Danone Indonesia Gandeng Islamic Boarding School And RMI NU

Photo: Doc. Danone Indonesia

JAKARTA - Danone Indonesia cooperates with the Synergy Foundation of the Islamic Boarding School Ecosystem (SEP) in collaboration with Rabithah Ma'ah Islamiyah Nahdlatul Ulama (RMI NU) Bogor Regency launched the Islamic Boarding School Program (SBP) which aims to increase the economic independence of Islamic boarding schools and reach 26,000 students.

This event took place at the Al-Kakab Islamic Boarding School, Bogor, which was attended directly by 60 representatives of the Bogor, Cianjur, Sukabumi, Islamic boarding school administrators, as well as online participants from various other regions.

Apart from being attended by Ustad Ahmad Tazakka Bonanza, Chairman of the Boarding School Economics Union or the SEPT Foundation and KH Abdul Basyit Mahfuf, Chairman of RMI Bogor Regency; the launch of the SBP was also attended by Dr. Basnang Said, S.Ag, M.Ag, Director at the Directorate of Education of Diniyah and Islamic Boarding Schools of the Directorate General of Islamic Education of the Ministry of Religion; KH. Aim Zaimudin LC, MA, Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Branch Management, Bogor; DR. KH Khoirul Huda Basyir, Lc. M.Si, Caretaker of PPTQ Al Kaukab.

Islamic boarding schools have long been a religious-based educational institution that plays an important role in shaping human resources. However, currently pesantren continue to develop and continue to add institutional potential, one of which is related to economy and entrepreneurship. The SBP program is held to help pesantren develop their economic insight through training and empowerment that involves and focuses on pesantren administrators, students, and the community around pesantren.

Dr. Basnang Said, S.Ag, M.Ag, Director at the Directorate of Education of Diniyah and Islamic Boarding Schools of the Directorate General of Islamic Education of the Ministry of Religion, appreciated the presence of SBP.

From 2019 to 2024, the number of pesantren rose from 29 thousand to 41,000 pesantren or increased to 11 thousand pesantren. One of the important functions of pesantren is community empowerment. What is initiated today is part of the efforts that have been carried out by Islamic boarding schools for a long time. Therefore, we fully support the independence of Islamic boarding schools and the collaboration of Islamic Boarding School Economic Unions and Danone Indonesia in presenting Islamic Boarding Schools," he said, in a written statement, Saturday, August 24.

Karyanto Wibowo, Sustainable Development Director of Danone Indonesia, in his speech said that his party was very proud to be collaborating with the Synergy Foundation of the Islamic Boarding School and Rabithah Ma'ahid Islamiyah Nahdlatul Ulama (RMI NU) Bogor Regency in realizing this initiative.

"We hope that the Islamic Boarding School School Program can encourage innovation and the spirit of entrepreneurship among Islamic boarding schools, so that they can be more independent, as well as be able to increase the competitiveness of human resources in the pesantren environment. This support is in line with the commitment of Danone Impact Journey, which places the development of human resources as one of the main pillars in the company's sustainability strategy," he explained. KH Abdul Basyit Mahfuf, Chairman of the RMI NU Bogor Regency, said that he observed that between the functions and duties of Islamic boarding schools in the past and currently experiencing changes. In the past, pesantren also formed the best cadres in the religious, scientific and even scientific fields. However, later, the times demanded to continue to move in the economic field, so the contribution of pesantren could not turn away from economic activities.

For this reason, we all think about how we can help our fellow pesantren efforts to be independent and have economic empowerment. One of them is through this Islamic Boarding School, for that, thanks to Danone Indonesia, and the Islamic Boarding School Economics Union for presenting this program. This collaboration is our second collaboration with Danone Indonesia, where previously we have worked together to present MRK bore and sanitation wells in nine Islamic boarding schools in Bogor Regency," he said.

The presence of the SBP Program is expected to be able to encourage the independence of the pesantren economy through the initiation of the pesantren business, the welfare of students through entrepreneurship and the impact of a green economy on the surrounding community. This program is planned to be carried out in stages, starting from an assessment of the potential for the pesantren business, education and assistance for various business training as well as grant funds and the development of local products.

Thus, pesantren can reduce dependence on external assistance, as well as create a sustainable economic impact for pesantren.

The launch of the SBP Program is also accompanied by Focus Group Discussion (FGD) which aims to spark discussions and explore the potential collaboration between Islamic boarding schools and strategic partners in the development of the SBP program. In this FGD, participants also get the opportunity to discuss independence initiatives that focus on local economic empowerment, which can be implemented in the SBP program.