Semelai Association for Boat and Tourism (SABOT)

Description of Charity:

SABOT was started to help the local aboriginal (orang asli) community near Tasik Bera (Malaysia’s largest natural wetland) earn a living and be self-supportive. They provide services such as homestay and tour camps in the area.

The Semelai living around Tasek Bera have for centuries relied on the wetlands and forest for their livelihoods. In 1994, Tasek Bera was declared a Ramsar site – a wetland of international importance – and the government has since banned activities such as commercial hunting and fishing and forest clearing, which leaves the Semelai with fewer options for earning money.

Semelai Association for Boating and Tourism (SABOT) was set up with assistance from Wetlands International. It is fully owned and managed by the Semelai. This organisation is a community effort to ensure that tourism at Tasek Bera will generate a sustainable income for the local community, and consequently reduce the dependency on use of forest resources.

SABOT offers a variety of ecotourism activities and package tours including:
– homestay with local Semelai families
– several jungle camps where visitors can spend nights.
– Guided hikes through the rain forest that range from a two-hour medicinal plant trail to full-day treks.
– SABOT’s guides consequently complement their wetland tours with demonstrations of traditional farming and hunting techniques, folk music, and information about medicinal plants.

There has also been a resurgence in the production of Semelai handicrafts, which are sold out of SABOT’s headquarters.