RCE Greater Gombak - 2023

Desa Sejahtera: Building Sejahtera Community
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Desa Sejahtera: Building Sejahtera Community
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Greater Gombak
Contributing organization(s) : 
- International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)
- Setiabudi School (Primary)
- The Association of Social Services and Community Development of Gombak District (PSPK)
- Malaysian Institute of Sustainable Agriculture (MISA)
- Eco Club
- IIUM Endowment Fund
- Daya Bersih Sdn. Bhd.
- Asafa Mart Mini Market (Mutiara Gombak)
- National Anti Drugs Agency (Gombak District)
- Selayang Municipal Council (MPS)
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Muhaideen Mohamad Ikbal
Organizational Affiliation: 
IIUM
E-mail: 
muhaideen@iium.edu.my
Name: 
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zainal Abidin Sanusi
Organizational Affiliation: 
IIUM
E-mail: 
zainalsanusi@iium.edu.my
Format of project: 
Community Transformation, Community Awareness & Engagement, Experiential
Language of project: 
Malay and English
Date of submission:
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Web link: 
https://linktr.ee/desasejahtera?utm_source=qr_code
Additional resources: 
https://rce2g.iium.edu.my/
https://centre.iium.edu.my/sejahtera/
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
No
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
Malaysia
Location(s): 
Peninsular Malaysia
Address of focal point institution for project: 
International Islamic University Malaysia
Jalan Gombak,
53100 Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Ecosystem(s):
Urban/Peri-urban
Target Audience:
Community, Higher, Primary, Secondary, Teacher Ed., Youth (Informal)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Gombak (town) also refers to as a locality (town/area/suburb) in the northern and central portion of the Setapak subdistrict (both in Gombak and Kuala Lumpur). Desa Sejahtera is a settlement neighbouring IIUM Gombak, located within RCE Greater Gombak. Despite its suburb location, socioeconomic disparity exists and is skewed towards B40 (the bottom 40% of income earners). The existing waste management infrastructure and utilities within the area are also in need of improvement.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Hosting 20 families residing at the settlement neighbouring academic institutions and now to be known as Desa Sejahtera, the issues are not limited to poverty and education but goes beyond and across social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability (SEE). Here are the summary:
1. Environment
-Improper waste management including open burning and garbage collection
-Implementation of recycling programme
2. Social
-Substance abuse (Drug distribution -Reduced (after intervention) but still ongoing)
-Lack of interaction among children of Desa Sejahtera with neighbouring youth (nearby schools)
-Need for community bonding activities
3. Economic
-94% of the household are in B40 group (low income)

Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
March, 2022
Rationale: 
Initially, environmental issues affecting IIUM electrical sub-station led to the discovery of a settlement neighbouring IIUM Gombak which is now known as Desa Sejahtera.
Interestingly, the humanising education agenda of the University opened the door for a Communiversity-led community engagement project initiated by RCE Greater Gombak co-chaired by IIUM & PSPK.
With various backgrounds and needs of the families, RCE Greater Gombak through its partners and multilevel stakeholders identified several interventions. While legal issues (land related) can be one of the main challenges, the spirit of humanity and ‘Mercy to All’ is keeping IIUM & RCE G2 going extra miles for a better future of the Desa Sejahtera Neighbourhood.
Since 3rd March 2021, number of programmes and initiatives have been organised by IIUM Community and RCE G2 partners addressing sustainability issues faced by the community.
In the effort to empower the youth (university student) the project was recognised as Usrah in Action project (formal University required course), so that it can be further strengthened at empowering Desa Sejahtera community to improve their socio-economic status and well-being.
Objectives: 
1. Embedding values for university students to be not only a person with academic excellence, but full of compassion and kindness towards others.
2. A Communiversity led community engagement which brings along the whole university community and Quadruple Helix partnership to transform and empower the community in implementing Whole Community Transformation (WCT) towards Sustainable Development.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
1. Implementation of community engagement initiatives through University formal curriculum (Usrah in Action Course) translating the concept and principles of sustainability into actions on the ground.
2. Community profiling and issue mapping.
3. Aid and provision (Food Basket and Food Coupon).
4. Community bonding activities (Adult and Youth).
5. Capacity building on waste management (in conjunction with World Environment Day).
6. Prevention of substance abuse capacity building programme (sports, arts, exhibition and talk involving children, youth & teachers).
7. Capacity building on recycling.
8. Recycle bin & substances abuse signage (pitching for sponsorship).
Size of academic audience: 
90
Results: 
1. Completion of Usrah in Action Course; 1st Batch (Ongoing 2nd batch).
2. Produced Desa Sejahtera map with household mapping.
3. Community Profiling – This activity had approximately 37 university students engaged with the Desa Sejahtera community and produced a database mapping 7 refugee communities.
4. Gold & Special Awards (Most Integrated Project & Best Presenter) - 1st University in Action Symposium
5. Gold Award - 2nd University in Action Symposium
6. Gold & Special Awards (Most Integrated Project) - 3rd University in Action Symposium
7. Distribution of the food basket benefitted 21 households.
8. Introduction of Sejahtera Coupon (food and household items based on need) in collaboration with local mini market (Asafa Mart) replacing food baskets. Distributed Sejahtera Coupons for 16 households.
9. Distributed “Duit Raya” (Festival Aid) to 12 children of Desa Sejahtera.
10. Capacity building on waste management (in conjunction with World Environment Day - appeared in national TV slot) participated by almost 100 community members and youth.
11. Community bonding activities benefiting more than 115 adults, youth and children including one of the events during Eid (festival).
12. Upskilled 20 community members and youth through capacity building on recycling.
13. Prevention of substance abuse capacity building programme (combination of activities; sports, arts, exhibition and talk involving around 38 children, youth & teachers).
14. Received recycle bins sponsored by Selayang Municipal Council (MPS).
15. Children of Desa Sejahtera and neighboring schools interact and co-learned with each other.
16. Integration of the project into a formal required course of the university.
17. Contribute towards producing well-balanced individuals with a great consciousness of responsibility towards both humankind and nature.
Lessons learned: 
1. The importance of understanding the needs and readiness of the community to be empowered.

2. Bringing together community members with different backgrounds, needs and mindset living in the same area towards achieving common goals requires different levels of patience, strategies and intervention. Role of community leader is vital too. With the demise of the Desa Sejahtera community leader recently, it wasn't easy but thanks to his leadership, we managed to reduce the gap quickly as he prepared a youth leader who can shoulder the responsibility in his absence.

3. Whole Institution Transformation (WIT) is the first step in implementing Whole Community Transformation (WCT) towards Sustainable Development. And connecting the dots is the key.
Key messages: 
Experiential learning of more than 38 youth through formal curriculum benefiting almost 100 community members of Desa Sejahtera neighbourhood as part of a journey towards humanising education explains implementation of Whole Community Transformation (WCT) through RCE Greater Gombak and its Quadruple Helix partnership. At the end, these Communiversity-led community engagement projects not only addresses the need of global humanities (SDGs), above all it contributes in fulfilling the religious obligation of protecting life, intellect, wealth and more in the spirit of ‘Mercy to All’.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
-
Funding: 
1. IIUM Endowment Fund
2. Jamalullail Chair (through IIUM)
3. Monetary Funding Received for Gold & Special Awards - 1st University in Action Symposium
4. Monetary Funding Received for Gold Award - 2nd University in Action Symposium
5. Monetary Funding Received for Gold & Special Awards - 3rd University in Action Symposium
6. Hasene International e. V.
7. Independent contributors
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Indirect
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Indirect
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Direct
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Direct
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Direct
Theme
Arts 
Indirect
Curriculum Development 
Indirect
Waste 
Direct
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes