The Story
What do we know about this community? Rohingyas, a stateless ethnic Muslim minorities primarily from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, an Indo-Aryan ethnic group. According to the UNHCR data, about 45,000 refugee children do not have access to formal education or health care programs in Malaysia.
October 2022. Around 250 Rohingya families live in Langkawi Island now, those who left their homes due to the crisis in Myanmar. I visited them for a few weeks, to learn more about this ethnic community. Their small learning centre was housing children from the ages of 5 to 12 years old, where most of them still do not speak, read or write proper Malay or English language.
They also do not spend time with the local community in fear of the authorities or of being discriminated. The current learning rooms were too small, broken down, dirty and uncomfortable. It did not feel like a place for a child.
So we decided to rent bigger space and create a new learning place! To also bring more together, create social awareness and give them the education they deserve.
WHAT DO WE TEACH NOW?
Currently we are teaching the kids languages, Malay and English, as most of them don’t speak, read or write well. The youngest kids from ages to 5 to 7 years old are still learning alphabets, writing skills and the older kids from 8 to 12 years old are already learning English and Social Studies too.
We also love doing art workshops with them, like making drawings! Social studies is vital too, as they are learning to clean after themselves, making crafts, mainly a space where they can have fun learning, create and learn to be themselves. This happens more when there are volunteers teaching and helping out.
Here is our gallery with photo updates since the day we started. The last few photos are from the older learning centre, where we first started.
SPONSOR A Student for US$10 monthly!
The TreeHouse Society
OUR LEARNING SPACE
Updated April 2024. The new learning space now is located in a beautiful local town called Ayer Hangat, Langkawi Island. Where there is a waterfall and nature close by. Which we call as The TreeHouse Society.
Learn. Create. Sustain.
It’s not just about creating a new learning space with basic needs, but to create a comfortable learning environment, with a holistic influence, creative workshops and supporting the local community. A space for all to come learn, create and sustain ideas.
“They shine, when we empower.”
What Do We Need Now?
For a start, to provide these children a safe learning space, we need funds for monthly expenses, up-keeping works, furniture, a running kitchen, office setup and basic learning equipments.
We are also looking for volunteers, for language classes, gardening, art workshops with creative materials, fun social studies and to start field trips.
If you have any relevant items, furniture, stationaries, plants or books to give away, please send us a message!
Where the funds will be used in coming months:
- Monthly rent and electricity cost.
- Teachers fees.
- Kids furniture and renovation.
- Plants and herb garden.
- Teaching equipments.
- Fuel and field trips cost.
- Community support with dry food.
- Medical Aid.
Ways To Support
This can only happen with your kind support, as the paper currency converts to a bigger purpose when used to empower marginalised communities and the awareness keeps their stories alive.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
3. Malaysian Bank Transfers:
Bank Name: Maybank
Social Enterprise : iMKIRAN Nation
Account Number : 514123632561
Swift Code: MBBEMYKL
LET’S CREATE SOME AWARENESS
Your shares and awareness is the source of our inspiration, this is where the connections happen.
1. SHARE this project to friends
2. Volunteer with us.
3. Partner with us.
4. Create activities with friends.
(Message us directly via social media or email[admin@imkiran.com] for any enquiries)
Follow The TreeHouse Society:
Updates on Facebook
Updates on Instagram
Join The Cause #ChildrenOfRohingya
Note: This learning centre is managed by iMKIRAN Nation, a registered grassroots social enterprise in Malaysia.
View all the other social projects and photography stories created all across Asia with the support of friends and partners.
Love & Light,
Kiran Kreer