Iskul collaborates with Engineers Without Borders Malaysia (EWBM) to improve the water access to all stateless households in Omadal under a grant by the UNDP SGP. This project enhances the current Iskul YHSG 2020’s commitment to improve water access to 30 stateless households in Omadal. Our model is one that includes collaborative effort with the community. We provide the recipients 100L water tanks and they will strengthen the platform of their houses before the water tanks are given. The improved version includes a water filtration system that was absent in the previous version. The system will filter and clean the rain water before it gets into the water tank.

The engineering team was supposed to travel to Semporna to build the water filtration system for all the households. However, due to the covid-19 travel restrictions, they couldn’t come to Omadal. As a result, we decided to involve our students to prepare the filtration system. They learnt to make flush bottles and filter pipes. To do that, they had to cut the bottle, measure the pipes and connect them with glue. These skills will enable them to troubleshoot should any problem arise from the filtration system. Hence, the community themselves can fix any problem in the future. Instead of being shy with low self-esteem as are evident with children in the community, our students are empowered to learn new skills and to help their community to make and fix the water filtration system. This experience also further enhances their confidence.

Check out our social media for a look at how they did all this.

Rendy (our student) fell off the bridge near his house, hit some sharp object on the ground and wounded his forehead. He received no medical attention until we found out about it on Day 3. We immediately contacted the Hospital Director in Hospital Semporna and showed him photos of Rendy’s wound. He advised us to bring him to the emergency room as soon as possible as they might need to send him to Tawau Hospital as the wound looked bad and contaminated. 

On Day 4, we rushed Rendy to the hospital. We also purchased groceries for students’ meals on the same trip. Rendy received immediate medical attention once we arrived. His X-ray was taken, and thankfully, it was ok. The doctor cleaned his wound and gave him antibiotics, painkillers and panadol.

We were advised to bring him to Klinik Kesihatan Bum-Bum for daily washing of the wound for 1 week. We had to purchase the Dermacyn Wound Care 500 ml for this purpose. After a few days of treatment, Rendy had a fever. Thankfully, his fever subsided and his wound became better after one week (Pic on the right). We’re so glad we managed to intervene in time, else his wound might have worsened and his life could have been threatened.

Three stateless teenagers without access to education now empower their own community – YHSG 2020 has provided Iskul sufficient funds to employ three of our graduate students to teach the stateless children in their own community: Delah, Enidah and Bilkuin. 

The monthly allowance has enabled them to fully focus on the Iskul work in three main areas. First is to teach basic literacy to their friends five days a week. Second, to communicate and oversee the water tanks project which aims to improve the water access of 30 households in the stateless community. Finally, to identify 20 pregnant and nursing mothers and 30 children to administer supplements and multivitamins, and also to monitor their conditions. Furthermore, when Covid-19 hit Semporna and Sabah the worst in October 2021, they became the front-liners of the island. They were the mainstay in distributing food baskets to their community. They also became our communicator to convey the message of ways to fight Covid-19 to the community. We cannot be more proud of them! Perhaps their story is better captured in this Malaysiakini report.

In June 2022, 10 of our students performed in the graduation ceremony of Sekolah Alternatif, Borneo Komrad in Semporna. It was the first time the students left their home on water and stayed overnight on land. We have heard stories of land-sickness for those who have been living on the sea. We did not realise that it would happen to our students. We were unprepared and did not bring any anti-nausea medications.

The students stayed a night in Semporna before the performance to rehearse. On the second day, a few of them started to feel land-sick. Yet it didn’t stop the children from performing the wayang kulit “Omadal fights Corona” for the graduation ceremony of our friends. Some cried during the performance. A few vomited at the back stage right after the show.

We cannot be more proud of the children’s spirit and sense of responsibility. They persevered and performed despite feeling unwell. They put on a brave front to perform in front of a full hall.

They are no longer the *shy and timid children they were once known as. They are no longer the children that begs for food and money from the tourists. They are no longer the children known to be sniffing glue and idling during the day.

These children spend their days in Iskul learning basic literacy skills. They learn to speak Bahasa Malaysia and basic Mathematic. They learned performing arts, dissecting films, drawing and painting and origami. They performed in Iskul’s monthly Full Moon Stage (Pentas Pulawak). They learn to play some musical instruments and board games. They started to learn about the basics of science as well as hydroponic gardening.

They are no longer hungry and deprived of nutrition. They get two meals from Iskul for five days a week. Their body receives the nutrition they need to grow and to learn as a human being with dignity. For that, we are grateful for the Yayasan Hasanah grant.

The students are Panadiah, Mustasli, Ratuan, Rendy, Nur Iman, Alini, Majali, Bayu, Jima dan Amaidah.