BOGOR, WEST JAVA — Bambang Ismawan, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Yayasan Bina Swadaya, expressed his admiration for the Dompet Dhuafa Integrated Hospital (RS RST), which offers comprehensive facilities to serve impoverished patients.
“In my view, this is remarkable. It demonstrates how Dompet Dhuafa enables people to develop themselves and serve the community, aligning with our mission at Bina Swadaya,” said Bambang Ismawan during his visit to the Dompet Dhuafa Integrated Hospital (RST) in Parung, Bogor, on Thursday (12/10/2023).
Bismawan, affectionately known, shared his experiences from visits to Denmark and Bangladesh, noting that governments there would likely offer significant support for such initiatives, including legal and technical assistance, or even funding.
Baca juga: Samudera Indonesia Peduli Wakafkan Ruang Farmasi Baru RST Dompet Dhuafa
“When the community supports itself, it reduces the government’s burden,” Bismawan remarked.
He believes that the governments of these countries promote efforts like those of Dompet Dhuafa and Bina Swadaya to ensure their sustainability.
As a prominent figure in community empowerment, Bismawan toured the RST and inspected its healthcare facilities, including the hemodialysis unit, pediatric clinic, and pharmacy.
Baca juga: Visitasi Samudera Indonesia ke Rumah Sakit Berbasis Wakaf RST Dompet Dhuafa
Dr. M Zakaria, the CEO of RS RST Dompet Dhuafa, stated that RST is a type C hospital and has achieved full accreditation from KARS. Between July 2012 and August 2023, RST provided services to 250,269 underprivileged patients and 615,169 BPJS (Indonesia’s Health Insurance) patients.
“Dompet Dhuafa covers the treatment costs for underprivileged patients not supported by BPJS,” Zakaria explained.
Located in the Dompet Dhuafa Integrated Zone in Madina, Parung, Bogor, the RST is part of a larger complex that includes educational facilities, places of worship, SME business areas, sports facilities, and other public and social amenities.
This was Bismawan’s inaugural visit to the Madina Zone, which he described as a gesture of friendship between the two organizations.
“The essence of friendship is empowerment,” he added.
Baca juga: RS Rumah Sehat Terpadu Dompet Dhuafa, Tempat Berobat Gratis di Bogor dengan Fasilitas Lengkap
Parni Hadi, the initiator and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dompet Dhuafa, emphasized, “It’s more than just friendship; it’s about brotherhood in empowerment. A brotherhood that empowers.”
Parni frequently discusses various community empowerment topics with Bismawan at Wisma Hijau, owned by Bina Swadaya. Bismawan, at 85, is celebrated as a leader in Indonesian empowerment efforts. Parni, a decade his junior, views Bismawan as an elder brother.
Thus, he invited Bismawan to the Madina Zone, showcasing Dompet Dhuafa’s empowerment efforts across five pillars, including RST, STIM Budi Bakti School of Management, DD Clinic, PT Karya Masyarakat Mandiri (KMM), SMART Ekslensia Indonesia School, e-Tahfidz School, Djampang Tourism Village, and more.
The collaboration between Dompet Dhuafa and Bina Swadaya is a testament to “Pancasila in Action,” embodying the principles not just in words but through concrete actions aimed at fostering a just and prosperous society.
Rahmad Riyadi, the Chairman of the Dompet Dhuafa Board of Directors, who also spoke at the event, recalled that during his leadership from 2003 to 2008, Dompet Dhuafa launched an economic empowerment program called Masyarakat Mandiri (MM). The MM program mentors were provided with the book “Community Empowerment in Villages” published by Bina Swadaya.
“One challenge we encountered was the difficulty of empowering a village previously damaged by aid. Engaging with and empowering such a village is extremely challenging,” Rahmad noted.
This underscores the significant lessons Dompet Dhuafa has gleaned from Bina Swadaya. It is hoped that Bismawan’s visit to RST Dompet Dhuafa will further strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and cooperation between the two organizations. (Dompet Dhuafa/Haryo Mojopahit)