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Funded by Geran Komuniti Iskandar Puteri Rendah Karbon 2.0 in collaboration with Majlis Bandaraya Iskandar Puteri and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, two books were published - Adam's Seagrass Adventure and Pengembaraan Rumput Laut Adam. Shipping from Tanjung Kupang, Johor, Malaysia. For any inquiries or to order, please contact: [email protected]. Publication: Journal of the Indian Ocean Region
Date published: 24 December 2019 Author: Serina Rahman ABSTRACT Using environmental citizenship as the basis of its activities and initiatives, a community organisation, Kelab Alami, successfully combined environmental action with a socio-ecological systems approach to counter environmental and social injustice. The organisation fused traditional ecological knowledge with science for use in community-initiated ecotourism; engaged with surrounding developers, local authorities and the state government to mitigate environmental damage and maximize job opportunities for the community; nurtured and supported local entrepreneurship efforts and continues to spread environmental awareness and protection. This paper traces the development of Kelab Alami, the training and empowerment of youthful citizen scientists, and its attempt to garner multi-level support and collaboration for its environmental actions. This is a grounded illustration of resource mobilization in action, and a local view of a community’s efforts to cope with poverty, environmental degradation and urbanization; a model that could be adapted and adopted by other communities facing similar circumstances and threats. Article link: https://doi.org/10.1080/19480881.2020.1704986 Date published: July 2019 Author: Serina Rahman for Kelab Alami Publisher: Anak Alami Enterprise (Kelab Alami Mukim Tg Kupang) Product details Paperback: 125 pages Language: English Photographs: Shafiq Hafizee b Azali and Mohd Irfan b Yazid Illustrations: Mohd Haikal b Zamani and Muhd Alif b Ahim Research: Hakimi b Bakri and Mohd Arif Aiman b Fazail Design: Benjamin Cheh Ming Hann
Publication: Medium
Date published: 19 April 2019 Author: Serina Rahman Article link & photos: https://medium.com/citizenscience-asia/using-citizen-science-for-community-empowerment-and-beyond-the-case-of-kelab-alami-8b57234de3a3 By Serina Rahman Recent large-scale bio-blitz events generate wide-ranging data on urban landscapes, anchored on the easy availability of smart phones and the accessibility of applications such as iNaturalist. These events generate a lot of awareness and interest in science and conservation and provide huge breadth in the inputs generated simply through the number of eyes on the ground at a time. The skill with which these events are able to use social media and online marketing to attract attention is priceless when it comes to re-branding science and the collection of data as fashionable and fun. But this is not the only function and form of citizen science. Long before the ability to find, shoot and post was possible, citizen science initiatives around the world (usually in more rural or suburban areas) provided communities with the tools to take ownership of the state of their surrounding natural habitats and derive the language needed to engage with policy-makers and government agencies to protect local flora and fauna. Often this battle for preservation determines the future of their health, lives and livelihoods. Press enter or click to view image in full size Recording a snake in a roadkill studyThese efforts are dotted across the world; from the celebrated effort in Flint, Michigan where residents sought answers for illnesses related to lead poisoning, to a broad citizen science roadkill reporting system in Europe that provides information for the study of habitat fragmentation and the development of better roads. Less developed nations also have similar efforts. Global bird-monitoring initiatives contribute to efforts to preserve key stopover sites for birds that travel between the global north and south annually. Observers in South America, Asia and Africa are vital to the success of these studies. Documenting and monitoring sea grass at the islandThe key to these types of citizen science programmes is long-term local monitoring. For many in rural areas, the effort also empowers the community with a voice. In Mukim Tanjung Kupang, a sub-district comprising fishing villages in the south west of Johor, Malaysia, citizen science is the base from which the community is able to engage with developers, government agencies and other stakeholders, giving them not only a language and a voice, but also alternative sources of income and access to opportunities that were once only reserved for those who hold positions