JAKARTA — Dompet Dhuafa and BMT Beringharjo have been committed to collaborating to empower small traders. This commitment was stated since the first establishment of this cooperative, in 1995. This commitment was again strengthened through a meeting on Wednesday (13/3/2024), at the Dompet Dhuafa Philanthropy Building, South Jakarta.
Similar to Dompet Dhuafa, BMT Beringharjo’s Chairperson of Management, Mursida Rambe, has consistently made this effort. The woman born in North Sumatra explained that her heart was moved to establish BMT because she was saddened by the phenomenon that occurred in traders in Beringharjo Market, Yogyakarta who were entangled in loan sharks.
In November 2023 in Yogyakarta, these two institutions were both awarded the Indonesia’s SDGs Action Awards 2023. Dompet Dhuafa was awarded Second Best in the Philanthropy category, while BMT Beringharjo was awarded Best Cooperative and MSME category.
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Chairman of the Dompet Dhuafa Board, Ahmad Juwaini confirmed that Dompet Dhuafa and BMT Beringharjo have been rolling out empowerment programmes for a long time. This is of course because BMT Beringharjo was born from Dompet Dhuafa. The name of these two institutions at the SDGs Action Awards further strengthens the fact that both are trusted by the community to be able to produce the best empowerment programmes.
‘Our meeting this time is to discuss how to strengthen the relationship between these two institutions. So that programmes will be born to improve the welfare of small traders,’ Ahmad said.
In addition, the discussion also continued about collaborative programmes that benefit from the profits obtained by the BMT. In particular, how the profits can be utilised for the community in the Yogyakarta area.
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The approach to the programme can be diverse, with the concept of baitul maal or baitul tamwil. Or it could be a scheme to help small businesses such as angkringan or small stalls. In terms of financing, it could be from qardhul hasan funds or financing from Islamic philanthropy, namely zakat, infaq and sadaqah.
‘We will collaborate with BMT Beringharjo to utilise their competence in providing assistance, especially in empowering the MSME community,’ Ahmad continued.
Later, this collaboration will target MSME players to be able to get financing. That way, they can develop their small businesses. According to Ahmad, Dompet Dhuafa and BMT Beringharjo need to improve the existing cooperation with a new, more detailed scheme. The goal is of course to bring greater and more benefits.
But for concrete steps, the two will discuss it further. So that the concept will be more mature and ready to be carried out by small traders as beneficiaries. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and Photo: Riza Muthohar
Editor: Dhika Prabowo