Pesantren Has Great Potential in Managing Waqf

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDAR LAMPUNG -- Financial literacy in today's era is considered very important, especially for young children and boarding schools. Financial literacy should also be considered in every region, especially in boarding schools that have waqaf funds.

“It is not only disseminated, but it must also be realized in productive economic activities,” said Member of the XI DPR Commission Ela Nuryamah at the Pre-Launching event of the Book of the Abadi Dana Fund Pesantren Foundations of Independence written by Dr. Robert E Sudarwan and Dr. Fatin Fadhilah Hasib, S.E., M.Si in Payungi Kota Metro, Lampung (7/9/2024).

In the event, which was held collaboratively by the Creative Space of Young People Indonesia together with GenPi Lampung and the Payungi community, a Finance Seminar was also held with the theme 'Strategic Role of Society in Accelerating the Literacy Levels of National Development. '

Ela Nuryamah appreciates the authors of the book Dana Abadi Pesantren Fondasi Kemanan, for presenting a good financial literature for the management of the permanent funds of waqaf-based fraternities.

“Young people need to be financially literate. Start with simple things, such as managing money in and out so that they can survive in the midst of very dynamic and volatile economic conditions like today,” Ela said.

“I see that Payungi is an example of a good movement in realizing financial literacy in the midst of society. Empowerment carried out can have an impact on the local residents' economy,” Ela added.

Robert as the author of the book and the director of DPP Hebitren (Himpunan Ekonoman Bisnis dan Pesantren) exposes the purpose of writing a book about the permanent funding of pesantren, namely as a reflection and a real strategy to strengthen the boarding school institution in Indonesia. He along with his colleagues in Hebitren wanted to realize the role of the boarding school not only as a religious educational institution, but also as an independent economic institution.

“I see that the boarding school has great potential in managing the waqaf to serve as a foundation in building the permanent funding of the boarding school. The waqaf can be the main support for the independence of boarding schools, ensuring that the institution remains in existence, and flourishes without relying on external help or temporary donors”, he concluded

Furthermore, Payungi Founder and Lecturer of IAIN Metro Dharma Setyawan speaker in his exposition gave many examples of economic movements in the society he championed and movements. Such movements such as Payungi, which have consistently empowered more than 70 mothers over the past 5 years, have brought a turnover of 15 billion, then there is Kampung Peng_angguran where local residents collectively grow different types of grapes and cultivate maggot. In addition, there are also Kampung Lebah, Keliling Metro and other creative economic movements that drive the residents' economy.

“Financial literacy needs to be transformed in the form of real, impactful movements. In addition, we must also be present in the midst of citizens to be directly involved in the local economic movement. So, they (citizens) can actively participate and become drivers for the economic turmoil in their area”, Dharma concluded.

The event was attended by approximately 100 creative young people in Lampung. They are young people of choice who have creative ideas and passion in growing the local economic movement.