Help One Man Deliver 1,000 Solar Lights Into 5 Flooded Orang Asli Villages
Kiran is looking to deliver 1,000 solar lights by the end of February 2015.
By Sadho Ram — 20 Jan 2015, 01:17 AM — Updated almost 10 years ago
You saw what's left of the villages in the east coast after being submerged in floodwaters. It was the worst case of flooding in Malaysia since 1971.
Currently, RM200 million is needed just to rebuild the Orang Asli settlements that have been severely affected by the floodwaters
Hasnan Hassan, Director-General of the Department of Orang Asli (JKOA), said a total of 253 aboriginal residents were affected by the floods on 28 December 2014, resulting in bridges, roads and houses in the affected areas requiring repairs, reported FMT on 20 January 2015.
In Pahang itself, Hasnan anticipated that the cost of reconstruction in 67 villages would be about RM50 million. “We anticipate that more money is needed in Kelantan, especially in Gua Musang and Kuala Krai for aboriginal settlements in remote and isolated areas,” he said.
The Director-General also noted that in Kelantan, about 2,000 students from the Orang Asli settlements failed to go to school, after access to villages was damaged due to the floods.
Amidst this crisis, one man from Ipoh is trying to help rebuild the lives of Orang Asli villagers in Kelantan and Pahang. His name is Kiran Kreer. He is a photojournalist who is using his skill and zeal to lighten up the lives of those families living with no electricity.
The homes and livelihood of the Orang Aslis in the Kelantan and Pahang areas are badly affected due to the heavy floodwaters. Minorities and already living in poverty, the Orang Aslis are currently living in temporary tents/shelters, without proper food aid as their locations have been cut off. In addition to all that, they are also forced to live with no electricity.
Kiran wants to send 1,000 Nokero solar lights into 5 different villages (500 families) around the flood-affected areas. He believes the solar lights are more than just another item to be donated.
"It is a gift of hope, to pass on a message that people around the world still care for and see the impoverished as part of society."
The lights, Kiran says, provide clean energy that enables mothers to feed their babies, children to read and families to get together
Writing on a donation section Kiran set up under his website, he says an expedition is being organised into these areas.
The lights will be ordered in batches and sent into the villages by 4x4 wheel ground transportation or by air, each family will receive 2 solar lights including any other help that might be needed. The expedition team consist of a group of friends who will also take in food aid, living aid and medical aid.
This on-the-ground project not only has the potential to directly impact the lives of villagers but also comes with its practical cause as many people around the world continue to live without electricity, a utilitarian privilege that most of us take for granted
Seen above is an Ati Boy (Indigenous People Of Panay). "They use a rubber type on a wood plat to scrap all the corn out into bags, later drying them under the sun and packing into bags to be sold at the nearest market in Dumarao, notes the caption below the above image that's posted on Kiran's website. "With (solar) lights indoors they can work longer after dark, also increasing the daily source of income."
While the Give Them Light project, already into its second year, is an ongoing project that aims to donate 10,000 solar lights all around Asia, Kiran is currently seeking funds for 1,000 solar lights to be donated to Orang Aslis affected by the east coast floods
Each light costs RM48. So far, notes Kiran, a total of 75 solar lights from the first batch 200 lights have been donated. Details here.
The solar lights will provide the families with green energy for the next 1 to 2 years, saving them unnecessary expenditure of buying traditional modes of light like candles and kerosene.
While Kiran, better known as iMKIRAN, has no official deadline, he is hoping to get these 1,000 solar lights donated by the end of February 2015. The donation process is fairly easy.
For direct bank transfer, use:
iMKIRAN Nation (Maybank account) - 514123632561.
Please state – Give Them Light (EastCoastFloods).
Email the bank slip to [email protected].
Donors will be sent an email receipt for each purchase made from their donation.
For online payments via Visa/MasterCard/Online bank transfers, click here.