of power in the village hierarchy. Kelab Alami Mukim Tanjung Kupang is a community organisation that was set up in 2009 on the premise of using citizen science tools to teach and engage with local youth so as to instil an understanding of and appreciation for their surrounding marine habitats (coastal mangroves, intertidal mudflats, seagrass meadows and island rocky shore and soft coral fringes). Youth were trained as citizen scientists and used the knowledge gained to earn pocket money as habitat guides for local and international visitors, as well as provided information to adults who were in discussions about development in the area. As changes in the villages escalated, the focus of the organisation shifted to capacity-building to enable the community to participate in the development around them, as well as to strengthen local ecotourism efforts as a source of alternative income in the face of dwindling traditional livelihoods. Given general stereotypes of the ability of rural communities and their youth, the community would not have been able to effectively engage with parties such as developers, state agencies and the local government if they were not trained in citizen science. Their experience, knowledge and data gave them the language and credibility needed to successfully convince multiple stakeholders of the importance of their natural habitats and the need to mitigate damage, if not conserve areas entirely. Anchored by youth who implement its programs and led by a local champion, Kelab Alami has been able to earn access to opportunities that usually bypass local people, allowing them to take up jobs in new fields or earn supplementary incomes through entrepreneurship or tourism. At the same time, Kelab Alami youth continued their documentation and monitoring of local natural habitats and fishing traditions with a view to setting up a Nature & Heritage Centre to showcase their holistic combination of science and local knowledge. They adapted skills learnt from citizen science tools into community-led research on local charismatic species such as dugongs and otters, garnering long-term financial support from the state port authority. Their knowledge is also transformed into environmental education content used in schools and for public education. Within a decade, the organisation has been recognized by the state education department as a local sustainability expert, received special mention in the state’s Sustainability Policy and is working towards community management of local natural resources and habitats. While citizen science provided the baseline data to feed into these efforts, it was also the base from which the community was able to help itself in the face of change.
Authors: Prof Lawrence Susskind, Takeo Kuwabara, Marcel Williams, Alaa Mukahhal, Nick Allen, Mira Vale, Sam Barnard, Griffin Smith (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) with contributions and translation by: Dr Serina Rahman (ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute) fieldwork assistance: Syahida Azali and Jannah Razak (Kelab Alami Mukim Tg Kupang) transcription: Nur Afiqah bt So'ot (Kelab Alami Mukim Tg Kupang)
The Nets that Unite, in "Dialog: Thoughts on Tunku's Timeless Thinking (Second Edition)" Author: Serina Rahman The second edition of DIALOG is a landmark anthology reflecting on the enduring wisdom of Tunku Abdul Rahman and its relevance to Malaysia today and tomorrow. Featuring a refreshed cover and new contributions, this edition invites thoughtful reflection as the nation moves forward. Edited by Sharifah Menyalara Hussein and published by Gerakbudaya, DIALOG brings together voices from across Malaysian society, responding to Tunku’s words with insight, honesty and inspiration. ✨ Inside this edition:
Year: 2017 Pages: 240 Weight: 0.620 kg ISBN: 9789670311272
Funded by Kelab Alami (Self-funded)
Date published or presented: 14 March 2017 Authors: *Serina Rahman, **Nur Afiqah bt So’ot, **Muhd Sofi b Juhari, **Mohd Irfan b Yazid *ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore **Kelab Alami Mukim Tg Kupang The local community of Mukim Tanjung Kupang are highly dependent on the seagrass meadows in the Sungai Pulai estuary as a source of livelihood through fishing, gleaning, transport services, research, education and tourism. This study plots community uses of this area based on 8 years of anthropological and community research. This habitat use is then mapped against future development plans to illustrate potential threats and losses to local incomes. This research was presented at the JSPS-CCore-RENSEA First Joint Seminar on Coastal Ecosystems in Southeast Asia in March 2017 and is published as conference proceedings. |
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