As the saying goes, “a fruit that falls will not be far from the stem,” as well as this Islamic boarding school in my village: there are always changes that cannot be reached with common sense from generation to generation, like the Fokada (Al-Huda Alumnim Communication Forum) for example. The Fokada, I mean, is a pesantren-derived organization that was initiated directly several decades ago by and from many circles, both alumni and the extended family of the Miftahul Huda Islamic Boarding School itself.
The relationships that are still standing strong until now have produced a lot of character for the alumni’s determination and patience in building unlimited solidarity. Fokada itself concerns three essential departments: the education division, the network division, and the business division. This Fokada runs independently according to their respective departments. It has even become a brand in the minds of their respective alumni. Because on the 1st of Muharram, every year through the network division, we must hold a large alumni meeting whose hopes are (to return to their place of origin) and remember the life that took place while at the pesantren. It’s easy like that.
Not only that, the harmony of the Miftahul Hudan Islamic Boarding School with the Fokada has become an extraordinary wealth in the eyes of alumni. This pesantren-derived organization is doing a lot of new things. As in the business department, for example. Through an ideal suggestion from a caregiver (KH Mukhtar), Fokada recently invited all Al-Huda alumni to donate one banana with the icon “One Alumni One Banana Tree.” In contrast, the proceeds from selling the bananas went to the Fokada, managed by the Fokada. And a few per cent were allocated for the needs of the Foundation —until in the end — it helped a little the process of sustaining educational mutualism at the Miftahul Huda Islamic Boarding School. And through the business division, it can open jobs for the closest alumni by being given the capital to sell credit.
There is another thing that I think is interesting to discuss. Fokada, through the network division, also coordinates with alumni. One of them is building Fokada branch associations in each region within a village radius scale, selecting alumni to become chairmen, secretaries, and regional coordinator treasurers to become administrators in each village. They also hold meetings every week.
From this pesantren, the existence of santri becomes uswah for the universe. Let’s say build and motivate alumni while maintaining solidarity even though many alumni are far apart. Equally important is in the education division. Central administrators also advance learning in Islamic boarding schools, whether by holding special parenting for PAUD mothers, for example, managing studios, holding literary camp training, and others that are still related to world education.
I think the real wealth is growing on the terraces of the pesantren. There are many exciting things that cannot be discussed as long as we study to study at the pesantren. Many silly stories are always remembered for all time. In fact, many learning methods are not commonly found in the world of lectures but unconsciously can be obtained and are usually applied in Islamic boarding schools. The rules of tawadhu, adab to teachers, and many other norms that I cannot mention one by one.