After 17 years, the Pengupayaan Asnaf Zakat (PROPAZ) programme continues to implement empowerment initiatives aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty by equipping zakat recipients (asnaf) with knowledge, skills and guidance to secure employment and generate a stable income.
This was said by Acting Director of the Zakat, Waqaf and Baitulmal Management Department (JUZWAB) at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) Pengiran Dr Haji Amiruddin bin Pengiran Haji Damit during the launch of the First Cohort Entrepreneurship Skills Programme for Year 2025 yesterday.
Over the years, PROPAZ has collaborated with key agencies to enhance its empowerment efforts. Notable initiatives include the PROPAZ-PPB programme with the Youth Development Centre under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in 2007, the PROPAZ-Perantis programme with strategic partners in 2012, and the PROPAZ Az-Zira’ah pilot project in 2017. Beyond technical training, zakat recipients also receive guidance in self-development and entrepreneurship, fostering religious, social, and economic empowerment. The partnership between JUZWAB and Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) is not new, as BIBD has been a strategic partner of PROPAZ since 2018 through its Special Entrepreneurial Empowerment (SEED) programme.
“The SEED programme is a BIBD initiative designed to help underprivileged participants by providing them with learning opportunities and entrepreneurial exposure to generate income,” said Pengiran Dr Haji Amiruddin.
Since its inception, 23 PROPAZ participants have undergone the SEED programme, with six completing the training and receiving micro-grants to kickstart their businesses.
Meanwhile, BIBD Head of Strategic Relationship Management Department of the Government Relations and Special Projects Division Dayangku Rodzi binti Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahman, described the programme as a platform for empowering zakat recipients by equipping them with essential skills to achieve self-employment.
“This initiative aims to provide participants with industry-specific knowledge and entrepreneurship skills, helping them become self-reliant and financially independent,” she said. – Lyna Mohamad
