OMA is in Omadal and Menampilik.
Door: wnfcarol
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Carol
28 Maart 2011 | Maleisië, Semporna
While many of us in Holland call our grandmothers Oma, in the Semporna area OMA stand for a whole lot more. OMA is an abbreviation for Omadal-Menampilik Agar-Agar (which is a woman’s group from the Omadal and Menampilik Islands working on trying to generate extra income mainly using seaweed).
Today we started our day with a debrief from the Semporna PCA (Priority Conservation Area) Team on the projects. Soon after we started our field trip by visiting OMA members who live on Menampilik Island. Due to the location of the Island, Menampilik ends up with most of waste (rubbish and plastic bags) from other islands. The people in Menampilik are really struggling with this problem and have now resorted to burning the rubbish. On Menampilik Island there is a government school for 20 pupils (aged 7-10) and after finishing standard 3 (at 10) they have to attend a boarding school. The school had 7 years and was equipped with satellite dish for internet, solar panels to supply their energy needs. This was a stark contrast to school set up for the indeterminates (illegal Bajau Laut people on Pantau-Pantau Island)set up by an NGO called the Borneo Child Aid Society (which WWF Malaysia collaborates with) which had one teacher and classroom for about 50 pupils.
For our lunch we visited the women from OMA on Omadal Island. The women prepared for the entire team lunch, local delicacies and proudly gave a presentation of their wonderful work together. They stressed to us the importance of having the OMA group and how much they wanted to continue working with WWF. The women have also started working on handicrafts which they hope to sell to generate extra income. The women have in past months organized culinary competitions to see how best to use seaweed in various local snacks, to market the seaweed as an edible product.
On Omadal we also visited a convenience store which is participating in WWF’s anti –plastic campaign. On the island, 5 families have been given re-usable sturdy containers to prevent them from using plastic bags when they buy goods. It’s hard to imagine, but due to their low incomes, people buy 100ml of cooking oil, and have this oil repackaged in to small plastic bags which are then thrown around the island as garbage. WWF is also working with the OMA women to create more awareness about littering and are empowering these women to be natural resource managers.
Tomorrow we will snorkel and dive on three islands: Pandanan, Mataking and Pom-Pom. We hope to see difference between reefs that have been bomb-fished and those which have been protected. We will also visit a marine turtle hatchery. Needless to say I am really looking forward to it. My big highlight for today without a doubt is the OMA women. It just goes to show when we empower people to become caretakers for the environment, often they step up to challenge and meet us there with big smiles and a warm welcome.
Today we started our day with a debrief from the Semporna PCA (Priority Conservation Area) Team on the projects. Soon after we started our field trip by visiting OMA members who live on Menampilik Island. Due to the location of the Island, Menampilik ends up with most of waste (rubbish and plastic bags) from other islands. The people in Menampilik are really struggling with this problem and have now resorted to burning the rubbish. On Menampilik Island there is a government school for 20 pupils (aged 7-10) and after finishing standard 3 (at 10) they have to attend a boarding school. The school had 7 years and was equipped with satellite dish for internet, solar panels to supply their energy needs. This was a stark contrast to school set up for the indeterminates (illegal Bajau Laut people on Pantau-Pantau Island)set up by an NGO called the Borneo Child Aid Society (which WWF Malaysia collaborates with) which had one teacher and classroom for about 50 pupils.
For our lunch we visited the women from OMA on Omadal Island. The women prepared for the entire team lunch, local delicacies and proudly gave a presentation of their wonderful work together. They stressed to us the importance of having the OMA group and how much they wanted to continue working with WWF. The women have also started working on handicrafts which they hope to sell to generate extra income. The women have in past months organized culinary competitions to see how best to use seaweed in various local snacks, to market the seaweed as an edible product.
On Omadal we also visited a convenience store which is participating in WWF’s anti –plastic campaign. On the island, 5 families have been given re-usable sturdy containers to prevent them from using plastic bags when they buy goods. It’s hard to imagine, but due to their low incomes, people buy 100ml of cooking oil, and have this oil repackaged in to small plastic bags which are then thrown around the island as garbage. WWF is also working with the OMA women to create more awareness about littering and are empowering these women to be natural resource managers.
Tomorrow we will snorkel and dive on three islands: Pandanan, Mataking and Pom-Pom. We hope to see difference between reefs that have been bomb-fished and those which have been protected. We will also visit a marine turtle hatchery. Needless to say I am really looking forward to it. My big highlight for today without a doubt is the OMA women. It just goes to show when we empower people to become caretakers for the environment, often they step up to challenge and meet us there with big smiles and a warm welcome.
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28 Maart 2011 - 13:57
Ivar Bisseling:
Plastic can really be a huge problem looking at the pics you took! Looks like WWF really makes a difference. I am wondering, maybe a strange question, but what do the men of Omadal and Menempilik do for a living? -
29 Maart 2011 - 06:44
Bente:
Hi Carol, this is so great to read. I didn't know much about semporna project. The photo's are really interesting.
Good luck en enjoy. -
29 Maart 2011 - 10:58
Carol Phua:
Hi Ivar, most of the men, fish. Which is why it is great that the women are working on an extra income, so there is less pressure on their husbands to fish.
Hi Bente, it really is an amazing project. I am going to post what happened today, the most amazing story of two sisters, living on island ALONE to help WWF monitor and protect turtles. Really very moving. -
29 Maart 2011 - 12:11
Jan:
Iedereen ziet er blij uit. Goed om te zien.
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