An individual sponsorship initiative was launched with the objective of empowering the indigenous community in Pahang. To identify suitable beneficiaries, we visited over four villages within the region. Ultimately, based on referrals from local government officers, we selected Kg. Gumum, a village located on the shores of Tasik Chini.
Our decision to choose Kg. Gumum was driven by its strategic location adjacent to the renowned Malaysian tourist destination, Tasik Chini, which already attracts a significant number of visitors. Additionally, the village’s surroundings, rich in natural resources such as plants, further support the sustainable development of the courses we plan to offer—specifically, Eco-Print and Natural Dye.
After thorough consideration of both the location and potential participants, we proceeded to explore avenues for income generation. Our first contact was the Istana Sultan Abu Bakar Museum in Pekan, Pahang. The museum’s Person in Charge, Dato Fariq, was highly impressed with the program and agreed to support it by providing a venue for participants, thereby establishing a marketing channel at a major tourist site.
Subsequently, we engaged with other potential collaborators and successfully secured support from JAKAO Pahang and the UKM Research Centre, Tasik Chini. With this support in place, we initiated the course for the villagers of Kg. Gumum from June 11 to June 15, 2024. During this period, participants were trained in eco-printing and natural dyeing techniques using local natural resources such as plants, fruits, and vegetables. This initiative aimed to integrate the indigenous community’s extensive botanical knowledge with the burgeoning sustainable textile industry, thereby improving their financial status, raising environmental awareness, and reducing pollution from synthetic dyes.
On June 15, 2024, PSJKM facilitated the setting up of a booth for four participants in front of the Istana Sultan Abu Bakar Museum, where they achieved remarkable success by generating over RM1,000 in less than four hours from sales of their products. Furthermore, on June 29-30, 2024, the participants were invited by the UKM Research Centre to conduct workshops for visitors, resulting in additional income of nearly RM1,000.
