The Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs have commenced the Zakat Nafaa programme to provide business opportunities for individuals in the national register of the poor and needy.
The agreement to commence the Zakat Nafaa programme was signed by Permanent Secretary of the Islamic Ministry Ahmed Adil, Permanent Secretary of the Economic Ministry Yusuf Riza, Deputy Managing Director of Agro National Corporation (AgroNat) Mohamed Ahmed Fulhu, and Director of Operations at Business Centre Corporation (BCC) Ali Anif.
Zakat Nafaa is the largest programme to commence with the aim of ending poverty in the Maldives. The programme is for the 7,763 individuals who were registered as poor in 2021. The programme provides opportunities for underprivileged individuals to support themselves, thereby eliminating the need for the register of the poor and needy.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Ahmed Zahir said the programme is split into different phases and the first phase is targeted at the 96 islands in the Maldives that have below 10 households registered as poor. He said there are 350 such households in these islands and that participants of the programme will receive financial assistance as well as training and resources. He added that each household will receive up to USD9,700 and that USD97,000 has been allocated for the programme.
Also at the ceremony, Minister of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail said the first phase of the programme aims to eliminate the 96 islands from the register of the poor and needy. He said the programme is dedicated to ending poverty by assisting those in the register and that discussions have been held with local councils to provide the full support participants of the programme need to become self-sufficient.
The programme will see participants start businesses with their families with the help of AgroNat and BCC. Participants who are unable to set up a business will receive leased apartments. The last phase of the programme will target the islands with over 50 households registered as poor.