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Community facilities at Balai Raya Kg Parit Hailam are essential for social gatherings, community activities, and public events. However, the surrounding pedestrian areas are often uneven and unpaved, creating safety hazards, particularly for children, older adults, and persons with disabilities. To address this issue, the Concrete Society Malaysia Student Chapter, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) plan to improve pedestrian safety by installing precast concrete paver blocks made from Cement Board Waste and Palm Oil Fuel Ash. This collaborative project involves UTHM student entrepreneurs and aims to enhance community infrastructure while providing practical learning opportunities for civil engineering students. Community support, including from My Starfish Foundation, is vital for acquiring materials, with the potential for this initiative to serve as a replicable model for improving accessibility and safety in similar rural community facilities.
Site photographs show loose gravel and uneven, slippery ground conditions around Balai Raya Kg Parit Hailam, which become hazardous during rainy and flood-prone periods, posing safety risks to community members, particularly children, older adults, and persons with disabilities.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yxpn3AmB5wcLqUc-LHRw8zCP0Nfo5aNQ/view?usp=sharing
Proposed Improvement
The initiative is by providing raised concrete paver walkways around Balai Raya Kg Parit Hailam, it will be more stable, durable, and level pedestrian surface. The improved walkway is designed to enhance accessibility, reduce the risk of slips and falls, and minimize surface water accumulation during periods of heavy rainfall.
The document outlines the manufacturing and installation process of sustainable concrete paver blocks (225 × 112.5 mm) using Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA) and Cement Board Waste (CBW) to promote durability and a circular economy. It covers site inspection to identify safety issues, surface preparation with sand bedding for stability, installation for improved accessibility, and joint filling for durability. Community engagement is emphasized through gotong-royong, fostering teamwork and ownership. A final inspection will verify the walkway's surface condition and safety before community handover.
The project aims to create sustainable concrete paver walkways around Balai Raya Kg Parit Hailam, enhancing pedestrian safety and accessibility for the rural community, especially during wet conditions. Key outcomes include a safer walkway area of approximately 10 m², benefiting 50–100 community members, including children, elderly residents, and persons with disabilities. The installation involves 300 concrete paver blocks manufactured by 23 civil engineering students, utilizing sustainable materials such as Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA) and Cement Board Waste (CBW) to promote environmentally friendly construction practices. Community engagement activities will encourage collaboration and foster a sense of shared ownership and responsibility for maintaining the improved infrastructure. The project's success will be evaluated based on the successful completion of the walkway installation, enhanced pedestrian safety and accessibility during rainy conditions, and positive feedback from the local community regarding the usability and effectiveness of the upgraded facilities.
Site photographs show loose gravel and uneven, slippery ground conditions around Balai Raya Kg Parit Hailam, which become hazardous during rainy and flood-prone periods, posing safety risks to community members, particularly children, older adults, and persons with disabilities.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s9kNRBd5zbWlYre2xnUz-mxezjCUQsHR
This initiative is providing raised concrete paver walkways around Balai Raya Kg Parit Hailam, which is a more stable, durable, and level pedestrian surface. The improved walkway is designed to enhance accessibility, reduce the risk of slips and falls, and minimize surface water accumulation during periods of heavy rainfall.
Project Information
| University name | : | University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia |
| Project leader name | : | Noor Aqila Natasha binti Mohd Azman |
| Facebook link | : | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590735634522 |
| Instagram link | : | https://www.instagram.com/csmsc.uthm |
| Project implementation date | : | 2026-10-17 |
| Location of project held | : | Community Area- Balai Raya Kg Parit Hailam |
| Beneficiary | : | Community of Kg Parit Hailam |
Section I
This project set out to fix the uneven, muddy ground surrounding Balai Raya Kampung Parit Hailam, replacing slip hazards with level, durable walkways made from eco-friendly concrete pavers. By upcycling Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA) and Cement Board Waste (CBW), our team created a safer environment for the community while promoting sustainable engineering practices. Beyond funding from My Starfish Foundation, the initiative relied heavily on UTHM’s laboratory facilities for block testing and fabrication, alongside local support from the village committee (JKKK) and residents who stepped in with hands-on labor.
The actual rollout started in the UTHM lab, where 23 civil engineering students produced 300 custom paver blocks. Once produced, we moved to the site to clear loose gravel, lay down sand bedding and geotextile fabric for foundation stability, and install the raised pavers to prevent water pooling during heavy rains. Navigating a strict RM 4,785.80 budget left almost no room for material waste, while sudden downpours often turned ground preparation into a messy challenge. Translating technical engineering steps into plain, accessible terms took some adjusting, but open conversations built trust quickly.
What worked best was the genuine gotong-royong spirit; working side-by-side with the villagers built strong mutual respect and shared ownership of the space. Between 50 and 100 residents in Parit Raja especially elderly folks, young children, and persons with disabilities who regularly visit the balai raya now have safer, easier access to community events. On the student side, the project gave us invaluable real-world practice in green construction, resource management, and community outreach.
To ensure long-term durability, the Concrete Society Malaysia (CSM) student chapter and the local JKKK have agreed on a joint monitoring plan for routine maintenance. Because the entire process from material mix design to field installation is thoroughly documented, this initiative isn't just a one-off project. It serves as a practical, low-cost blueprint that can easily be adapted to improve accessibility in other rural communities down the road.
Section II
In the short term, this project brings immediate relief and everyday comfort to the people of Kampung Parit Hailam. Replacing treacherous, muddy gravel with a smooth, level walkway means elderly residents, young children, and neighbors with mobility challenges can walk to the balai raya without the constant fear of slipping or wading through puddles during heavy rains. Over time, that daily peace of mind blossoms into something deeper. By giving the community a safe, welcoming spot to gather, pray, and hold events, the project helps strengthen local bonds, while the shared effort of building it together leaves behind a lasting sense of pride and belonging.
Stepping out of the UTHM testing labs and getting our hands dirty in the village completely changed how we see engineering. It showed us that technical achievements like turning palm oil ash and cement waste into sturdy paver blocks mean very little if they don't directly improve someone's daily life. Managing a tight budget, wrestling with rainy weather, and working alongside the villagers taught us humility. We realized that real-world problem solving isn't just about formulas and lab tests; it’s about listening, adapting, and building genuine human connections.
"Paving this walkway taught me that engineering truly fulfills its purpose when technical innovation meets human compassion to uplift a community. The most important lesson I learned is that meaningful, lasting change happens when you build with people, not just for them."
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