YAYASAN KAJIAN DAN PEMBANGUNAN MASYARAKAT (YKPM)
c/o Compac Sdn. Bhd., Lot 25-4-12, 4th Floor, Plaza Prima, Batu 4 1/2, Jalan Kelang Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

YKPM, also known as Foundation for Community Studies and Development, was incorporated on 22nd September 1993 as a company limited by guarantee with charitable tax status. YKPM carries out community development programmes to empower the Orang Asli (OA) and Orang Asal - or indigenous people - towards sustainable livelihoods and environment with the Orang Asli-Jakun communities in Pekan, Pahang and the natives in Sabah. YKPM programmes include livelihood and economic empowerment, connection to fair markets, education, environmental protection & strengthening community resilience. Besides that, YKPM also works with public sector stakeholders and civil society to improve the policy ecosystem and steer national commitments towards meeting the needs of the OA.

In 2015, YKPM helped establish the Koperasi Ekonomi Selangor Bhd (KERSB), a social enterprise registered with the Cooperative Commission of Malaysia. KERSB partners with OA farmers to develop fair markets and shape a shared prosperity enterprise customised to the indigenous culture, while leveraging on their strengths to conserve the forest. YKPM is pioneering this exciting one-of-a-kind self help group of farmers in partnership with KERSB ( marketing under the label of OA Organik) that ensures the OA farmers obtain access to fair markets and capture an equitable share of the profits in the supply chain. The farm has also strengthened community cohesion and leadership. In this process, the OA are mobilised to restore their culture and realise their unique role to sustain the environment, combat climate change and create wealth for the nation. Meanwhile, YKPM, provides capacity building and business management support to the farmers.

This is a Social Solidarity Economy (SSE) tripartite partnership model that embraces participatory governance, primacy of people and social purpose over profits. This will lead to community cohesion and in turn empower the OA to call for social inclusion. This SSE goes beyond poverty alleviation to poverty eradication. Poverty eradication involves dismantling the barriers of their social exclusion. This will in turn lead to a sense of belonging and inclusiveness. For OA, low income is not as big an issue as their freedom to self determination- more particularly use of their forest and rights to own the ancestral land. The forest is important to their unique culture and identity. Without these cultural and land rights safeguarded, the OA will not have meaningful and flourishing lives. They will not feel a sense of belonging nor their culture and values respected. And to build this sense of belonging , the state has an important role to create enabling environments for their rights and freedoms to be enjoyed.

This solution advances a green economy model in local Indigenous communities by establishing a community led-agroforestry and organic agriculture enterprise. It provides diverse livelihood options, elevating living standards, and enhances the entire value chain with technical expertise and strategic partnerships, promising significant positive impact and sustainable development.