Jakarta, 15 January 2024 - Lazismu, a social institution under the auspices of Muhammadiyah, today received a Rp1.5 billion humanitarian fund from Unilever Indonesia, which will be allocated to help victims in conflict areas. In the same event, Lazismu and Unilever Indonesia also agreed to an ongoing partnership to support various initiatives focused on environmental quality improvement.
The symbolic donation handover took place at the Muhammadiyah Dakwah Center in Jakarta and was attended by Muhammadiyah's Secretary General, Muhammad Izzul Muslimin; Chairman of the Lazismu Management Board of Muhammadiyah, H. Ahmad Imam Mujadid Rais, M.IR.; Independent Commissioner of Unilever Indonesia, Alissa Wahid; Director and Corporate Secretary of Unilever Indonesia, Nurdiana Darus; and Director of Unilever Indonesia, Willy Saelan.
In his address, the Chairman of the Lazismu Management Board of Muhammadiyah, Ahmad Imam Mujadid Rais, M.IR. stated, "Muhammadiyah, as one of the largest Islamic organizations, believes that human dignity (karamah insaniyah) is ontological and universal, without discrimination on any grounds. Alhamdulillah, today Lazismu received donation from Unilever Indonesia to assist our brothers and sisters in conflict-ridden areas. By working together, we believe that the humanitarian efforts Lazismu undertakes will become stronger and have a broader impact."
Muhammadiyah calls on Muslims to continue being steadfast in an enlightened religion - practicing fair-proportional religious practices (wasathiyah), full of love and a desire to care for each other (mahabbah/tarahum), and be open-minded and inclined to forgive (tasamuh).
Lazismu, as an authentic and organic movement within Muhammadiyah, is committed to serving society for its welfare. Lazismu is committed to enhancing collaboration and synergy, both internally within the organization and externally with Muhammadiyah, for the benefit of the community. The shared values of upholding humanitarian principles form the foundation of the partnership between Lazismu and Unilever Indonesia.
Nurdiana Darus, Director and Corporate Secretary of Unilever Indonesia, emphasized, "We are deeply concerned and saddened by the impact of conflicts that have caused many casualties among civilians. This concern is continuously manifested in various forms of humanitarian aid. This time, hand-in-hand with Lazismu, Unilever Indonesia donates Rp 1.5 billion. Our prayers are ceaseless for those affected in these extraordinarily difficult times."
In addition to the donation handover, representatives of both institutions also signed a memorandum of understanding as Unilever Indonesia is committed to supporting various Lazismu initiatives for the next five years, especially in the environmental program pillar. This is one of the six pillars of the Lazismu program - focusing on environmental quality improvement.
"The long-standing partnership between Muhammadiyah and Unilever Indonesia is further strengthened through the inaugural collaboration with Lazismu. We hope that this collaboration becomes an opportunity for greater goods and brings blessings that extend even wider," added the Chairman of the Lazismu Management Board of Muhammadiyah, H. Ahmad Imam Mujadid Rais, M.IR.
Established in 2002, Lazismu is a national zakat institution dedicated to empowering communities through the productive use of zakat, infaq, waqf, and other philanthropic funds from individuals, institutions, companies, and other entities. Currently, Lazismu is spread throughout Indonesia to facilitate the implementation of empowerment programs, reaching all regions quickly, focused, and on target.