In the early morning of March 09, 2017 – we continue our trip further north to visit the Semai community in Kg. Ayer Denak, Tronoh. In contrast to Kg. Ampang Woh, Kg. Ayer Denak is located near to the main road and resemble closely to the traditional image of a Malaysian ‘kampung’. Here they had proper road, proper water supply, power cables and decent mobile reception. Within the village compound, there’s also a small playground and a kindergarten school for the small kids.

Our arrival was greeted by the sound of the local kids learning inside the kindergarten school. As we made our way to the community hall, we could also see the local women gathering at the backyard preparing for lunch. Unlike our previous trip, we did not had the opportunity to visits the houses in Kg. Ayer Denak – but we did have the good fortune to taste their version of the traditional Semai dishes. The dishes in Kg. Ayer Denak were far different from the previous meal. Kg. Ayer Denak’s dishes are filled with exciting flavors and unique ingredients that are a little unfamiliar to some of us (i.e. betik muda).

During this visit, few of the Semai representatives from a neighboring village, Kg. Chenderong Kelubi came to join our discussion and seek opportunity to elevate the current living conditions of the Semai community in Perak. They shared with us about the discrimination they encounter each time they applied for a professional job, and how some of them were treated like an illegal immigrant worker. Without a stable income, the youths from both Kg. Ayer Denak and Kg. Chenderong Kelubi fear that their community would fall into poverty in the near future.

As we listen to their stories, together with the local youths we exchange ideas on how the local communities could utilize the natural resources around their village to stimulate economic growth. For instance, they could utilize the access empty land in their villages for commercial agriculture. We hope to encourage the local community to be self-reliant rather than be dependent on government assistance. The day end as the kindergarten children finished their classes, and the parents had to return back home to their daily duties. We bid farewell to our new friends and remind ourselves of the promises we had made.

To know more about the progress of our Sustainable Developmental Goal’s (SDGs) plans for the Orang Asli, subscribe to HBB Facebook page: facebook.com/HospitalsBeyondBoundaries