Students from the Social Welfare Study Program at the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, raised Rp26,277,534 (approximately US$1,600) through a cash waqf fundraising project conducted as part of their Islamic Philanthropy course.

The campaign, which ran from May to June 2026, was carried out in collaboration with the Sunan Kalijaga Waqf Foundation through its Suka Wakaf program.

A total of 18 student groups from three classes participated in the initiative. Their responsibilities included public education, campaign development, outreach to prospective donors, explaining the concept of an education endowment fund, fundraising, transaction recording, and project evaluation.

According to the final report, students successfully facilitated 901 waqf transactions. Class A raised Rp8,490,406 through 290 transactions, Class B collected Rp11,455,203 from 320 transactions, and Class C generated Rp6,331,925 through 291 transactions.

Most donations were made through the Suka Wakaf account, which recorded 817 transactions worth Rp24,702,113—approximately 94 percent of the total funds raised. An additional 84 transactions, amounting to Rp1,575,421, were made through the Gandeng Gendong application.

The transaction data also revealed the broad potential for public participation in cash waqf. Of the total transactions, 320 were valued at less than Rp10,000, while 517 ranged between Rp10,000 and Rp50,000. In other words, nearly 93 percent of all donations were no more than Rp50,000 each.

The results demonstrate that cash waqf can be mobilized through affordable contributions. Individuals do not need to own land or substantial assets to participate in waqf. Small donations, when collected collectively, can become a sustainable source of social financing.

From the Classroom to the Community

Prof. Dr. Arif Maftuhin, M.Ag., M.A.I.S., who teaches the Islamic Philanthropy course, explained that field-based projects have long been an integral component of the course design.

“Islamic Philanthropy has always been structured as a project-based learning course. Students study the theoretical foundations in class and then apply them directly in society,” he said.

In previous years, student groups pursued different philanthropic initiatives according to their interests. This year, however, all classes worked on a single project: supporting the Sunan Kalijaga Waqf Foundation in educating the public about cash waqf and promoting participation in the program.

“Unlike previous years, when projects were spread across different activities, this year we focused on one collective initiative. Concentrating our efforts makes the impact easier to measure,” Arif noted.

According to him, implementing a common project also strengthened the learning assessment process. Students could be evaluated on comparable dimensions, including planning, strategy, implementation, outcomes, and reflection.

“The assessment is not based solely on how much money students raise. We also evaluate how they develop strategies, collaborate in teams, communicate with the public, maintain transaction records, and critically reflect on their work,” he said.

Limited Public Understanding of Cash Waqf

Throughout the project, students discovered that many prospective donors still associate waqf primarily with land, mosques, cemeteries, or buildings. As a result, they often needed to explain that waqf can also take the form of monetary contributions.

These educational efforts included discussions about preserving the principal waqf fund, investing it productively, and utilizing the returns to benefit intended recipients. Students also clarified the distinction between waqf and other charitable practices such as infaq and sadaqah.

The experience revealed that donations rarely came immediately after individuals viewed posters or social media content. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and other visual media were more effective in introducing the program and establishing campaign visibility.

Most transactions ultimately resulted from personal communication. Students reached out to family members, friends, alumni, community groups, and organizational networks through WhatsApp messages and face-to-face conversations. Prospective donors typically wanted reassurance regarding the institution's credibility, the purpose of the fund, transaction security, and the mechanism for distributing benefits.

For many students, this experience underscored an important lesson: fundraising is fundamentally about building trust. Attractive promotional materials remain valuable, but successful fundraisers must also be able to answer questions clearly and maintain communication throughout the donation process.

Learning Accountability and Social Governance

The project also provided students with practical experience in philanthropic governance and accountability.

Participants were required to document donor identities, transaction dates, donation amounts, payment channels, responsible team members, and supporting evidence for every transaction.

During the initial reporting phase, several groups encountered discrepancies between projected targets, prospective donors, completed transactions, and recorded funds. Students were subsequently asked to reconcile all records into a unified final report and verify them against transaction evidence.

This process became a critical learning experience. Students observed firsthand how even minor recording errors can undermine public trust. Philanthropic institutions require organized databases, verification mechanisms, data protection measures, and transparent reporting systems.

Students also learned how to navigate rejection, delayed responses, uneven workload distribution, and ineffective communication strategies. Each group was required to analyze both successes and failures rather than simply report fundraising totals.

Building an Endowment for Student Support

The funds raised through the project will become part of the Suka Wakaf Endowment Fund. The Sunan Kalijaga Waqf Foundation is committed to preserving the principal fund and managing it in accordance with Islamic legal principles and waqf agreements.

Returns generated from the endowment will be used to support students experiencing financial difficulties in paying tuition fees.

Fundraising results and payment channels will be reported publicly to donors. Transaction summaries will also be made available online as part of the program’s commitment to accountability while maintaining compliance with personal data protection standards.

Muhammad Izzul Haq, S.Sos., MSc., PhD, Head of the Social Welfare Study Program, praised the students’ achievement in raising more than Rp26 million through the project under the supervision of Prof. Arif Maftuhin.

According to him, the initiative represents a strong example of collaborative learning that successfully integrates classroom education with community engagement.

“Beyond strengthening students’ understanding of social philanthropy, the project develops essential social welfare competencies, including community organizing, resource mobilization, network development, and social program management,” he said.

He added that the initiative demonstrates how partnerships among academic programs, faculty members, students, and social institutions can generate tangible benefits for society while creating meaningful learning experiences for students.

Looking ahead, he expressed hope that similar project-based learning initiatives would continue to expand through broader collaborations with philanthropic organizations and social institutions, providing students with increasingly rich and impactful field experiences.

Through this project, donors contributed in more ways than one. Their donations strengthened an education endowment fund while simultaneously creating opportunities for students to learn how to become communicative, accountable, and socially responsive future social workers and nonprofit leaders.