Authors
- Gopika Mahapatra, Senior Associate, Insights & Academy
- Siddharth Chatterjee, Senior Associate, Insights & Academy
- Mpiwa Gwindi, Junior Associate, Insights & Academy
- Sangeetha Watson, Assistant Director, Insights
Dompet Dhuafa is an Indonesian philanthropic organisation that channels Islamic giving, such as zakat (obligatory almsgiving), waqf (Islamic endowment funds), hibah (grants), and sadaqah (voluntary charity), into sustainable development, including education. Rooted in Islamic values of dignity, compassion, social justice, and equitable wealth distribution, it serves marginalised communities regardless of background.
Dompet Dhuafa uses zakat not just for relief but for education, scholarships, vocational training, and leadership development. Its philanthropreneurship model blends zakat for operational needs and waqf for capital investment, funding schools like SMART Ekselensia Indonesia and initiatives like Zona Madina. These efforts have reached over 53,000 beneficiaries and demonstrate how productive waqf can sustain long-term educational impact.
Dompet Dhuafa’s journey exemplifies how faith-aligned philanthropy can drive long-term, systemic change. By combining traditional Islamic giving mechanisms with value-based educational models, the organisation is creating a sustainable ecosystem that uses education to empower communities. Dompet Dhuafa’s innovative and forward-thinking use of zakat and waqf to fund diverse immediate and long-term needs provides a powerful example of how faith-aligned organisations can meet contemporary social challenges with dignity, compassion, and justice.
This case study is part of How Values and Beliefs Shape Education in Asia, an AVPN brief exploring how faith-aligned giving supports inclusive, values-based education across the region.
