An orphanage in Janda Baik adopts an innovative sustainability model - growing an organic farm. THO XIN YI writes.

Written by Tho Xin Yi on 12 Jan 2012 with 0 comments. Be the first!

Orphanages largely depend on government welfare funds and public donations for their day-to-day running. But Badan Amal Nur Zaharah at Kampung Sum Sum Hilir in Janda Baik, Pahang has an ambitious dream. It aspires to be self-sufficient through organic farming.

Its manager Yahya Yusof started farming within the compound of the 1.21ha orphanage six years ago. "We have to generate income to support ourselves and the idea of organic farming came to us. I learned about it from a friend and that's how it all started," he said.

A nurturing environment

Today, passion fruit, French beans, sawi, kai lan and brinjal are among the vegetables and fruits thriving on the farm. Yahya prides himself on growing chemical-free crops. "We make our own compost with green waste, molasses and goat manure," he explained when met at the farm in early October.

The centre currently looks after 16 boys and 24 girls, who live in different buildings. The children are orphans, come from poor or broken families, or have been sexually abused. They hail from as far as Johor and Perlis.

Yahya's journey

Yahya, a father of two, was roped in by the Badan Amal Nur Zaharah chairperson to run the home when he graduated from the Islamic Science University of Malaysia in Nilai.

"The chairman wanted to start a welfare home but had no one to manage it. It was a big challenge for me and I proceeded to do a one-month course in Singapore on managing welfare homes before taking on the position," he said.

Although the centre hires workers to work at the farm, the kids help out every Saturday. "They help to pull weeds and they enjoy the task. I even overheard them 'claiming ownership' of the trees, announcing the plants are theirs," Yahya said.

Fresh produce

The children benefit in other ways. Fresh, organic produce from the farms are served as part of their meals at the centre.

The farm's vegetable are also sold to customers who hear about the farm. Besides walk-in consumers, the home provides weekly home delivery of fresh vegetables to those residing in the Klang Valley. Each 3kg box, with three or four types of vegetables, is priced at RM35.

Yahya said they have a customer base of 50 people and each week they usually deliver between 10 and 15 boxes.

For now, the income yield from the farm is still nominal. Still, Yahya's dream is to run the home completely with the profits from the organic farm within 10 years. And if he succeeds, the centre won't just be caring for the children. It'll also be caring for the environment in a sustainable way.

Badan Amal Nur Zaharah is located at Lot 27797, Kampung Sum Sum Hilir, Janda Baik, 28750 Bentong, Pahang. Yahya can be reached at 012-627 1549 or 017-234 7040.