Sungai Buloh Settlement, also known as the Valley of Hope. A Malaysian heritage not to be forgotten.
Real.m joins the 7th edition of the Mari Market, hosted by Justlife, in bringing together local organic farmers, home-grown artists, designers, artisans and individuals who appreciate healthy foods, artisanal goods and sustainable living.
The community pop-up market will take place in Sungai Buloh Settlement, to pay homage and bring attention to the rich stories behind the community which is part of Kuala Lumpur’s heritage.
The Sungai Buloh Settlement is the world’s 2nd largest leprosy settlement which opened in 1930s to 1980s. It was a centre available to leprosy patients across Southeast Asia. Today, there are still a few families who still reside in the homes in the community which was one located in the luscious greenery of a valley rich in resources.
The settlement was a proposal approved by the British ruler to provide a humane alternative to leprosy patients, providing for a peaceful community full of social activities and structure. Once believed as an incurable condition, individuals with leprosy were isolated and discriminated from society. Often taken to isolated islands and shelters with poor conditions.
Leprosy patients were often seen as impure and not allowed in churches, they were told not to walk against the wind and had to wear bells around their neck for identification. Most often, young children were reported and taken to isolation and separated from families for life.
The Valley of Hope, a self-sustaining community which fulfills the requirements for healthy humane conditions for the patients was proposed by Dr.Travers. The sophisticated and balanced community planning became one of the modules for city planning in Kuala Lumpur when Malaysia gained its independence.
As a self-sustaining community, one of the main source of income was horticulture. Till today, Sungai Buloh is known to offer plentiful plant nurseries.
Real.m will be joining other great local brands and collectively we are promoting sustainable living at the Mari Market (24 April 2017), hosted in the Valley of Hope, a great model of sustainable and balance society.
