The global economy is slashing and burning its way into Borneo’s rainforests with logging, plantations and dams on indigenous lands.
The Penan, among the world’s last nomadic hunter-gathers, have been forced into settlements and left with few resources. They are organizing to save remaining forests and educate their children to defend native lands and heritage.
Since 2008, the Borneo Project has channeled financial and volunteer support to three Penan community preschools in Long Latei, Long Belok and Ba Abang, eastern Sarawak. These communities that have been active in territory demarcation, reforestation, logging-road blockades, and lawsuits to establish rights to ancestral lands. At these innovative schools, Penan children learn to read, write, and prepare for school using indigenous language books and materials. Parents and elders learn to read in afternoon classes. Villagers elected as teachers receive continual training and support. Field coordinators visit the villages every seven weeks to bring teachers’ salaries, food, art supplies and teaching materials.
Each year, roughly one hundred children ages 3 to 7 prepare for the daunting challenge of attending primary school in regional town centers. Over 50 children have “graduated” from their community schools and are now successfully attending regional schools.
At the schools, children are taught in Penan language, learning Malay language, drawing, alphabet, counting, math, reading, story-telling, singing, drama, drawing and dancing. Every morning the students do movement exercises and drink water before commencing their studies. Every family in the community receives mosquito bed nets for everyone in their family, and preschoolers receive art supplies, books, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and a hot meal every day they attend school, including sago (the traditional starch for Penan) rice, tapioca, beans, fish, meat, peanuts, vegetables, fruits, coconut, mushrooms, eggs and spices.
Since 2008, local adminstrator PACOS and the field coordinators have focused on empowering the communities to renovate three old buildings, creating kitchens, bathrooms, libraries, playgrounds, and teaching areas. Volunteers from around the world have arrived to lend a helping hand, document progress, and build new infrastructure. Teachers and administrators are regularly trained in early childhood education methods, curriculum development, health and hygeine, accounting, and self defense against sexual assault (unfortunately a serious risk for all Penan women travelling outside their village areas.)
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