Learning Experience of Muhibbah Spirit at the Central 19 Community Garden
The Movement Control Order (MCO) effected everyone from all walks of life ever since the pandemic hit on 18 March 2020. Public members dealed with high cases of Covid-19 that led to all stay within 4 walls in 24 hours a day. Society has since long realised to connect with others that they might not known of. The Central 19 Community Garden began with a plot of an abandoned land at the Section 19, Petaling Jaya led by Ms Penny Lim Wai Ping, a lecturer of the Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI) just before the MCO took place where neighbors nearby joined hand. Ms Penny also acts as the chairperson of the Section 19 residential association (RA).
Ever since its establishment, the Central 19 Community Garden has received financial and technical supports from Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ), Water Project, Spark Foundation, Heng Kee Co. Sdn Bhd, and Global Environmental Centre (GEC) with the assistance from senior citizens at the Section 19. In fact, senior citizens volunteered in giving their helping hands in gardening and their expertise on planting and harvesting. A great learning experience received by UTAR students and staff on the River Care project sharing by Mr Sathis from the Global Environmental Centre (GEC) at the beginning of the gardening activity plus the garden tour led by Ms Penny and her team. Student learned on water quality inspection, hydroponic, composting, plus vegetables with garden tour by the seniors before they began their gardening. They were also shown with green houses, ground nuts, bitter gourd, even an extra size of two (2) winter melons harvested by them, something we won’t see at any super market. Interestingly, there are bar codes displayed in the garden for visitors to learn on different plants, another initiative in increasing environmental literacy.
The 4-hour gardening is such a valuable experience for UTARians to learn the muhibbah spirit shown by the community garden. This value has existed long in our society as part of the identity in our kampungs where they give and share what they harvested. Ms Penny mentioned that community, contribution, and connection are crucial in sustaining the community garden especially in the urban settings. She shared on how she get to know neighbors that she had not known through the establishment of the Central 19 Community Garden that is located just in front of their houses. All the harvested vegetables and fruits are shared or distributed to neighbors and residents nearby. In fact, no pesticide, herbicide, and chemical fertilizer are used in the community garden.
The Central 19 Community Garden was the 2nd community garden approached by the Department of Student Affairs Sungai Long Campus after TTDI The Edible Community Garden at Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. This is after the head of the Department of Soft Skills Competency, Ms Fook Oi Yee recommended to DSA to conduct the gardening at Central 19. University is proud to have Ms Penny and Mr Anthony Gandolfo Miranti Jr, also from FCI, involved in the community garden beside their professional teaching career. It shows that UTARians, especially staff take their initiatives in serving our society through community projects with a wider groups of other stakeholders. It is with hope that other academics and non-academics, as well as students can take this opportunity to engage with a wider society in serving welfare of our society and environment. It was mentioned that spending time in gardening is beneficial to our mental health as it involves mindfulness practices. Ms Penny suggested to have more similar activities with students and staff as part of the volunteering in urban garden, and learn on helping each other especially in this challenging time.
