Participation costs of development programmes include accommodation, food, daily expenses, childcare, says SOLS Foundation
PETALING JAYA: Indigenous women cannot be expected to pursue skills training and economic mobility without basic support systems such as housing, financial aid and childcare, said SOLS Foundation managing director Danutcha Catriona Singh.
She said practical support measures are critical to ensuring orang asli women are able to participate in development programmes, especially those forced to leave rural villages for urban centres such as Kuala Lumpur.
“When we ask a woman to leave her village and come to Kuala Lumpur to study, we are asking her to take on significant participation costs, the bulk of which are accommodation, food and daily expenses, while also stepping away from her contribution to her family back home.
“If we do not address those realities directly, we limit her ability to attend skills and work development courses such as this.”
In an interview, Danutcha said the NGO provides accommodation and living allowances to prevent participants from bearing out-of pocket expenses while enabling them to continue supporting their families financially during training. However, she said childcare remains one of the biggest barriers preventing more mothers from joining the programme.
“For mothers who want to join, being separated from children is one of the hardest things to ask.
“If we could offer housing that accommodates children as well, we would open the programme to even more women who deserve to be here,” she said, adding that the organisation hopes to address the issue in the future.
The support is part of the SOLS Asli Women Academy (SAWA), launched in January this year to train orang asli women as professional educators and community leaders. Danutcha emphasised that the programme goes beyond technical training by focusing on confidence-building and long-term economic independence.
“For participants, we expect them to leave with a strong set of skills, a sense of their own worth and the confidence to make decisions for themselves and their families.”
She said the initiative aims to create sustainable income pathways, beginning with employment opportunities as community centre managers before expanding into entrepreneurship and leadership roles within orang asli communities.
“For many of our participants, this is the first time anyone has invested in them in this way.”
Danutcha said empowering indigenous women could create ripple effects across communities and future generations.
“When a woman returns to her village more confident and more capable, the people around her take notice.
“Children, especially daughters, begin to see different possibilities for their own lives.”
Through the Asli Centre model, graduates are expected to return as educators and community leaders capable of bringing opportunities directly back to their villages.
SAWA participants Nora, Nuraini and Natasha said policy gaps continue to hinder orang asli women from fully participating in leadership and economic sectors.
They added that indigenous women must be recognised not only as caregivers, but also as leaders, educators and contributors to the economy.
Among the recommendations raised were greater recognition of orang asli women as community and economic leaders, stronger pathways into institutions serving indigenous communities, and increased placement of orang asli teachers in primary as well as secondary schools.
“Representation matters. When children see teachers and leaders from their own communities, it helps them imagine different possibilities for their own futures.”
They added that stronger representation would help ensure policies and programmes are shaped by those who understand the lived realities faced by orang asli communities.
