Enriching Orang Asli’s Lives Through Better Access to Education

Access to education and reading materials has always been a challenge for the Orang Asli children and the indigenous communities in Malaysia. This occurrence is more evident in the remote parts of Sabah due to the inaccessible villages and non-availability of schools, and Internet access.

This has resulted in the children lacking basic reading, writing, and math skills, thus, putting them at a significant disadvantage. The Ministry of Education stated that only six out of 100 Orang Asli children who enter Standard One, complete their Form Five 11 years later.

As part of DKSH’s All-Round Improvement in School Education (Arise) corporate social responsibility program, a team of 14 volunteers from DKSH Malaysia's Sabah branch office recently visited the Community Learning Center at Kampung Kipouvo in Penampang, Sabah.

The visit involved a series of engaging activities, including a delightful singalong, face painting, as well as a handing over of various donated items. These items include wall paint, playmats, foldable mattresses, groceries, cabinets, furniture, books, and toys. We also sponsored the installation of electrical wiring, fans, and new lights for the facility.

The event is part of DKSH Malaysia’s All-Round Improvement in School Education corporate social responsibility program, which aims to create a sustainable educational change among the communities in remote areas where access to education is severely limited. Through this program, DKSH Malaysia provides monthly sponsorship of school expenses for approximately 120 Orang Asli preschoolers aged three to six in seven aboriginal villages across West and East Malaysia.

At DKSH, our purpose is to enrich people’s lives. We do so by providing reliable access to high-quality and responsible products and services, creating sustainable value for our partners, and contributing to raising the quality of life in the communities we operate in by generating jobs, perspectives, and opportunities for people’s development and growth.