COVID-19 Effect On The Local Communities Of The Islands In Sabah
The Enhance Control Movement Order by the local authorities have had a significant effect to the island communities that need to go out to fish daily to feed their families. From this comes the Semporna Hero ‘Be a A Hero’ program (facebook.com/SempornaHeroes/) that is reaching out to the island communities to distribute and coordinate food aid bags.
SFB Malaysia have been involved with the Semporna Hero group by assisting in coordinating pockets of island communities that are missed by traditional aid - especially the Bajau Laut (Sea Gypsies) - which do not have any identifications documents on them.
One of the notes that we have noticed is that the content of the food aid bags might not suit the specific communities, e.g. The Bajau Laut communities prefer Tapioca and fish instead of rice.
The islands communities are the most badly affected by this Enhance Control Movement Order. The numbers of cases of COVID-19 in Sabah is currently not in the decline and any help or donation is much appreciated.
One of the recipient of the food aid bag.
Semporna Heros – Be A Hero going door to door to deliver food aid bag.
Bags of rice heading out to the islands. As mentioned above, this is not the main diet choice of certain island communities.