Kampala, Uganda, 17 August 2023 - The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) organized a training program on zakat management in Kampala, Uganda, as part of initiatives to promote the development of Islamic social finance in the IsDB member countries.

Held from 14 -16 August 2023, the program was attended by participants from across Uganda as part of a technical assistance grant for capacity development in Islamic social finance for the House of Zakat and Waqf in Uganda (HZWU).

The objective of the grant is to develop the capacity of the institution to properly manage zakat for the benefit of the Muslim community in Uganda. The grant also aims to contribute to human capital development in Islamic social finance in Uganda.

The participants attended nine training sessions during the three days of intensive training delivered by Dr. Mustafa Omar Mohamed, a professional trainer and expert in Islamic social finance.

Topics covered included fiqh of zakat, the governance of zakat institutions, the role of zakat in achieving SDGs, the use of fintech in zakat, and success stories in zakat management in IsDB member countries.

Dr. Issahaq Umar Iddrisu, Manager of IsDB Regional Hub of Kampala, in his speech, encouraged the Muslim community in Uganda to explore the potential of Islamic social finance to help overcome community challenges.

Dr. Mahmoud Bekri, Economist at IsDBI, emphasized the importance of using modern technologies to optimize the management and outreach of zakat donations to ensure that no one is left behind.

Dr. Hamzah Namungo, Head of Finance and Planning of HZWU, and an alumnus of its education grant program, said that the training was a great opportunity for all participants to improve their practical understanding of the impact of zakat on economic, social, and development aspects of Ugandan Muslims.

The participants appreciated the training program, particularly the rich insights into the pioneering and inspiring experiences of different IsDB member countries in managing zakat.