Experience on going challenges creating a sustainable living on hillside jungle, Kedah, Malaysia

Infos

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  Description

  1.0 About ourselves.
  We moved away from a bustling city to a jungle hillside on the outskirts of Alor Setar, Kedah to try establish a self-sustaining community.
  

  Apart from learning and going through the slow but steady progress transforming the hillside jungle into what we have today; a traditional but unique dwelling, a workshop, areas of vegetation and animals, we still retain our light-heartedness at the end of the day, unwind with conversation or chill by playing musical instruments and a game of chess if the mind is still raring to go!
  

  We love cultural exchange, are proud of the little-known history here and try to incorporate sustainable practices of the past that are fast disappearing.
  

  As such, we hope our passion rubs off on the volunteers’ experience of Malaysia with us. We are curious people and we hope for volunteers who engage back.
  
  Our previous project was about building the amenities using recycled materials incorporating traditional ways. Now we are trying to move to the next phase.
  
  2.0 About our Project:
  2.1 Planting:
  We need to enhance our self-sustaining capabilities. The first thing we are looking at is our vegetable and fruit produce. There are various seasonal fruits and vegetables already growing in this hilly area, we need help preparing more planting beds.
  

  Modern practices often lead to long-term damage to farmland. Healthy soil depends on the nutrients it is given and the active microbiome within it. Hence composting becomes a key element for the healthy growth of plants and vegetables. This natural decomposition process creates the necessary bacterial ecosystem to nourish the soil. As was practised in the past.
  

  We have learned some healing properties of wild herbs and grasses, flowers and leaves growing in abundance around us. We have catalogued some, more to come and also look to process them into oils and other uses.
  

  2.2 Irrigation:
  Rainwater can be harvested for this purpose and our objective is to establish a rudimentary system for collection. 
  

  What we need to do includes sourcing materials, digging, levelling the ground, fabrication and installation. Bamboo is a sustainable way of directing water for use around our land as was done by the jungle hill tribes.
   
  3.0 About our Organisation: centred around the list of duties;
  3.1.0 Upkeep
  3.1.1 General Daily Chores
  It’s very easy to be messy living in a community. Every little action that avoids us cleaning up after one another is a really good start. This includes things like kitchen, laundry, housekeeping and personal hygiene. 
  

  3.1.2 On personal hygiene, everybody is responsible to keep their sleeping area clean. Personal laundry will be done weekly. Change your own bedsheets and hang your own laundry. We provide designated baskets for your dirty clothes. 
  

  3.1.3 As in parts of Asia, we also don’t use toilet paper in our toilets.
  

  3.1.4 Kitchen
  At the moment between us at the hill, we have 2-3 meals a day of which dinner is the most constant. We do grocery runs once a week and we are currently short of creative chefs. It’s just a bunch of guys so food is basic but we also catch live fish for supper. We welcome input in our kitchen department as well. Keep the sink clean and be responsible for your own dishes and cutlery.
  

  3.1.5 Waste Management
  Due care in rubbish disposal is paramount due to the windy conditions which strew rubbish everywhere as well as animals frequently looting our bins and kitchen for leftovers. Jars that aren’t closed properly attract unwanted insects, as will spills that aren’t cleaned up immediately. 
  

  Leftover foods can be used to supplement livestock feed for our farm animals and pets, as could peels and other vegetable waste contribute to our compost. 
  

  3.2.0 Maintenance
  We are always looking for ways to improve our creature comforts. Little things like improving our indoor fish pond, sealing up leaks and doing up the general aesthetics around the house like painting have made us recognise that these are not distractions and as such be treated accordingly. So a handyman will be most perfect.
  

  4.0 About our Team
  4.1 We are a loose team of 7, Ivan and Ari (father-son), our sagely Simon, and locals Zack, Li, Yeh and Zam.
  
  4.2 It is an eclectic mix of people that have been instrumental in the transformation of this hillside abode as we strive for sustainability.
  

  4.3 We have a backhoe for earthworks. We have built with cement, stone, earth, wood, bamboo, metals and made our own furniture.
  

  4.4 Living in the heart of nature brings out the green fingers in our team as well as livestock care. It takes time to see the fruits of our labour and in that time we have learned a lot. 
  

  4.5 We also have a larger community of collaborators with whom we share and exchange ideas and resources for mutual and long-term benefit.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Projets artistiques

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Aide dans une ferme

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  The most direct form of cultural exchange happens in the home. Home brings community and the rest is on the willing recipient. 
  

  In the home, you get the food that reflects our culture. You also will experience our way of life, values and customs as part of our community as we go through our daily lives.
  

  In the home also, we get to share stories and for those musically inclined, expand our repertoire and understanding of other cultural or ethnic music.
  

  In addition, the lucky ones, will also get to participate in impromptu or seasonal events or gatherings or excursions. We would recommend that you accept these invitations and go with the flow. 

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  Aide

  Enhancing Food Sustenance
  We need to re-look into our ways of growing fruits, vegetables and poultry care. Major additions or reorganisation on cards but it all needs to be looked at ‘holistically’ so that it gels all areas together.
  

  We have found that rainwater harvesting for irrigation purposes is a must. We must build water catchment tanks as feeders for the crops. 
  

  Occasional building  
  Most of our building works have been accomplished in the early stages with previous Workawayers using traditional methods and joineries. We also used repurposed wood for our builds. That does not necessarily mean it is the end of the building endeavours, depending on our needs we may initiate another building spree. 
  
  A further note, we have extreme seasons being either blazing hot or showers and thunderstorms with strong winds. Sometimes it even gets chilly in the evenings.
  

  We would advise you to bring an old office shirt that could be worn over a T-shirt as a protective cover against the burning sun, possible thorn scratches and insect bites etc. Brimmed straw hats are useful in the sun as well as rain.
  

  Sweat pants are really good as it is totally non-restrictive, tucked into socks help keep creepy crawlies out.

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant
  Malay: Courant

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  Hébergement

  Common sleeping area
  Mosquito nets
  Common kitchen
  Common shower
  Toilets
  Washing machine
  Fridge
  Hot/cold water dispenser
  
  Available on site:
  Reading Areas
  Musical instruments (guitar & percussive)
  Board games and card
  Space for yoga

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  Autres infos...

  We are close to the border of Thailand, so it could be your first stop arriving in Malaysia, or your last stop before going to Thailand.
  
  Nearest train station would be Anak Bukit, nearest bus station would be Tanah Merah Jitra (but easier to get to Shahab Perdana Alor Setar) and airport, Sultan Abdul Halim (domestic only).
  
  Nearby places (within 5km)
  Shops/pharmacy
  Clinics
  Banks
  Restaurants
  Airport 7.5km
  Train station 10km
  Internet cafe (local town 3km)
  
  We have 4G internet connection but we do not have WiFi.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  We have enough space. Not sure of the required amenities for campervans though.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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