Baznas Targets Zakat Collection To Reach IDR 300 Billion During Ramadan

Illustration-Head of Daily UPZ Baznas Semen Padang, Muhammad Arif (second from right) handing over earthquake aid (ANTARA DOK)

JAKARTA - The National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) targets the collection of zakat, infaq, and alms (ZIS) to reach Rp300 billion during the holy month of Ramadan this year.

"We hope that this target can be achieved. Moreover, Baznas zakat collection continues to increase every year," said Baznas Chairman Noor Achmad during an online press conference for the Baznas Ramadan Program which was attended in Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, March 9.

He said this target was increased compared to Ramadan 2021. Last year the ZIS funds collected reached around Rp. 200 billion. This increase, he said, was seen as realistic considering that every year the collection of zakat always increased.

Interestingly, according to him, although the Indonesian people have felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this has not stopped them from continuing to donate to help others.

"This certainly cannot be separated from the sense of mutual help and giving that has been embedded in our society, especially during the holy month of Ramadan," he said.

In order to realize the targets set, Baznas gave birth to innovations to make it easier for people to pay their zakat. Baznas has collaborated with various platforms and retailers for zakat payments.

Baznas also continues to encourage digitalization efforts to optimize the ease of tithing for people wherever they are.

"The easier it is for people to pay zakat, we believe the higher the zakat collection for Baznas will be. This will also have a good impact on the people who get the benefits of zakat," he said.

The new innovation developed is optimizing the management of muzaki services (beneficiaries) nationally through regional Baznas. This program will focus on omnichannel services and notifications for 100 regional Baznas.

An omnichannel service or muzaki care where this platform integrates messages from various channels (email and WhatsApp) in one dashboard. The WhatsApp notification service is a ZIS receipt notification service that will be sent by Baznas containing the ZIS prayer and a link for proof of zakat deposit.

"Baznas also has a new program called Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Ramadhan, which is an automatic voice call system from Baznas office numbers, with a duration of 1 minute that will be sent to Baznas muzaki. This IVR will be delivered to muzaki at two different times, namely at dawn as a reminder for sahur and the delivery of hadith before the Maghrib call to prayer," said Noor Achmad.