Sunset at Samarinda Harbor: 40,000 Qurans Begin Their Journey
At a small dock by the Mahakam River, sunset reddens on the water's surface. Dozens of neatly stacked brown boxes—no commercial cargo, but 40,000 copies of the Quran. This is not an ordinary shipment, but a paper caravan that will travel along rivers and dirt roads toward the remote regions of East Kalimantan.
The Quran Endowment Agency (BWA) began the first phase of its Quran endowment program for the people of East Kalimantan from Samarinda. The main route follows the Mahakam River: from Samarinda to Tenggarong, then to Kutai Kartanegara, Kutai Barat, and finally to Mahakam Ulu—a region that can take three to five days to reach by boat.
Why East Kalimantan? The Scarcity of Qurans Behind Natural Wealth
East Kalimantan is known as a province rich in natural resources. However, the wealth of minerals and palm oil plantations does not necessarily ensure equal access to sacred texts. BWA data shows that many madrasas and Taman Pendidikan Alquran (TPA) in the interior only have one or two old Qurans for dozens of students. In a madrasa in Kutai Barat, an imam once told volunteers that his students took turns reading a torn copy.
This program emerged as a direct response to this situation. Endowment funds were collected from the public across Indonesia—most from outside East Kalimantan—to print and deliver the Qurans. Each copy was printed according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs standards, using high-quality moisture-resistant paper, an important consideration in the humid tropical region.
River Routes and Dirt Roads: Logistics in Remote Areas
Distribution is not just about transporting boxes. From Samarinda, trucks carry thousands of copies to a transit warehouse in Tenggarong. Some are then transported by boat up the Mahakam River. In small river mouths, motorboats take over, navigating narrower tributaries.
In villages like Tering and Long Iram, two-wheeled vehicles become the final mode of transport. Local volunteers—religious teachers and mosque youths—help unload and distribute them. BWA has scheduled more than 200 distribution points. "There are villages that can only be reached by footpaths," said a field coordinator, as reported by *Republika*. "The Qurans are manually carried for five kilometers."
Primary Target: Madrasas and TPA in Remote Areas
The primary target is 500 madrasas and thousands of TPA throughout East Kalimantan. In Samarinda, large mosques such as the Islamic Center Mosque received thousands of copies. However, the focus of distribution is on small institutions in the interior: madrasas with students who are farmers and fishermen, where the Quran is often a rare item.
A madrasa supervisor in Mahakam Ulu—who remains unnamed in the report—admitted that he had received Quran assistance for the first time in the last three years. "The children used to use photocopies," he said, indirectly quoted. Now, 200 new mushafs will be a permanent possession for each student.
Broader Impact: Education, Endowments, and Cultural Inclusion
The Quran distribution has multiple impacts. First, it improves the quality of education: students no longer compete for one mushaf. Second, it strengthens the practice of endowments as a sustainable social solution—BWA notes participation from 34 provinces, showing cross-regional solidarity. Third, the program provides access for marginalized communities. In some predominantly Muslim Dayak villages—such as those on the border between East and North Kalimantan—the Quran becomes a means of reinforcing religious identity and a bridge for cultural harmony. Elders welcomed the arrival of the mushafs with simple ceremonies, accompanied by group prayers.
Next Phase: Targeting 100,000 Qurans by the End of 2025
BWA aims to distribute a total of 100,000 Quran endowments for East Kalimantan by the end of 2025. The next phase will expand the reach to North Kalimantan and the eastern coastal areas. The agency encourages the public to continue endowing—each Rp50,000 can endow a new Quran.
"Every Quran that reaches the hands of students is an investment in eternal reward," stated a message in *Republika*'s report. In the quiet villages after sunset, the sound of children reciting will once again echo—not from blurry photocopies, but from neatly arranged paper by the riverbanks.