We were told about the struggle of the community to walk 30 minutes to the nearest river for water. Due to the distance, they are unable to utilize their time in better ways and with poverty, also children education is frequently disrupted as they need to assist their families. The gravity water system is well maintained today and won the Sustainable Development Award 2019 in UN Sustainable Goals. The community decided to further utilise the gravity water which leads us to the mushroom cultivation project. Currently, villagers are able to make a steady income from this project with consistent production of mushroom and demand from the local market.
PROJECT RESULT
This project is currently benefiting 6 families with an average household income of RM 800 per month. The mushroom farm currently produces around 50 kg mushrooms per week and it is providing an increase of 30%-60% monthly steady income for each involved household. The involved families are showing high commitment to this project. They have taken initiative to come up with a proper working system to distribute work among themselves ensuring the mushroom farm is running smoothly. Up to now, the villagers are communicating with project coordinator effectively at all times.
WHAT IMPACT HAS THIS PROJECT CREATED IN THE COMMUNITY / NATION?
The beneficiaries of this project are the villagers in kampung Tudan. They have learned new agriculture skill which is to cultivate oyster mushrooms. This includes controlling temperature and humidity of the environment, design a systematic way to manage mushroom bags so that they are able to estimate the mushroom harvesting period. The most evidential impact would be the steady income provided to the villagers who are involved in this mushroom cultivation project. With the steady income, the villagers are able to get better medication from town, provide better food and schooling material for their children.
HOW HAS THIS PROJECT HELP TO ADVANCE THE CHOSEN SDG?
Partnerships for the goals – entrepreneurship and financial awareness play a fundamental role in supporting the SDGs in ensuring improvement in developing country’s domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collections. This social-economic program has generated sales revenue by producing agriculture product which increases the income of a community. This program will not end here but with a continuous partnership with the community, we are able to expand this program and replicate it to other communities increasing the impact of its social economic development.
THE TAGLINE FOR UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (UNSDGS) IS “LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND.” EXPLAIN HOW YOUR PROJECT HELPS TO REALIZE THE COMMITMENT OF UNSDGS FOR THE FUTURE.
Mah Sing Foundation partnering with Hopes Malaysia and the community of Kampung Tudan managed to build a 4,000 sqft mushroom facility with a timeline of 6 months. Mobilizing partnering volunteer groups also raised awareness among urbanizes on the negative impact of rubber production on rural communities. Some of the results from the work done in Kampung Tudan is as below:
- The mushrooms from Kampung Tudan are cultivated fro clean mountain water, where the product has no scent of chlorine or chemicals used in tap water; therefore qualifying the produce as organic.
- With a high-quality product, our mushrooms fetch higher prices from premium restaurants and hotels such as ShangriLa resorts.
- Developing a new skill set and know-how for Kampung Tudan’s community to pass down to the next generation, in order to break the cycle of poverty.
- Mushroom cultivation is less labour intensive while fetching a higher yield; helping children in the community stay in schools.
- Mushroom is a clean crop that requires small space; therefore shifting the community’s focus from rubber cultivation to mushroom cultivation that fetches higher yield while being less evasive to the environment.
we are able to expand this program
and replicate it to other communities
increasing the impact of its social
economic development
