Baznas RI opens options for humanitarian programme collaboration with STACO Libya

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s National Zakat Agency (Baznas RI) is opening opportunities for international collaboration with the Shaikh Tahir Alzawi Charity Organisation (STACO) from Libya in the field of empowerment programmes up to planned collaboration in humanitarian aid initiatives. “We are very pleased, very happy to hear how our friends in Libya have excellent programmes to help Libyan society and also Muslim communities in other countries,” said Baznas RI Chairman Mokhamad Mahdum in his statement in Jakarta on Saturday. Mahdum mentioned that STACO is inviting Baznas RI to synergise not only limited to domestic aid but also targeting a broader humanitarian vision. STACO, he continued, is specifically inviting Baznas to collaborate in addressing issues faced by Muslim communities in various parts of the world, such as mosque construction in Brazil, aid for flood disaster survivors in Libya, and assistance for refugees in Sudan. As an initial concrete step, his side will soon follow up on humanitarian aid for flood disaster survivors in Libya through coordination with STACO. Baznas is also opening broader discussion spaces at the leadership council level to explore potential cooperation in the education sector and religious infrastructure development, as has been done by STACO in various countries. “We have the principle that birds of a feather will perch on the same tree. So if we have good intentions, the same intentions, insyaallah it will be very easy for us to collaborate,” he said. He emphasised that every humanitarian challenge faced by the global Muslim community is a collective responsibility that demands borderless collaboration. “Humanitarian issues, Muslim community issues are shared problems, we should solve them together, not individually,” Mahdum stated. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of Directors of STACO, Salem Abdulsalam ElArabi Ramadan, said his side is inviting Baznas RI to synergise in humanitarian movements, particularly in post-disaster handling for flood refugees in the city of Derna in Libya. He also offered collaboration for developing educational infrastructure for Indonesian students in Libya. In its plan, STACO will establish Imam Sheikh Thahir Alzawi University, scheduled to start operating next year, complete with integrated student dormitory facilities to unite the Indonesian student community that has previously been scattered in various areas such as Tripoli and Zliten. “These programmes are ideas that, with detailed discussions, may turn into real and concrete projects. We propose signing a strategic partnership to accept Indonesian students in Libya every year so that there is sustainability forever,” said Salem Abdulsalam ElArabi Ramadan.