Jakarta. BP Batam, the city’s development body, recently donated some staple food and iftar packages to local people in need, including orphans.

Coordinating this donation was BP Batam’s Islamic da’wah coordinating body (BKDI), in partnership with the city’s chapter of the National Alms Agency (Baznas). The donation went to thousands of beneficiaries and hundreds of orphans.

Details for the donation were as follows: 

1. Donation and iftar packages for 411 orphans from:

         - At-Taqwa Perum Orphanage. Taman Seruni Indah

         - Qurotal A'yun Orphanage Komp. Legenda Malaka

         - Miftahul Ulum Orphanage Perum. Bida Asri 1

         - Muhammadiyah Restu Divine Orphanage Kav. Sambau Nongsa

         - Darul Aulaad Orphanage Kav. Nusa Jaya Bida

         - Aini Orphanage Tanjung Riau

         - Ar-Risala Patam Lestari Orphanage

         - Al-Huffaz Tiban Orphanage 1

         - Tahfidz Itihaddul Ummah House Perum Delta Villa

2. Ramadan Gifts:

         - 1,500 staple food packages from BAZNAS Batam City for the people in need

         - 800 staple food packages from BKDI BP Batam for BP Batam outsourcing employees

3. Saguhati, MTQ Winners in Batam 

         - Muhammad Iqbal (1st Place in the Boys’ Quran Recitation) 

         - Devta Haryan (1st place in Girls’ Quran Recitation)

         - Nailah Nadhirah (2nd place in Girls’ Category for 1 Juz Tilawah)

4. Assistance for six “mualaf” (new converts to Islam)

5. Elementary and middle school scholarship assistance for 6 people respectively

The donation came from the zakat or alms money given by BP Batam’s employees. All these donations were collected at the local Baznas, according to BP Batam’s head Muhammad Rudi.

"We are doing this because we must pay zakat and distribute it back to the community," Rudi was quoted as saying in a recent press statement.

The collected alms are also expected to help slash Batam’s poverty rate, which had reached 5.02 percent last year. If all hands were on deck to pay their zakat, this could help the people in need, Rudi added. He also asked for people’s support towards the region’s ongoing infrastructure developments.

"BP Batam is part of the society, and vice versa. All development that has been carried out is our offering to the people of Batam city. For that reason, let's protect what has been built and continue to foster togetherness for comfort in society," Rudi said.