A new education initiative by Taanusiya Chetty, Miss World Malaysia, Project Lestari Laut (Learning by the Waves), is set to expand learning access for indigenous Orang Asli children living in remote coastal communities in Malaysia.

Ahead of the official opening of Project Cahaya, described as the country’s first School in Hospital for Orang Asli, the project team, led by Miss World Malaysia, conducted a site visit to Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Dua on Pulau Ketam, an island community accessible only by water. The journey began in Kuala Lumpur, continued to Port Klang, and then by ferry and small boats to the village.

The settlement is home to 22 families and around 35 children, many living in modest stilt houses over water. Limited infrastructure and visible environmental neglect have affected sanitation and hygiene. Access to education remains a major challenge: the nearest school is far from the village, requiring daily boat travel through tides and unpredictable weather. As a result, regular attendance is difficult, and learning opportunities are limited compared to urban areas. Currently, only about 30% of Orang Asli children complete secondary school, well below the national average.

Project Lestari Laut aims to change this by bringing education closer to children’s homes. The initiative transforms the sea and surrounding environment into a living classroom, offering hands-on, experiential learning in collaboration with partners Beaurev Global and Sekolah Laut. An expanded program for Pulau Ketam is planned for 2026.

The project aligns with the #ForEveryChild advocacy and is part of Miss World Malaysia’s Beauty With a Purpose project, emphasizing that every child deserves access to education, no matter how remote their community or how far they live from opportunity.