch together with the Zakat and Benevolent Fund Management Unit (UPZDK) Permata Bank Syariah collaborated with the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEBI) of Raden Intan Lampung State Islamic University (UIN RIL) to implement sharia economic principles. In this collaboration, the three institutions carry an entrepreneurship program based on zakat funds, namely the Container Canteen. Located in the FEBI UIN RIL environment, the Container Canteen was inaugurated on Friday (1/3/2024).
The symbolization of the inauguration of the Container Canteen was carried out by cutting the ribbon and continued with the wearing of aprons to the beneficiaries-students managing the Container Canteen. Present to inaugurate the Container Canteen that day, Dr. Safari M.Sos as Vice Rector 2 of UIN Raden Intan Lampung and his staff, Habibullah as Chairman of the UPZDK Permata Bank Syariah Management, Ahmad Faqih Syarafaddin as GM of ZIS Collection Dompet Dhuafa, and Yogi Achmad Fajar as Branch Manager of Dompet Dhuafa Lampung.
Furthermore, Ahmad Faqih explained that the Container Canteen is an MSME empowerment program as an entrepreneurial scholarship for outstanding and underprivileged students who are studying economics on campus. Students who take part in this program get scholarships from additional income, resulting from managing the Container Canteen.
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“Students who are beneficiaries of this program also get a special opportunity to directly apply economic sciences, especially Islamic economics,” he said.
The number of direct beneficiaries in the program is five students. In the selection process for the beneficiaries of this program, Dompet Dhuafa Lampung selects students who are categorized as underprivileged or not yet prosperous. However, they have an entrepreneurial spirit and are committed to being able to manage their college time.
For the launching of this program, Dr Safari expressed his appreciation to Dompet Dhuafa and UPZDK Permata Bank Syariah. According to him, this is a very good opportunity for the campus and students, especially FEBI students, to be able to directly implement the theories received in class. He also hopes that this program can continue to grow, so that the benefits can be even wider.
“Thank you for the cooperation that we can do. Moreover, the student empowerment program in the form of this container, its potential can still be developed,” he said.
In line with that, Habibullah also left high hopes for the students, especially the beneficiaries. Because this program comes from zakat funds, the responsibility will be greater.
He explained that the motivation of UPZDK Permata Bank Syariah is because it is a sharia financial institution. Then, UPZDK Permata Bank Syariah also really wants the community, especially in this case students, to grow and develop.
“What we support is capital, for the establishment of this canteen. The capital is also included for their training (beneficiaries). Well, those who were chosen earlier are students who hope that they will become the forerunners of Islamic entrepreneurs. Hopefully this can be copied to other campuses,” explained Habib.
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Later, after they are able to manage the canteen to make a profit, profit sharing will be carried out according to the initial agreement. Then the remaining funds will be used for operations. In this section, Dompet Dhuafa does not take any profit at all. However, the profits obtained must be donated to Dompet Dhuafa, which is 2.5 percent. This concept is exactly as applied by Permata Bank Syariah which distributes its zakat through Dompet Dhuafa which is implemented in the form of a Container Canteen as productive zakat management.
Permata Bank Syariah’s corporate profit of 2.5 percent is donated through Dompet Dhuafa. The funds are then managed productively in the form of this Container Canteen. That way, the benefits of this zakat will always continue continuously. In the context of the Container Canteen, Dompet Dhuafa limits the number of beneficiaries, namely five students who are given the trust to manage the canteen for a year. The one-year period is sought to be sufficient to help students increase their income for college. Afterward, five students will be selected again for the following year and so on.
This Container Canteen is the first in Lampung, even Sumatra Island. Furthermore, Dompet Dhuafa will continue to strive to present the same program on several other campuses. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and Photo: Riza Muthohar
Editor: Dhika Prabowo