I come from Bagan Serai, a communication student from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. I had my internship in Kuala Sepetang one year ago. During my internship period, I had the golden opportunity to visit Kuala Sangga, an impressive small fishing village which I can remember it vividly after one year. The teachers at Kuala Sangga always hope for more activities especially camp can be conducted for the children in Kuala Sangga. This inspires me to organize this meaningful education camp and be part of the family of Kuala Sangga, hand in hand with Khind Starfish Foundation.

Kuala Sangga, a Chinese small fishing village on an island, is about half an hour boat journey from Kuala Sepetang, Taiping. After the World War II, there were 52 households here with the population of about 300 people. But today, there are only about 20 households with about 100 people living here. Now there are only 21 students studying in the Chinese primary school.

Until today Kuala Sangga only able to reach by taking boat, the remote island is lacking of infrastructure and are marginalized from governmental development initiatives, there is no water and electricity supply here and thus, villagers have to drink rainwater. Fishermen here mainly catch prawns and catch blood clams to earn income. Due to less of job opportunity, many young people moving out of this island.

There is neither police station nor health care center here. But few Chinese temples could be found here. ONE of the most respected institutions in Kuala Sangga is SRJK (C) Poay Chee, the local primary Chinse school. There are 10 teachers in this small school running six classes with each grade. They stay at the school during schooling day, weekends and holiday will head back to hometown. The school is playing an important role to the futures of the children of Kuala Sangga. Most of the children will hanging around the school compound until 6 pm as this is the only facilities which is well-equipped in the island. The school has its own power generators and water catchment system, and the library, standing alone above the water, even has air-conditioning. Kuala Sangga is a remote area in which access to education is limited, most of the children families are from low income and low education families, the numbers of children who are able to go to high schools after graduate from primary school are low.

Kuala Sangga is an island surrounding with Mangrove forest. The children either understanding the concept of environment or their knowledge have connection to their personal experiences and observation of the animals and plants at mangrove forest. However, their understanding of their local environment as a place is only locally, they appeared to have limited ecological understanding and limited knowledge how the ecosystem works.

The environmental education application in school is still challenging, the school only teaching us how to save environment but not the environment education. Majority of teachers’ lack of knowledge about environment and teachers who being send to fishing village felt their knowledge about coastal environment is very limited.

We believe that Environment Education camp will enhance their understanding about their environment and their place within it. The children and teachers have seemed to develop their conceptual understanding and knowledge, they will be more capable to deal with environment issues and have commitment for sustainability.

• To develop an awareness, knowledge, and appreciation for the natural environment.
• To make the school program more meaningful by applying knowledge and skills acquired in the classroom to real-life situations.
• To develop self-confidence and physical fitness.
• To develop an appreciation for the local and natural history of the area.
• To understand the need for cleanliness in their environment and conservation of natural resources especially mangroves forest

Total : 40 people ( 25 children + 10 teachers + 5 volunteers )

This 3 days camp is an exploration for nature world; we are trying to bring greater confidence through active engagement with the natural world to kids in Kuala Sangga who only accesses the limited resources in remote small island.

Through nature awareness classes, nature exploring, create natural crafts, storytelling, sketching and presenting to villagers, the children will develop sensory awareness and an appreciation of nature. They also will learn to observe, appreciate, and ask questions about environment and ecosystems. Participants have the unique opportunity to meet and observe real field scientists at work and learn research skills such as observing difference types of mangroves, trapping and tagging animals, mapping and sketching their own house.

The camp only can be conducted during school day, as most of the children and teachers will be leaving the non-electricity and no-water island during school holiday. So, the camp will start after schooling from 1pm – 6pm. The 3 days of camp will be having a presentation or showing kids outcome to the parents and villagers.

There are 3 main classes for each days, the topic will be on Birds, Plants and Animals at Mangroves Swamp and Conservation. Difference creativity activities will be conducted as well.

Introduction of speakers:

1 Resource person: Mr Goh Yong Chuan. He is currently a freelancer in environmental education, tourism and Eco column writer. He has been worked as Project assistant in Wetlands International Malaysia Office based in Kuala Gula for 2 years. He is also the author of book “Ecotourism in Malaysia” (Published in Taiwan by Farreaching Huacheng Publisher in December 2007).

2 Facilitators:

i) Choong Pai Chee, previously a community activist, currently being a full time mother for 2 children. She is the director executive of “Look Port Weld” Kuala Sepetang Community Arts Carnival, concerning and preserving the green environment in Kuala Sepetang fishing village. She also actively involves in community education program such as storytelling activity, environment kids camp.

ii) Low Ley Soon, a young architecture graduated from Taylor University. He has big dreams for himself and the country. He has done a mission — to cycle whole of the Borneo from Kuching all the way to Kota Kinabalu and stop by towns, kampungs and plantations in the rural areas and exchange a box of colour pencils for a story for his Colour Malaysia+ project.

1. Children will willing to learn more about their local environment
2. Children and teachers will demonstrate a commitment to know more about the environment surround them.
3. Children will be able to deal with environment issue s and protect the ecosystem.
4. Children have more confident and proud to share their homeland with outsiders who visit Kuala Sangga