Masjid Kitchen at Masjid Al Syakirin Gombak

IIUM and Masjid Al-Syakirin Gombak (MASG) cooperation under IIUM Flagship on Masjid Post-materialistic era led by Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences IIUM under deanship of Professor Dr Shukran Abdul Rahman, headed by Dr Majdan and Dr Mohd Noh Abdul Jalil . AP Dr Haslina Ibrahim is one of many brilliant people at KIRKHS behind all the initiatives mooted and operationalised.

This Masjid Kitchen idea was mooted by Professor Dr Rahmah from DALL KIRKHS IIUM, former Director Education Malaysia MOHE and Former Deputy Rector (Research) IIUM. 

She invited Tuan Haji Abdul Rahman Ahmad Dahalan to operationalise the project. Later Tuan Haji Abdul Rahman Ahmad Dahalan KICT invited Sheikh Jamal Ibrahim KICT , Prof Dr Dzuljastri Abdul Razak KENMS, Dr Ghazali Jaafar of AIKOL, yours truly KENMS, Madam Azian, Dr Andi, Dr Nur Hafizah, Dr Hafizah, AP Dr Nurmaziah from KICT.

1st meeting on 24 January 2021.

Presentation at Yayasan Innovasi Malaysia on 26 January 2021.

Strategic Meeting

Dapur Masjid (mKitchen) Masjid al-Syakirin Gombak 

Transforming Masjid Kitchens as: 

(a) Soup Kitchens for B40 & Asnaf, 

(b) Empowering & Nurturing Asnaf as Entrepreneurs, and 

(c) Income generation for Masjid.

IIUM Team members

Abdul Rahman Ahmad Dahlan - KICT 

Jamaludin Ibrahim - KICT 

Rahmah Ahmad H. Osman - KIRKHS 

Suhaimi Mhd Sarif – KENMS 

Ghazali Jaafar – AIKOL / Masjid Al-Syakirin 

Saupi Man – KIRKHS / Nazir, Masjid Al-Syakirin 

Dzuljastri Abdul Razak – KENMS / Masjid Al-Syakirin 

Noor Azian Mohd Ali - KICT  

Noor Azizah Mohamad Ali – KICT 

Nurhafizah Mahri – KICT 

Normaziah Abdul Aziz - KICT 

Amelia Ritahani Ismail – KICT

Andi Fitriah Abdul Kadir– KICT

Hafizah Mansor – KICT

Rizal Mohd Nor - KICT

Modus of Operandi

First:

Formulate & Establish Initial Business Models: 

Transforming masjid kitchens (m-Kitchen/ Dapur Masjid) as potential

(a) soup kitchen (SDG2), and 

(b) employment for B40 and asnaf  group (SDG1)

(c) income generation for masjid via rental of kitchen facilities

Second: 

(a) Explore the use of Business Model Canvas (BMC) to generate alternative business models.

(b) Allows Masjid to “design” potential projects/ initiatives/ businesses before embarking on the actual ventures

Increase likelihood of being sustainable

Methodology

Choose a masjid - A masjid that reaches the most people should be located where the poor, unfortunate & homeless people can reach easily. Improve design of an integrated public kitchen & storage system & MOJA apps.

Get groceries for the m-Kitchen - One thing a successful soup kitchen can never buy enough of is food—but where do you get it for affordable prices? This is where the community really has to pitch in. Ask local businesses, restaurants and grocery stores to donate food or give your m-Kitchen a discount. 

Get the right menu & foods – as (a) soup kitchens, and (b) income generation (does not “disturb or kill” the local micro & small food business community) 

Get donations & community volunteers (waqaf diri) - This is where the community needs to volunteer at the m-Kitchen. Ask neighbors, friends, family, schools, local businesses and organizations to donate excess food or be a sponsor for the m-Kitchen. Every little bit helps.

Get collaborating - There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Other local organizations & NGOs e.g. PPIM (Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia), have helped the poor & unfortunate. 

Empowering B40/asnaf, masjid staff, community volunteers through reskilling/upskilling e.g. kitchen & storage apps/SOP, office & accounting mgmt., entrepreneurship, customer/partners services

Get the word out & create public awareness. Conventional & digital marketing

Get grants & sponsorship. Submit proposals to corporations & government agencies

Get incorporated as a nonprofit agency- This way, the m-Kitchen will be eligible for grants, funding & can be exempt from paying federal taxes (contact the IRS for more details).

Implementation plan:

FIRST: Start small experiment/pilot M-Kitchen (6 months)

(a) Validate business model to achieve problem-solution fit

(b) Initial value proposition fit

(c) Establish Masjid m-Kitchen eco-system including kitchens, call centre system/ apps, project manager, bank account, B40 full-time volunteers

(d) Reskilling including entrepreneurial paradigm shift, digital entrepreneurship, food handling. Possible incubators, spin-off in the food related service industry

(e) Target Ramadhan 2021

(f) Nurture Asnaf entrepreneurs in F&B 

SECOND: Gather evidence and to nurture M-Kitchen pilot (6 months)

(a) Begin Blue Ocean Strategy

(b) Achieve market traction to gain product-market & business-model fit 

THIRD: Innovate to scale up M-Kitchen startup (12 months)

(a) Expand M-kitchen options & locations to other masjid with niche food menu & services

(b) Scaling up the Business Model fit