BULUKUMBA, SOUTH SULAWESI — The Hulu Trip for Coffee Empowerment in Kahayya Village, Bulukumba, which took place on August 30-September 1, 2024 was successfully held. The activity initiated by Dompet Dhuafa South Sulawesi Branch also presented two inspirational figures, namely Chiki Fawzi (Musician) and Daeng Uki (Social Activist and Da’wah).
Hulu Trip participants this time consisted of various Dompet Dhuafa strategic partners, including media representatives, volunteers, donors and communities. The presence of these strategic partners is not only to see firsthand the empowerment process carried out, but also as a form of real support for Dompet Dhuafa’s efforts in building the economic independence of rural communities. The presence of Chiki Fawzi and Daeng Uki in this activity brought positive energy and increased the enthusiasm of the participants in supporting the economic empowerment of local communities.
All parties involved in this activity saw firsthand the real form of zakat fund management through community empowerment programs in the agricultural sector, especially coffee. For three days, Hulu Trip participants were invited to see firsthand the processing of Kahayya Coffee, starting from the introduction of the coffee cultivation process, picking coffee beans, to good and correct coffee processing.
In addition, there were also discussion and knowledge-sharing sessions with local coffee farmers. This session aims to introduce the Hulu Trip participants to Dompet Dhuafa’s activities in Kahayya Village while providing assistance and coaching coffee farmers to increase understanding of the importance of maintaining coffee quality and environmental sustainability.
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Pandu Heru Satrio, Branch Manager of Dompet Dhuafa South Sulawesi, said that this activity is expected to be a means to maintain donor confidence in the management of zakat at Dompet Dhuafa by seeing firsthand the form of distribution of zakat funds, one of which is in Kahayya Village.
“Hulu Trip is an activity that DD South Sulawesi organizes for publication activities to donors, strategic partners, and the public in general. That by giving zakat at DD South Sulawesi, the impact is not only for mustahik, but there is a value of empowerment for the community contained in it, “he said.
On the same occasion, Chiki Fawzi said that Kahayya Coffee is one of the great potentials in Bulukumba that can compete with other famous coffees in Indonesia such as Solok Sirukam Coffee, Aceh Coffee, and other regions under the direct assistance of Dompet Dhuafa, so that donors are no longer worried because their zakat is managed in such a way by Dompet Dhuafa through empowerment with the productive zakat method.
“I am one of Kahayya’s coffee lovers and loyal customers. I was speechless when I entered Kahayya Village where I did not expect to be able to go to the upstream area of the coffee that I have been consuming. While in Kahayya, I saw how Dompet Dhuafa assisted the farmers so carefully starting from the harvest process, post-harvest management, maintenance and also marketing of coffee so as to produce delicious coffee and selling value that can compete,” said the son of Ikang Fawzi.
This activity is also part of the coffee-based economic empowerment programme carried out by Dompet Dhuafa South Sulawesi, which aims to improve the living standards of local coffee farmers and introduce Kahayya’s typical coffee products to a wider market. In line with Daeng Uki’s response, he mentioned that the coffee processing process must be done properly and carefully so that the coffee produced gets a high selling value so that coffee farmers can benefit from the commodity they have. Daeng Uki also appreciated the empowerment movement carried out by Dompet Dhuafa.
‘Don’t be surprised if quality and delicious coffee is expensive because its management is also not easy. I really appreciate and thank Dompet Dhuafa for its dedication to assist our coffee farmers, so that they can continue to maintain the quality of the coffee they have,’ said Daeng Uki.
Dompet Dhuafa’s partner, Lazuna Indonesia, also expressed their gratitude to Dompet Dhuafa for being invited to the Hulu Trip event which was packed so memorable.
‘Hopefully the collaboration between Dompet Dhuafa and Lazuna Indonesia will continue to be well established, and we from Lazuna Indonesia will continue to encourage Dompet Dhuafa to provide more benefits to the community,’ added Ririn from Lazuna Indonesia.
This Hulu Trip event is also a series of annual agendas in Bulukumba called Senandung Kopi Kahayya which was initiated by one of Dompet Dhuafa’s local heroes in Bulukumba. This activity is one of the efforts to continue to maintain and preserve the culture of the Kahayya community. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photos: Elfi Handayani, Ronggo Wirasanu
Editor: Dhika