JAKARTA – On September 20-21, 2016, the Center for Strategic Studies (PUSKAS) BAZNAS for the first time organized a training with the theme of “Training of Poverty and Welfare Measurement Tools” in Arthaloka Building, Sudirman, Central Jakarta.
The event began with a welcome from one of BAZNAS Board, Mrs. Nana Mirtanti, SP. Attended as participants were representative amil and amilat of Distribution and Utilization Division (DPP) BAZNAS.
The training was one of the activities to develop Zakat Development Index (ZDI). The goal of this training was to harmonize perceptions and to provide new knowledge about sharia poverty measurement tool, especially for the amil BAZNAS directly involved in the zakat distribution national program. With the poverty measurement tools, the data in the form of numbers that portray the effect of zakat distribution program to reduce poverty, or at least reduce the severity of poverty mustahik, would be obtained.
During the two days of training, Mr. Irfan Syauqi Beik, Ph.D, Head of PUSKAS BAZNAS became the training instructor. On the first day, participants were introduced to ways of measuring poverty with conventional index, such as Headcount Poverty Index, Poverty Gap Index, Income Gap Ration, Sen Index, and FGT Index. By understanding the conventional poverty index at first, participants were expected to get a picture of how poverty measurement is done in general. On the second day, participants were introduced to the sharia poverty index named CIBEST Index developed by Mr. Irfan Syauqi Beik and team. In the sharia poverty index, measurement of poverty and welfare is not only based on the material aspects, but also based on the spiritual ones. Measurement of the spiritual aspects is based on the explanation of poverty and welfare embodied in the Qur'an.
As the follow-up of the training, PUSKAS BAZNAS planned to do the field research of zakat effects. By the end of 2016, BAZNAS is expected to have the mustahik poverty index that can be projected into the right on target programs in 2017.
