RCBC brings fire and typhoid awareness to Sekapans
BELAGA: Rotary Club of Bintulu Central ( RCBC) recently completed it s communi ty vocational service project at two longhouses in Belaga district.
The two- day one- night project ca l led ‘ F i r e and Typhoid Awareness and Prevention for the Sekapan’ programme was sponsored by Latter Day Saints ( LDS) charities and Li Hua Hotel.
At the first location, RCBC distributed 66 fire extinguishers and 500 bars of mini soap to the residents of 150- door Uma Sekapan Temenggong Matu ( previously known as Uma Sekapan Panjang).
At 51- door Uma Sekapan Piit ( formerly known as Sekapan Pendek) 17 fire extinguishers and 2 0 0 bars of soap were presented.
RCBC team comprising 11 Rotarians and representatives of sponsors was led by its organising chairman cum club president Victor Ang Zhee Vui.
The Sekapans belong to a small, minority group in Hulu Rejang, Belaga district. Today, they are found only at two settlements - Uma Sekapan Temenggong Matu and Sekapan Piit.
Now numbering sl ight ly above 2,000, the Sekapans are among the most ‘ endangered’ ethnic groups in Sarawak due to assimilation of their culture with more prominent ethnic groups through intermarriage.
Only about 20 per cent are still living in longhouses making a living hunting, selling jungle produce and farming. The rest has moved to towns and only return during festive occassions or holidays.
The need for fire awareness and prevention is of utmost importance for hard to reach remote communities. Equally important is typhoid awareness and prevention.
Belaga was ident i f ied by Mini st ry of Health and is reported as one of the prime area for typhoid outbreak the past few years.
RCBC hoped to bring both fire and typhoid awareness and prevention to the local folk.