Mah Meri folk get much-needed food aid through charity campaign

Villagers of Mah Meri Cultural Village receiving the food aid from Great Heart Charity Association.

THE folk at Mah Meri Cultural Village on Pulau Carey, Selangor, are among many communities affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic, the Mah Meri people’s main source of income was through the sale of carvings, which were mainly purchased by tourists.

Seeing their hardship since the tourism sector took a hit last year, Great Heart Charity Association (GHCA) organised a “#BenderaPutih Orang Asli Distribution” campaign to assist the indigenous community.

The aid, which included groceries and medicines, benefitted 60 families in the cultural village.

In a phone call to the charity, a village representative who only wanted to be known as Rashid, said: “It is heartbreaking to see our village’s main source of income cut off for several months.

“We have had to rely on donations from the public.”

He also said the villagers were in need of donations to repair the roof of their community centre, which is primarily used to manufacture their origami products.

With movement restrictions in place, the charity was unable to distribute the aid in person.

As such, items were delivered directly by the supplier to villagers with Rashid’s assistance.

GHCA Orang Asli programme leader Andrew Lim said; “It is important that we look after one another and continue to help those in need, be it for the long term or as one-off assistance.”

Meanwhile, GHCA has extended its charity efforts by launching a new initiative called the “Covid-19 Response & Relief 2021”.

For more information, visit www.greatheartcharity.org.my.