Indonesia Launches Data-Driven Zakat Movement During Ramadan

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Coordinating Ministry for Community Empowerment launched a multi-stakeholder initiative titled Indonesia Berdaya – Joyful Ramadhan at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Thursday, 12 February 2026. The program marks a strengthened national synergy in data-based zakat management.

The initiative targets 9,450 mustahik in Deciles 1 to 3 who are integrated into the Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS). The program aims to ensure that zakat distribution is more precise, measurable, and sustainable.

Director General of Islamic Community Guidance at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Abu Rokhmad, said data integration is a crucial foundation for improving the distribution of zakat, infaq, and alms (ZIS). “Through the matching of 9,450 mustahik in Deciles 1–3 connected to DTKS, we ensure zakat interventions truly reach those most in need with precision,” Abu Rokhmad stated in Jakarta on Thursday.

He explained that Decile 1 represents the extremely poor who require urgent and comprehensive assistance. Meanwhile, Deciles 2 and 3 are focused on building economic resilience to prevent beneficiaries from falling back into vulnerability.

According to him, integration through the Integrated Beneficiary Data Scheme (DTSEN) helps prevent overlapping assistance while strengthening public accountability. The system enables zakat institutions to map beneficiaries’ needs in greater detail and design interventions according to their level of vulnerability.

“Zakat must be encouraged as an instrument of social transformation. It should not stop at consumptive assistance, but be directed toward sustainable productive empowerment,” he said.

As an initial step, eight zakat management institutions have integrated their data into the unified zakat information system. The integration will be expanded to build a nationally integrated zakat ecosystem linked with government databases.

The launch of Indonesia Berdaya was accompanied by the distribution of 1,000 educational gift packages for orphans and 10,000 iftar meal packages. The program also targets eight priority provinces identified as extreme poverty hotspots, with distribution based on decile data to ensure measurable impact.

The event was officially opened by Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar, who delivered his remarks virtually on Thursday. He welcomed the collaborative movement and stressed that economic growth must be directly felt by the people through integrated empowerment.

“We want people not only to be spectators of development, but to become the main actors who are empowered and self-reliant,” he said. He added that strong collaboration among ministries, institutions, and philanthropic partners would make poverty alleviation efforts more effective and sustainable.