Indonesia Launches Buddhist Charity Fund for Social and Religious Programs

Jakarta: Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar has officially launched Dana Paramita, a charitable fund designed to collect voluntary contributions from Buddhist civil servants to support socio-religious programs and humanitarian assistance.

“This fund will be used to help communities in need, including disaster victims in Sumatra and other regions,” Umar said during the launch at the Ministry of Religious Affairs office in Jakarta on Sunday, as quoted by Antara on Monday, December 22, 2025.

Dana Paramita was introduced alongside an award ceremony for Buddhist religious education teachers, organized by the ministry’s Directorate General of Buddhist Guidance.

Umar commended the directorate general for initiating the fund, describing Dana Paramita as a practical platform for Buddhist civil servants to allocate part of their income for social solidarity and religious service.

He stressed that even small contributions could generate meaningful impact, particularly for communities affected by natural disasters.

“The language of religion has a vital role in mobilizing social assistance for the wider public,” the minister added.

Meanwhile, Director General of Buddhist Guidance Supriyadi said Dana Paramita is regulated under Minister of Religious Affairs Regulation No. 18 of 2025, which encourages financially capable Buddhist civil servants to contribute as part of practicing Buddhist teachings.

He emphasized that the ministry is committed to ensuring transparent, accountable, and sustainable management of the fund, covering planning, collection, distribution, and utilization.

“The implementation of Dana Paramita is carried out by the Directorate General of Buddhist Guidance in cooperation with the Dana Paramita Buddha Maitreya Indonesia Foundation,” Supriyadi said.

He added that the fund serves as an official mechanism to channel donations toward religious, educational, health, empowerment, cultural, environmental, and capacity-building programs. Contributions can be made through non-cash payment systems, supporting financial digitalization and integration with national payment platforms.