Zakat takes on social meaning when it not only eases the burden today\nbut also opens up the possibility of a better life tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Surabaya (ANTARA) \u2013 Poverty is not always visible in a city\u2019s\nappearance.<\/p>\n
Amid towering buildings, shopping centres and the business activity\ndriving the economy, there are still families who must work out whether\ntoday\u2019s income will cover food, school fees or repairs to an unfit\nhome.<\/p>\n
For them, assistance is not merely extra income; it is a\nlifeline.<\/p>\n
In this context, the decision by the Surabaya City National Zakat\nAgency (Baznas) to prioritise poor residents, especially families in the\nfirst decile, marks an opportunity to strengthen social protection.<\/p>\n
Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi\u2019s guidance to the Baznas leadership for\nthe 2026\u20132031 term stressed that zakat, infaq and sadaqah (ZIS) funds\nmust reach those most in need, rather than those who find it easiest to\naccess assistance.<\/p>\n
He delivered the message after the inauguration of the Surabaya City\nBaznas leadership at Surabaya City Hall on Monday (19 October). Eri also\nemphasised the need for the independent management of community funds\nand for rejecting political interference or group interests when\ndetermining beneficiaries.<\/p>\n
Poverty is not only a matter of income levels, but also of people\u2019s\nability to meet basic needs, access education and healthcare, and\nwithstand economic shocks.<\/p>\n
A family that loses its jobs, for example, can quickly fall into\nhardship if it has no savings or adequate social support.<\/p>\n
Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data for Surabaya show that the number of\npeople living in poverty stood at 97,960, or 3.32 per cent of the\npopulation, in March 2026, down from 105,090, or 3.56 per cent, in March\n2025. Surabaya\u2019s poverty line in March 2026 was recorded at Rp852,302\nper person per month.<\/p>\n
The decline points to an improvement. But tens of thousands of\nresidents still live below the poverty line, and the figures need to be\ninterpreted carefully. BPS\u2019s poverty measure is not the same as extreme\npoverty, while deciles group families according to their level of\nwelfare.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Social Affairs explains that the first decile\ncomprises the 10 per cent of households with the lowest welfare\nnationally. The grouping takes socio-economic characteristics into\naccount and may change as data are updated.<\/p>\n
The first decile can therefore serve as a basis for prioritisation,\nbut should not be the sole consideration. Each family\u2019s circumstances\nstill need to be verified, including food security, housing conditions,\nhealth, the number of dependants and the sustainability of income.<\/p>\n
Surabaya\u2019s challenge is not only to count the poor, but also to\nensure that people with disabilities, older people living alone,\nfamilies with members suffering from chronic illnesses and children at\nrisk of dropping out of school are not missed in the registration\nprocess or in the provision of assistance.<\/p>\n
Changing people\u2019s circumstances<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/zakat-reaching-the-most-vulnerable-1792479200", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }