Baznas Presents Pesantren 1000 Cahaya Ramadan Programme for Persons with Disabilities in Bogor
The National Zakat Board (Baznas) of the Republic of Indonesia brought Ramadan joy to persons with disabilities through the “Pesantren 1000 Cahaya Ramadan” programme. This activity, rich in values of Islamic preaching and humanitarianism, was carried out in collaboration with Cendekia BAZNAS Scholarship (BCB) students from Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) at the Foundation for Persons with Disabilities (YPD) in Bogor City.
A total of 45 children with various types of disabilities participated enthusiastically in a series of activities, including a creative session colouring sketches of the Palestinian flag. This activity aimed to introduce the value of human solidarity from an early age to these special children.
Farid Septian, Head of the Education and Islamic Preaching Division at Baznas RI, explained that the programme represents a coordinated effort driven by BCB students at 233 locations spread across 30 provinces in Indonesia and 10 countries, including reaching Palestinian refugees in the Middle East.
“Pesantren 1000 Cahaya Ramadan is designed to inspire and provide Islamic education to disabled and marginalised groups who may have previously lacked adequate religious education. This is concrete evidence that zakat is inclusive, serving as a light for all segments of society,” said Farid.
Similarly, Saidah Sakwan, Head of Distribution and Empowerment at Baznas RI, affirmed the organisation’s commitment to embracing marginalised children. “Through this programme, we not only provide material assistance but also foster the spirit of literacy and spirituality for those with limited access to adequate services,” Saidah stated in a written statement on Wednesday (11 March).
High appreciation came from Prof. Dr. Alla Asmara, Head of the Waqf and Social Fund Unit at IPB University. He viewed the programme as an excellent platform to foster social concern among students. “The activities carried out by the BCB student brothers and sisters demonstrate extraordinary empathy. May this social action bring widespread benefit and blessings in the month of Ramadan,” Prof. Alla said.
For his part, Taufik, Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Persons with Disabilities (PPDI) Bogor City Chapter, expressed his gratitude for Baznas’s presence amid the limited facilities they faced. He hopes the activity will inspire others to give attention to equality and disability empowerment.
“We are grateful to Baznas for the Pesantren 1000 Cahaya Ramadan programme. Currently, we are still working independently for operational costs and training for teachers with special needs. We want to demonstrate that persons with disabilities can become empowered if given equal opportunities,” Taufik explained.
The benefits of the activity were also felt by parents, including Siti Salimah, mother of Nabilah (an autistic child). She said she was greatly helped by the attention from Baznas for adult children with disabilities who had graduated from school but had few activity venues.
“Alhamdulillah, thank you Baznas for being present at YPD. The assistance and activities are very beneficial for our children. We hope this kind of attention continues so that these special children remain spirited,” concluded Siti.