Penan Bags Europe

The Penan people are one of the last aboriginal tribes in Malaysian Borneo, Rapid deforestation is destroying the forest livelihoods of these people and typically results their displacement to urban centres where they live in poverty with little or no access to schooling. Our project started with helping 30 Penan families in Miri in October 2014, with the simple objective of finding a way that the

se people can become self sustaining. The project started by providing the women of the local longhouse training on how to weave baskets using locally available packaging material. The natural handicraft skills of these people and Penan tribal designs have combined to produce a wide range of beautiful baskets that have proved extremely popular in Miri and beyond, The money from these sales, plus direct sponsorship of Penan children by both local and expat residents, has radically transformed both the living conditions of these people and their access to schooling. In particular, we seek to expand the school sponsorship program and to further improve living conditions in the longhouses. This we intend to do by soliciting both direct sponsorship for individual children so they can attend school, and financial backing to market Penan products internationally.