Deprived of the very basic necessities such as electricity and cooking gas in current times, the Sungai Ubian indigenous people in Kota Maridi were forced to cope with high costs for the purchase of fuel for light and cooking gas despite their limited income. Enactus UMS conducted a feasibility study to identify possibilities of implementing a locally adapted biogas digester. Then, they carrier out a workshop to raise awareness on the construction of a biogas digester and started a pilot installation of the biogas digester.

Together with the Department of Veterinary Services and Animal Industry, Sabah, they constantly monitor the progress of the operation. In this project, Enactus UMS has empowered villagers via their Moo Energy modules which have up scaled their skills and knowledge. Team has improved and touched the lives of 115 families who lack basic necessities such as cooking gas and electricity. Enactus UMS has thus reduced the cost of living of these underprivileged families.

This project has socially impacted the community by enabling families to have extra hours to spend with their children while children are able to study better at night with now-available lighting. This secured people to save up to RM 310 monthly on kerosene purchases while reducing chopping of 54 kg of firewood per family in a month.

To ensure the sustainability of this project, Enactus UMS will train the unemployed villagers on the skills to install and serice Moo Energy generators. Also, Enactus UMS look forward to set up micro financing to make Moo Energy accessible to every family in the village.

(Source: Enactus Malaysia Magazine 2013)