Jakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka commended the work of the National Alms Agency (Baznas) that has contributed to poverty alleviation efforts in Indonesia.
Through a statement received here on Friday, VP Gibran welcomed several Baznas programs targeting beneficiaries in urban regions and outermost, foremost, and disadvantaged (3T) areas.
With the programs, VP Gibran called on Baznas to continue assisting the government in overcoming extreme poverty and stunting and implementing the Free Nutritious Meals priority program.
"All elements must work together to make government programs successful," Gibran remarked.
To this end, Chairman of Baznas Noor Achmad highlighted that in recent years, the growth of alms, infaq, and donations in Indonesia increased by an average of 30 percent annually.
Such increase could be realized through several Baznas flagship programs, such as the Baznas Health Center (RSB), Baznas Microfinance, Kampung Zakat or Alms Village, Santripreneur, Baznas Scholarship, Z-Chicken, and Z-Mart.
The Baznas programs also include providing livable houses, extreme poverty alleviation and stunting handling, and the Baznas Disaster Response (BTB).
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According to Achmad, Vice President Gibran's concern for alms and donation governance and community welfare has been proven since he served as mayor of Surakarta City, Central Java.
During Gibran's leadership as Surakarta mayor, alms collection in the region increased from Rp4 billion to Rp12 billion.
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Achmad expressed hope that such a form of concern can also be applied at the national level to expand the reach and help more needy people as well as to maximize Baznas' role in supporting Prabowo Subianto's government programs.
"With support from all parties, from the government, the community, and the private sector, we are optimistic that the poverty alleviation target can be achieved," Achmad remarked.