October 1, 2024, by ZY
Water4Life 2: Clean water for Long Kahoo Penan community in Baram Sarawak
A small team of engineers, pharmacists and biomedical scientist, staff and alumni, from the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) and Engineers Without Borders Malaysia (EWBM) successfully complete a clean water piping project that channels spring water from a nearby tributary (Long Jilen) for a Penan community in Long Kahoo, in mid-August 2024. Traditionally nomadic hunter-gatherers, the Penan have been severely affected by large-scale deforestation, which has compromised their food sources and living conditions. Although many have settled or semi-settled, the lack of clean water remains a critical issue for Long Kahoo. The journey to the village took a 3-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur to Miri, a 5-hour ride on a 4×4 vehicle driving on an uneven logging road and a final short boat ride to the village. This project aimed to sustainably improve the living conditions of the Penan community in this remote part of the world, benefiting 20 families with a total population of between 70 – 80 people during peak periods.
This project follows several other projects supported by UNM over the last decade in supporting the Penan community. Ten years ago, UNM team initiated the first clean water project (coined ‘Water4Life’) for another village, Long Item. During the same trip, the UNM team helped build and equip a pre-school in the village. Recognising the challenge in early childhood education to prepare their young children before primary school, Prof Ting Kang Nee raised money to support the running of the preschools in Long Kawi and Long Item. The pre-school in Long Kawi was later rebuilt and equipped with money raised by Prof Ting. During this period, two Penan pre-school teachers, Amelia Balan and Wanna Jeffry, were selected to start on their educational journal from pre-sessional English programme, Foundation in Education and then progressed into the BSc Education. For UNM, Amelia’s graduation in 2022 also means that we have equipped Amelia with the knowledge and skills to provide education to the children in her village, and UNM have played a part in improving the quality of life of the community in Long Item.
Vision and general health checks were carried out by the team at Long Kahoo and it was made possible with generous sponsorship from Pahang Pharmacy, Be Pharmacy, and Lions Club of KL City. 3D MTIS sponsored 3D printed toys and tools for their younger and older folks. Follow up on their dental and medical needs have been conveyed to REACH* medical team that is planning a visit in the next few months. The main cost of the project was funded by the Cascade Nottingham* and Climb for Life* initiatives.
This multidisciplinary high impact project addressed several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals which include: (3) Good Health and Well-Being, (6) Clean water and sanitation, and (10) Reduced inequalities.
Figure 1. Entering the village via a long boat
Figure 2. Final inspection of the dam built by the villagers before releasing of the water from the dam. The last phase of the pipping work carried out in the village.
Figure 3. A senior member of the community trying out a 3D-printed tool printed by 3D MTIS to assist her in opening the bottle cap.
Figure 4. Simple vision and health checks conducted for the community by the team’s pharmacists and biomedical scientist.
This project is also in partnership with two other NGOs which are SACCESS* and REACH*.
A short video clip accompanying this article can be found here that is edited by Khoo Li Ying.
Written by: Ting Kang Nee
Members of the team:
- Ioannes Tang, Civil Engineering
- Ting Kang Nee, School of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Nottingham alumni
- Kenny Voon, Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Pharmacy
- Sanjiv Indran, EWBM, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering Nottingham alumni
- Jonathan Lim, EWBM
- Khoo Li Ying, Pharmacy Nottingham alumni
Footnotes:
SACCESS is a Kuching-based non-profit entity established in 1994 that offers “Information, Documentation and Research Consultancy Services” in support of human rights – including Native Customany Rights (NCR) – democracy, justice and equality in primarily Sarawak.
REACH (Rural Expeditions Assisting Community Health is a homegrown, non-profit team, run entirely by local volunteers, who share a vision for universal healthcare access.
Cascade Nottingham – Funding transformative student projects thanks to donations from alumni and friends of The University of Nottingham
Climb for Life – High-altitude climbing expeditions initiated by Prof. Ting Kang Nee to raise donations from individuals and companies in support of wellbeing projects for the Penan community in Baram, as well as cancer patient support and public cancer education campaigns.
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