Economic empowerment of traders at ZCorner Jambi shows positive results

The National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) of Jambi City has stated that the empowerment of small business operators at the ZCorner Banjuran Budayo area is showing positive results, reflected in their monthly turnovers reaching up to Rp22 million.

Chairman of Baznas Jambi City, Muhammad Padli, said on Wednesday that there are currently 15 tenants running businesses in the area with capital assistance through a productive zakat-based economic empowerment programme.

“Three tenants are flagship programmes of Baznas Central, namely ZCoffee, ZChicken, and ZMart, while the other 12 tenants are small business operators fostered by Baznas Jambi City who were previously zakat recipients (mustahik),” he said.

He stated that all fostered tenants have undergone training and mentoring processes before starting their businesses. Based on Baznas Jambi City’s financial records for the January to March period, the tenants’ turnovers vary according to the type of business, ranging from Rp5 million to Rp22 million per month.

He explained that the agency not only provides business capital assistance but also conducts continuous mentoring so that the tenants’ businesses continue to grow. The mentoring includes marketing training, financial management, product quality improvement, promotion through digital media, and facilitation to participate in exhibitions at regional and national levels.

According to him, the ZCorner Programme is one proof of the utilisation of productive zakat in improving community welfare. The programme has opened business opportunities for 15 families and encouraged mustahik to become more economically independent.

“A number of tenants who previously received zakat assistance now have growing businesses, actively give infaq, and some have even become muzakki or are obliged to pay zakat,” said Padli.

Baznas continues to be committed to creating independent business operators so that the benefits of zakat can be felt in the long term and contribute to poverty alleviation.