MAGELANG- Universitas Gadjah Mada and National Agency for Amil Zakat (Baznas) build houses for poor families living around the slope of Mount Merapi. Each family will get a house valued at 30 million rupiah. It is planned that eleven houses will be built in four villages in Dukun Subdistrict, Magelang.
Community Service Manager of UGM Institute for Community Service andLPPM, Adi Wibowo, S.T., M.M., said that house for poor families program aimed at improving access of housing services for underprivileged families. The houses are also to meet the housing need for surviving families of Merapi eruption disaster. "Those who receive house assistance mostly live about 6 kilometers from the top of Merapi," Adi said after laying the first stone of house construction at Kalibening village, Dukun, Magelang, Thursday (29/12).
He added that up to now there are about 11 family heads from 6 hamlets in four villages namely Kalibening, Sumber, Wates and Argomulyo who received housing assistance. However, this program will possibly be continued to build houses for those who still need them. "Our objective remains to be committed to the underprivileged families. Our expectation was that informal sector, small and medium business can be revived, encouraging their enthusiasm to work hard for better welfare," he said.
Executive Director of Baznas, Teten Setiawan, said that the handover of housing assistance is as a form of realization of the distribution of zakat funds collected by Baznas. "The amount of funds that we collect very depends on the fund distribution. Hopefully, this program can be used by those who deserve it," he said.
He explained that the houses will be designed by UGM architects in order to provide more optimal result. "Our principle in distributing these funds is we must provide social security, respect and increase the welfare of recipients," he said.
Suwardi, one of the local community leaders, said that the housing assistance program is very helpful for people who need it after the eruption of Merapi. "This program can be continued. There are many people in the waiting list, they need the help," he said.
The village head of Kalibening, Nurbiyanto, said there are 50 families in his village deserving to get housing assistance. Although only 6 families of his people who receive housing assistance, he expected this program can be continued. Nurbiyanto even expressed his readiness to oversee this program to run smoothly. "We, representatives from three villages, will be ready to encourage, secure and protect this activity," he concluded.