GENERATING INCOME FROM PROMOTING TERRAPIN, TURTLE CONSERVATION AWARENESS

Oleh Soon Li Wei

This article is written in conjunction with International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) – The COVID-19 pandemic affected almost every sector of the economy, with poor and low-income families worst hit.

The pandemic and the resultant lockdown took a huge toll on jobs, with many left financially strapped.  Azlina Zakaria, 50, from Kampung Pasir Gajah, Kemaman Terengganu, was among those who were hard hit when her husband lost his job due to the crisis.

Her mechanic husband was working at a motorcycle shop in the kampung when he was forced to stop work for three months due to the movement control order (MCO).

Speaking to Bernama recently, Azlina, who prefers to be called Kak Na said, she found herself in a state of helplessness as their savings, which were needed to tide them over during the trying times, were fast depleting.

“Before this, I used to sell all types of homemade kuih at the stall but this was stalled due to the pandemic.

 “I was devastated as my husband could not get a stable job during the pandemic. Kids had to use the handphone and internet under the home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) system under the MCO. During this time, I had to be prudent in my spending,” she added.

This woman of steel and a mother of four decided to emerge from the doldrums by utilising her skills and sewing machine that was left in the backburner, to generate income for her family.

“Alhamdulillah (Praise to Allah) I was exposed to activities organised by the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS) and registered for a sewing class.

“From there, I learned sewing and produced handicraft based on Terengganu batik and turtle-inspired batik merchandise such as scarves, palazzo pants, pouch, face masks and purses,” she added.

Today, Kak Na is among 10 women who are fully involved in a women empowering project organised by TCS, which is able to generate up to RM1,500 income for each handicraft sold online.

TCS HANDICRAFT PROMOTES TERRAPIN CONSERVATION

Azlina Zakaria.

According to Kak Na, among her achievements included producing 100 sets of batik face masks with turtle motifs of various colours over five days during the MCO.

In addition, orders were received for her handicraft products as well as those of other women participants at the sewing workshop from an international company based in Paris, France.

“While we have not been there, Kampung Pasir Gajah products and Terengganu batik were also promoted overseas including turtle conservation awareness.

“We were always on overdrive, pushing ourselves to produce more souvenir products in addition to alleviating our family’s financial burden,” she added.

TCS, which is involved in a community-based teruntung (river terrapin) conservation programme at the village in Kemaman since 2011, has also initiated a women empowerment and up-skilling project to provide them with a source of income in 2019.

Founded by river terrapin and turtle conservationist, Dr Chen Pelf Nyok, the project received the support from the Terengganu state government and several companies, among others Yayasan Hasanah Yayasan Bank Rakyat.

According to Chen, it all started when she was conducting research into river terrapins at the village in 2011 and worked together with local villagers to conserve the critically endangered freshwater species.

“Besides working with local communities who were mostly men, we also organised river terrapin conservation awareness programmes among students and pupils in this kampung.

“However, during that time, we didn’t have a programme for women, hence we decided to introduce a women empowerment project, which we undertook since 2019,” she added.

River terrapins are freshwater turtle species that are largely found along Sungai Kemaman.

The project kicked off with a skills and hobby workshop such as lotion and bar soap making, followed by sewing classes while contributing towards terrapin and turtle conservation.

"I picked up ideas from Youtube on how to produce souvenirs such as bar soap and lotion, organise classes for knowledge-sharing for income generation through wedding events or other gatherings in the kampung.

“Those who joined the skills workshop are given the opportunity to generate income through proceeds from their sewing classes. They are instrumental in putting terrapin conservation on the world map, especially by producing bags and straw pouches. These products are sold at popular beach resorts such as Club Med Cherating and zero waste shops in Kuala Lumpur, she added.

Over 30 products have been produced to date, among others, bags, straw pouches, turtle inspired landyards and scarves which are marketed online such as via Shopee and Facebook under the “Turtle Tales by TCS’ label.

STRENGTHEN TIES

Dr Chen Pelf Nyok (right).

Chen said the project benefitted both parties, namely TCS and the women folks in the village in producing items that promote awareness towards river terrapin and turtle conservation.

“Since TCS is a non-governmental organisation, we cannot rely on donations alone, but in fact we need to work with various parties for income generation to achieve our objective of conserving the endangered species.

What gives Chen a sense of achievement is when she sees the smiles of satisfaction plastered across the faces of women participants at every workshop organised through the women empowerment project.

Just like Kak Na, many participants were happy to receive their first ‘salary’ that would help ease their financial burden due to the pandemic,” she added.

Chen’s efforts at empowering Kampung Pasir Gajah residents in addition to conserving the river terrapin species have paid off when she was treated as family by the villagers.

In fact, Chen is also known as ‘Mek Tuntung’ among the kampung folks.

“’Mek’ refers to a woman from Kelantan and they seem to be comfortable in calling me ‘Mek Tuntung’.

“Despite our racial and religious differences,  our presence were welcomed from day one; I’m glad to   be back to the village for my research work,” said the Kuantan-born Chen.

HELP SAVE RIVER TERRAPINS FROM EXTINCTION

Dr Chen Pelf Nyok (left).

Before TCS started its research project into river terrapin species in Kampung Pasir Gajah, said Chen, the villagers would usually collect terrapin eggs that were found in sandy areas near the river for their daily food.

“River terrapins are freshwater turtle species that are largely found along Sungai Kemaman and after years of research, I realised that conservation efforts must be immediately taken before they are threatened by extinction.

“Besides advising the public not to sell or consume eggs and meat from river terrapins, we also work together with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN) and residents of Kampung Pasir Gajah, Kampung Tok Kapor and Kampung Dadong in river terrapin conservation,” she noted.

Although terrapins are fully protected under the Wild Protection Act of 2010, human activities, developments, pollution and climate change including major floods threatened their future, and in fact their extinction.

Chen said fish or chicken is usually used as bait to catch river terrapins.

“It is unfortunate if the river terrapins that are trapped by the fishing hooks are male species. They are rare especially during breeding season - after the monsoon season between February and March,” she added.

River terrapins are freshwater turtle species that are largely found along Sungai Kemaman.

According to Chen, to ensure the river terrapins’ survival, Kampung Pasir Gajah residents in particular will collect the eggs and immediately incubate them in the hatchery. All terrapin hatchlings are head-started in the hatchery before they are released into the river.

“Terrapin eggs are usually found together in the sandy area near the river,” she said, adding that more than 4,000 eggs have been hatched and released since 2011.

Chen said terrapin eggs take three months for hatching and a major event will be held annually to mark the release of the hatchlings into the river.

“Every terrapin that is released will be implanted with a microchip - as small as a grain of rice - at the feet for purposes of tagging and identification.

“When terrapins start to hatch, we will know whether they are the ones that we have released before this or we scan through the microchip that is implanted into the feet,” she said.

Chen said, the river terrapin distribution in the country is only recorded in Kedah, Perak and Terenganu with some in Sungai Kemaman and the conservation site at the Terrapin Conservation Centre in Kuala Berang, Hulu Terengganu.

TCS, she said, has also developed a terrapin hatchery and Terrapin Gallery in the village in 2017 with cooperation from PERHILITAN Terengganu to educate the public on terrapin and turtle species.

“This gallery originally was a store room at the community hall of Kampung Pasir Gajah and all our research findings are displayed at this gallery,” she added.

Translated by Salbiah Said

BERNAMA