Project Orang Asli Serendah

Project OA Serendah

Project OA Serendah represents the collective of efforts to uplift Temuan community members of Kampung Orang Asli Serendah, in Selangor.

 

Over several decades, the expansion of urbanised Selangor has gotten ever closer to traditional indigenous lands. This has caused a great shift in culture, forcing large parts of indigenous communities to adjust cultural norms to adapt to urban livelihoods. This represents a threat to traditional ways and cultural practices that have significant value to the community. 

 

However, there are ways for Indigenous Communities to navigate this cultural shift. The community members in Kampung Orang Asli Serendah are taking steps towards empowering themselves. We would like to create a gateway, to which individuals or organisations can catalyse these efforts.

Kedai OA Serendah

Kedai OA Serendah represents a leap towards catalysing the creation of a local economy for indigenous entrepreneurs. The Air Terjun Serendah (a.k.a Serendah Waterfall) has been a core pillar of the local village. Providing it with access to water from the nearby mountains, lands in which the community have been planting and harvesting over decades, and access for the community to interact with local urban members. However, while the community members have been caretaking over the waterfall for several decades; Today, more and more of the land surrounding the waterfall have been gazatted into lots and sold to outsiders. This represents a threat to the cultural livelihood of the community members.

 

However there have been efforts to counter such urban invasions, due to efforts taken by JAKOA (Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli) & MPHS (Majlis Perbandaran Hulu Selangor), the appointed leadership team of Kampung Orang Asli Serendah have been given the responsibility to collectively caretake and upkeep the attraction. We are looking to leverage on this opportunity to provide the community with to aid and support, so that they are able to overcome systematic hurdles in trying to accomplish these tasks.

 

Ultimately, Kedai OA Serendah would seek to create:

  • 2 Permanent Jobs for members of the Serendah Indigenuos Community
  • 20% Sales Profit Generation towards Community Aid Funds (Education & Health Aid, Land Rights Aid)
  • Location for Sales of Cultural Products