What started off as a dream to have their own community learning center in their own Semai language using traditional teaching methodologies, was soon realized in little over a year with the cooperation and hardwork from the community of Kampung Ulu Tual, together with the crowd-sourced contribution from donors.
The launch of Pusat Didikan Komuniti (PDK) Cenwaey Penaney on the morning of 21st March 2015 saw visitors from other neighboring Orang Asli communities, some of whom came by car, by raft and some by foot, as well as visitors from the city and from as far as Sabah and the Philippines.
To build up to the highly anticipated launch, a football tournament was held as well as a workshop by the youths of Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS), bringing together Orang Asli youths from Selangor, Pahang and Perak who subsequently stayed on and helped with the launch of the center.
After much preparation and practice, the learning center was officiated with a blessing ceremony, followed by sewang performances by the kids, youths and adults –l sectors of the community that contributed to the building of the center and who currently make use of it.
Here are some photos of the launch. You may also view the journey of PDK Cenwaey Penaney here:
An Indigenous Learning Center on the Rise:
http://on.fb.me/1tK3yUw
Constructing the PDK Cenwaey Penaney Community Learning Center:
http://on.fb.me/1ESJE2r
The Project and the Community at Ulu Tual:
http://on.fb.me/1yvlgwy
Nicol David with the Semai of Ulu Tual:
http://on.fb.me/1C0Hgj7 (set 1)
http://on.fb.me/1GbcCcZ (set 2)
http://on.fb.me/1xS4kFP (set 3)
Pushing More for the Cenwaey Penaney Learning Center:
http://on.fb.me/1xuXGoG
[Photos by Colin Nicholas, Koong Hui Yein, Sze Ning, Dafy ‘Smart’ and kids of Kampung Tual]
SN | 31 March 2015