AYVP Malaysia 2024

Theme: Planetary Health

2 – 15 December 2024 | Kuala Lumpur & Johor, Malaysia

Executive Summary

The ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme (AYVP) Malaysia 2024 brought together 50 young leaders from across ASEAN to address the critical theme of Planetary Health. This theme explores the interconnectedness between human health and the health of our natural systems, emphasizing that the well-being of people and the planet are inseparable.

Over 14 days, participants engaged in intensive training, community immersion, and hands-on projects focused on climate action, biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, and community health. The programme was held in Kuala Lumpur and Cameron Highlands, involving local communities, government agencies, and environmental experts.

Day 1: Arrival & Orientation 12 November 2024 | Kuala Lumpur

Orientation session at UKM Kuala Lumpur

The programme kicked off with the arrival of 50 ASEAN youth volunteers at UKM Kuala Lumpur Campus. The orientation session introduced participants to the AYVP framework, the Planetary Health theme, and the 14-day schedule. Ice-breaking activities helped foster cross-cultural friendships among volunteers from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Singapore, and Malaysia.

In the evening, a welcome dinner was hosted by the Ministry of Youth & Sports Malaysia, featuring speeches from programme directors and a cultural performance by local artists. Participants received their volunteer kits and were assigned to their project groups.

Day 2: Planetary Health Workshop 13 November 2024 | Kuala Lumpur

Planetary Health workshop session

A full-day workshop on Planetary Health was conducted by experts from the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Science & Technology, UKM. Topics covered included climate change impacts on human health, biodiversity loss and emerging diseases, and sustainable food systems. Participants engaged in group discussions and case studies from their home countries.

In the afternoon, volunteers participated in a city-based activity at Titiwangsa Lake Gardens, where they learned about urban biodiversity and conducted a mini waste audit. The day ended with a reflection session where participants shared their personal commitments to promoting planetary health in their communities.

Day 3 – 5: Community Immersion in Cameron Highlands 14 – 16 November 2024 | Cameron Highlands, Pahang

Community project in Cameron Highlands

Volunteers travelled to Cameron Highlands for a 3-day community immersion. The focus was on understanding the environmental challenges faced by local indigenous (Orang Asli) communities and smallholder farmers, including deforestation, water pollution from agricultural runoff, and climate variability.

Participants worked alongside community members to implement small-scale projects: planting native trees along riverbanks, setting up organic vegetable plots, and conducting health screenings. Evening sessions included cultural exchanges and storytelling by Orang Asli elders about their traditional knowledge of forest conservation.

Day 6 – 13: Project Implementation & Capacity Building 17 – 24 November 2024 | Multiple Locations

Volunteers working with local farmers

Participants were divided into four project teams focusing on different aspects of planetary health:

Team Biodiversity: Conducted tree-planting and river clean-up in collaboration with the Department of Environment.
Team Sustainable Agriculture: Trained local farmers on composting and organic pest control methods.
Team Climate & Health: Organized community awareness campaigns on heat stress and vector-borne diseases.
Team Waste Management: Implemented a plastic waste segregation and recycling pilot project in a village.

Mid-program evaluation was conducted on Day 10, with mentors providing feedback and guidance. Volunteers also attended skill-building sessions on project management, monitoring & evaluation, and digital storytelling.

Day 14: Closing Ceremony & Project Showcase 25 November 2024 | Kuala Lumpur

Closing ceremony and certificate presentation

The final day featured a Project Showcase where each team presented their community project outcomes, lessons learned, and sustainability plans. The event was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Youth & Sports, UKM, ASEAN Secretariat, and local NGOs.

The closing ceremony celebrated the volunteers’ achievements with certificates and awards for outstanding contributions. Participants expressed their commitment to continue promoting planetary health initiatives in their home countries, forming an ASEAN alumni network for ongoing collaboration.