Paradaya Movement Trains Underprivileged Citizens, Secures Jobs in Footwear Industry

The Paradaya Movement programme, a collaboration between Rumah Amal Salman Bandung, Ruang Amal Indonesia, and LPK Bina Karya, has successfully trained 50 citizens in shoe stitching. At the end of the training, 41 beneficiaries from underprivileged families were accepted into employment at an industry in Batang, Central Java, officially beginning their careers in the manufacturing sector. This achievement records an 82% success rate in absorbing participants through the Sewing Operator Training series. The training agenda, which took place from 3 to 8 November 2025, not only equipped participants with technical skills but also instilled work ethics and industrial character. Graduates have now been absorbed and started working at prominent manufacturing companies, such as PT Nantong Nuan Jian Indonesia and PT Wide Hero in the Batang Industrial Estate. The programme targets beneficiaries from the eight asnaf (mustahik) categories who often face barriers to access and opportunity. Nadia Fujri Rahman, Head of the Paradaya Movement Programme at Rumah Amal Salman, explained that this initiative is designed as a bridge connecting industrial labour needs with the potential of underprivileged job seekers. One life-changing story comes from Rizki Indriani, 27, an alumna of the Paradaya Movement Sewing Operator Training. The junior high school graduate initially doubted her ability to compete in the job market. With her parents working as duck herders and her husband as a package courier, her determination to support the family economy and provide a better life for her toddler pushed her to overcome her lack of confidence and learn sewing from scratch. Rizki’s sacrifice in dividing her time between household duties and intensive training paid off; she was officially contracted by PT Wide Hero Toy Indonesia as a production operator. She is now financially independent and supports her younger sibling’s junior high school education to prevent them from dropping out. “This training truly guided me from zero. I had no sewing skills at all before, but thanks to the mentors’ patience, I became confident during the job selection. I am very grateful, Alhamdulillah, to now have my own income, and from my first salary, I was able to set aside a portion for charity,” Rizki said emotionally. Slamet, CEO of Ruang Amal Indonesia, emphasised the vital role of productive zakat in creating long-term impact. “The utilisation of zakat funds will be far more impactful when focused on opening doors to decent work, rather than merely providing temporary assistance,” he stated. The entire series of activities was fully supported by ParagonCorp through the Paradaya Movement programme in collaboration with Rumah Amal Salman, with LPK Bina Karya as the technical training partner. This integrated vocational initiative focuses on alleviating open unemployment by producing certified, job-ready human resources. Beyond shoe manufacturing, the Paradaya Movement and Rumah Amal Salman have also recorded success in two other training fields: Digital Talent and Live Streaming Host. The Digital Talent training, in partnership with educational technology company Alkademi, provided programming, artificial intelligence, and data science training to 23 beneficiaries. As a result, 21 people (91%) successfully entered the technology industry, working at companies such as Radya Labs, Bharabas Media, Libere, and Jangkau. Meanwhile, the Live Streaming Host training, in cooperation with Bandung Local Agency (Ibun Mall), saw all 25 participants complete intensive training and now actively pursue careers as independent live commerce hosts or within various media agencies and marketplace brands. Cumulatively, the Paradaya Movement of Rumah Amal Salman has assisted 98 beneficiaries across West Java and Central Java, successfully placing 88 alumni (89.8%) into employment and financial independence. Nadia Fujri Rahman added that this success is inseparable from the comprehensive productive zakat assistance scheme. “We consistently strive to oversee every stage systematically, from mapping asnaf, character building, and technical training, to job placement. With this model, zakat funds are genuinely transformed into sustainable economic independence for the beneficiary families,” she said. The Paradaya Movement series was conducted through a structured process, beginning with an open recruitment drive to attract beneficiaries in October 2025. Throughout November to January 2025, selected beneficiaries underwent asnaf qualification verification and intensive training combining technical skills and character development. The process continued in mid-January 2025 with post-training mentoring until their final job placement. The programme will conclude with a monitoring and alumni data collection phase from May to July 2026 to ensure the work adaptation process and measure the sustainable impact on improving the beneficiaries’ family economies. This achievement serves as a strong foundation for Rumah Amal Salman and ParagonCorp to continue expanding the programme.