This project is located at Kampung Air Banun consisting of the Jahai tribe from 22 resettlement areas in remote Belum-Temenggor rain forest complex in Perak Sate. The focal project is in Kampung Air Banun in specific, roughly 3 kilometres away from the main trunk road of the East-West Highway. The natives here are amongst the indigenous ethnic of the Jahai tribe who still grapple below the national level of poverty. The community lives in 14 family houses that accommodate almost 100 people including women, children and the elderly.

The populace has been struggling to survive, away from being common hunters and gatherers, but with little success. They are forced to remain in that profession for the lack of outside support that can help to boost their income to feed their families. For decades the Orang Asli of Kg. Air Banun failed to grow agricultural products in large quantities for sale due to frequent attacks by wild animals such as elephants and wild boars. These animals would eat and destroy their intended commercial crops such as tapioca, banana tree, including rubber seedlings and others. The failure to prevent the attack of their crops by those animals caused them to abandon agricultural activity and to resort to their traditional way of life by going to the jungle to search for medicinal roots, rattan, bamboo, fruits and hunting animals such as mouse deer, fish and others for daily survival. All these forest products are then sold to buyers in town, normally at cheaper rates, unbefitting to the struggle they have to go through. Their income is not consistent. Their income from forest products are seasonal in nature based on the weather and the family members? health conditions. Poverty and scarcity of food make visitors to the village sympathise with them, often asking if we bring any basic food supplies for their families.

Realising this need for change, we at HALUAN embarked on a kampung-wide awareness campaign since 3 years ago. Countless meetings were held with the Chieftain and his aides, the JAKOA authority, and neighbouring progressive village heads. We visited the would-be and now abandoned agricultural plots.