Request for Support to Attend a Permaculture and Ecovillage Design Course

For the past 1 year, I have been nurturing the intention to attend a Permaculture and Ecovillage Design Course, being offered from time to time, in a few countries outside Malaysia. Lack of funds for flight ticket, tuition fees, accommodation and lodging have impelled me to put aside this aspiration until a suitable opportunity presented itself, and I think that opportunity has arrived!

I have been sponsored by the US embassy to participate in a 3 week exposure program on NGO Management (see previous post for details) from the 31 August 2008 - 19 September 2008. Coincidentally, a one month Course on Permaculture and Ecovillage Design will be taking place in Oregon a week after my exposure ends. The course is being offered at the Ecovillage and Permaculture Institute of Lost Valley, from 29 September – 24 October 2008.

Finally, the stars in heaven have aligned after a whole year of brewing intentions. I wrote in to register for the Permaculture and Ecovillage Design course, and my application was accepted! As my flight is already being taken care off by the US Embassy, I will only have to worry about finding USD 2000 which covers my course fee, food and accommodation for the entire month. I would like to take this opportunity to request for sponsorship amounting to USD 2000 to support my intentions.

My commitment
1. I will document my entire trip, and offer to share my experience, and knowledge gained from the Permaculture and Ecovillage Design course to individuals/groups/organizations who are interested. My sharing will be made available through presentations, workshops and hopefully published documentation.

2. I also intend to start a pilot Permaculture project for marginalized communities, in a village in Batu Arang which is about 40km’s away from Kuala Lumpur. I am already in discussion to work on a project with my father, Alex Arokiam, an Exco member of the Malaysian Aids Council, who runs several community homes and agriculture initiatives with persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA’s) and refugees from Myanmar.

PLWHA’s have difficulty securing and maintaining jobs due to their health condition and stigma associated with the disease, and refugees are not allowed to work in Malaysia. Permanent Agriculture or Permaculture (abbreviated) is one of the viable practices that can be incorporated into these communities with limited resource and access to economic sustenance.

The earth is non discriminative and non-judgmental. It is also a highly therapeutic medium. Working with the surrounding land in a sustainable and enriching way, through constructive and positive activities will lead to a restored sense of dignity and provide job satisfaction to these marginalized communities.

The following are possible sites that have been identified for the pilot Permaculture project:

Site 1: 2.5 acres of land with jasmine plantation, next to an old mining pool

Site 2: 2.0 acres of land surrounding Welcome Community Home for men living with HIV/AIDS

Site 3: 1.5 acres of abandoned land

Site 4: 2 acres of farmland surrounding the Positive Living Community Home