Peran Kopontren Arofah dalam Penguatan Perekonomian di Pondok Pesantren Yassalam

Abstract

This study aims to examine the role of Kopontren Arofah in strengthening the economy of Yassalaam Islamic Boarding School and its contributions to students, teachers (ustaz), and the surrounding community. Using a qualitative approach through observations and in-depth interviews with cooperative managers, students, and business partners, the study finds that Kopontren Arofah not only functions as a business unit supplying students’ primary and secondary needs, but also serves as an effective entrepreneurship laboratory that instills values of independence, honesty, diligence, and responsibility. Through students’ direct involvement in cooperative operations, they gain practical experience in business management, customer service, financial record-keeping, and inventory management, fostering entrepreneurial character from an early stage. Furthermore, Kopontren Arofah plays a significant role as a funding source for the pesantren through the management of surplus income (SHU), which is allocated to educational facility development, maintenance of infrastructure, educational subsidies for underprivileged students, and welfare improvement for teachers and staff. Externally, the cooperative actively collaborates with local MSMEs (UMKM) for daily product supply and marketing community products, creating mutually beneficial economic relationships. These activities not only expand market access for local products but also generate employment opportunities and increase community income. Thus, Kopontren Arofah functions not merely as an internal economic center of the pesantren but as a driving force of community-based economic development, reinforcing its strategic role in empowering the economy and supporting sustainable social development.