AN edible garden project dubbed OA Greens was recently launched in SK Bukit Lanjan (Asli) for the Temuan Orang Asli community of Damansara Perdana.
Led by the Rotary Club of Lake Gardens Kuala Lumpur (RCLGKL) and members of the school’s Interact Club, the ceremony was held last Tuesday in conjunction with the International Day for the World’s Indigenous Peoples which this year had the theme of Indigenous Peoples and Education.
Through this interactive edible garden project, the RCLGKL hopes to empower its newly-chartered primary school Interact Club at SK Bukit Lanjan (Asli) to manage a long-term economic development project for their Desa Temuan community.
The project covers the four fundamental elements of nutrition, life skills, literacy and economic empowerment.
Under nutrition, the garden will give the primary school children and the economically-challenged community at large access to proper nutrition and thereby ensuring food security.
Under life skills, the garden provides experiential learning of producing food.
Children who are not academically-inclined, especially special needs, will then not feel demotivated in the classroom.
Under literacy, the garden imparts the crucial fundamentals of financial management, environmental consciousness and social responsibility to the children as well as the adults attending the KEDAP literacy class.
The school’s teachers plan to use the garden to teach Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics and Science.
Under economic empowerment, the garden assists the school in becoming financially stronger through sales of excess produce via student enterprise which in turn will help ensure the students’ well-being.
SK Bukit Lanjan (Asli) is one of 11 Orang Asli schools in Selangor, and the only one located in an urban area.
This year, the school’s intake is 164 pupils, including pre-schoolers, of which some 130 are Orang Asli.
The pupils are from economically-challenged households.
“This garden project forms part of the student life transformation programme called Rotary Kasih, a joint collaboration between MyKasih Foundation and Rotary District 3300, which last year began providing daily meals and schooling necessities along with mentoring the students towards excellence,” said Dr Sen Gupta, chairman of the Rotary Kasih Committee.
“To-date, both MyKasih Foundation and more than 20 Rotary clubs have committed RM1 million towards the Rotary Kasih programme in 17 schools.”
The edible garden project in SK Bukit Lanjan (Asli), amounting to RM23,720, was also jointly sponsored by Rotary and MyKasih Foundation.
“We are thankful to Rotary and all the donors who have contributed towards this project which the students are extremely excited about,” said school headmaster Khairul Anuar.
The garden is being sited on idle land that used to be waste dumping ground, within the school premises.
Following the launch ceremony, a pre-build workshop was conducted for the students by Firdaus Nisha Muhammad Faizal of Ecocentric Transitions.
The initial planting will only take place after the coming UPSR examinations.
Under literacy, the garden imparts the fundamentals of financial management, environmental consciousness and social responsibility to the children as well as the adults attending the KEDAP (Kelas Dewasa Ibu Bapa Orang Asli Dan Penan) literacy class.
SK Bukit Lanjan (Asli) is one of 11 Orang Asli schools in Selangor, and the only one located in an urban area.
This year, the school’s intake is 164 pupils, including pre-schoolers, of which some 130 are Orang Asli.
“This garden project forms part of the student life transformation programme called Rotary Kasih, a joint collaboration between MyKasih Foundation and Rotary District 3300, which last year began providing daily meals and schooling necessities along with mentoring the students towards excellence,” said Dr Sen Gupta, chairman of the Rotary Kasih Committee.
“To date, both MyKasih Foundation and more than 20 Rotary clubs have committed RM1 million towards the Rotary Kasih programme in 17 schools.”
The edible garden project in SK Bukit Lanjan (Asli), amounting to RM23,720, was also jointly sponsored by Rotary and MyKasih Foundation.
“We are thankful to Rotary and all the donors who have contributed towards this project which the students are extremely excited about,” said school headmaster
Khairul Anuar.
The garden is being sited on idle land that used to be waste dumping grounds, within the school premises.
Following the launch ceremony, a pre-build workshop was conducted for the students by Firdaus Nisha Muhammad Faizal of Ecocentric Transitions.
The initial planting will only take place after the UPSR examinations.