SRAGEN, CENTRAL JAVA — With the support of the Sragen Regency Government, Dompet Dhuafa and Bank Syariah Sragen launched the Oyster Mushroom Center Empowerment Program in Dukuh Ledok, Mojorejo Village, Kedawung District, Sragen. This program runs through the Cash Waqf Linked Deposit (CWLD) return management scheme at Bank Syariah Sragen, and is the first breakthrough in Indonesia.
Present at the event were Kusdinar Untung Yuni Sukowati as Regent of Sragen, H. Fakhruddin Nur as Director of Bank Syariah Sragen, Zaini Tafrikhan as Head of Dompet Dhuafa Central Java, Ali Bastoni as General Manager of Dompet Dhuafa’s Waqf Collection and Literacy, and Nanik Sukoco who is a companion of the Oyster Mushroom Center Empowerment Program.
In his speech, the Regent of Sragen said, ‘The role of waqf is very important for economic improvement, especially for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) in villages. For example, the Oyster Mushroom Centre that we are inaugurating this afternoon. The Mushroom Centre programme is the only one in Sragen, even in Central Java, that runs through waqf development. In the future, the value of waqf will continue to grow and have a positive impact on the village economy. I hope that the support from Dompet Dhuafa and Bank Syariah Sragen can encourage the independence of MSMEs in the rural areas. It is also an important capital for MSMEs to penetrate wider modern markets’.
On the same occasion, Zaini Tafrikhan said, ‘We manage the Cash Waqf Linked Deposit (CWLD) which is deposited at BPR Syariah Sragen. Then the return is for the empowerment programme of this Oyster Mushroom Centre. Previously, it has been running and has replaced mushroom baglogs once. There are 10 thousand baglogs per barn. If the harvest is in full swing, it can be 60 kilograms. The average per day is 30 to 40 kilograms. Then the price is IDR 13,000 per kilogram if the product is fresh’
At the same time, Fakhruddin Nur said, ‘This is a collaboration that is mutually beneficial and absorbs labour. Oyster mushroom managers can get a sustainable supply of raw materials for making krispi mushrooms, as well as the development of MSMEs. And this is also the first programme in Indonesia. I even appreciate the waqifs who gave their waqf through Bank Syariah Sragen. In fact, there are those who come all the way from West Java to donate funds to Sragen’.
On the other hand, Ali Bastoni explained that Mojorejo Village became an empowering programme from the role of CWLD or waqf with Islamic financial instruments in a productive economic or investment approach. This oyster mushroom centre is expected to bring the development of waqf innovation in Sragen.
‘The innovation here is deposit waqf, even the latest and the only one in Sragen and in Indonesia. We coordinate with the Financial Services Authority (OJK) regarding the methodology of the waqf deposit innovation. This innovation is an alternative financing, not always through banks. It can also be through government grants and waqf,’ Ali explained.
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Nanik Sukoco, when met at the event, told her story. She said that initially there was a shortage of oyster mushroom raw materials.
‘On the market it is difficult, the price is expensive, that’s what we found. Then I contacted Dompet Dhuafa Central Java, with Zaini. Alhamdulillah, from the survey and communication process, we were finally able to cooperate with Dompet Dhuafa Central Java. The need for raw materials can be fulfilled. So, we can focus more on sales both to minimarkets and online stores, ‘said Nanik. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photo: Bani Kiswanto
Editor: Ronna