KUALA NERUS: Government funding channelled through the Sejahtera Komuniti MADANI@KPT programme has helped the community of Surau At-Taqwa in Kubang Badak generate their own income.
Surau committee chairman Ismail Ibrahim said the RM50,000 allocation from the MADANI government has been fully utilised to kickstart a catfish farming project within the surau compound.
He stated the project began on July 1 last year and involves 12 participants, mainly senior citizens and single mothers without a fixed income.
The project currently operates 10 fish tanks, each capable of holding about 5,000 catfish fry.
All processes from purchasing fry to managing finances are handled by the participants under the guidance of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu lecturers and experts.
Ismail, who also chairs the Kubang Badak Federal Village Development and Security Committee, said the programme has generated an income of around RM2,000 per month.
This income is distributed among the participants and the surau fund to support community activities.
Although the returns are modest, the project has helped supplement household expenses for participants from the B40 income group.
He believes the government should introduce more programmes like this to provide local communities with income-earning opportunities.
The proceeds from catfish sales are channelled into the surau fund to support religious talks, feasts and gatherings.
Besides catfish farming, the group has also started growing cucumbers around the surau area to generate additional income. – Bernama