Horizon Asia Educational Association (HAEA) teaches English to Orang Asli, Malaysia’s indigenous peoples, students in Perak state, primarily the Semai community of Pos Woh village, through a combination of weekly Zoom classes, in-person intensives in Thailand, and mentorship into teacher training. The program has run since March 2021 and has produced results ranging from a first-ever educational certificate to a former student now training to become a teacher for her own community.
Below: how the Pos Woh program started, and the separate but connected paths of two students, Vanisa and Tira, who moved from a village Zoom class to certified, in-person English study.
Horizon Asia Educational Association has run a volunteer-led ESL program for the Semai community of Pos Woh village, Perak, since March 2021, teaching students aged 5 to 24 across three weekly Zoom classes. Verified 2026-07-21.
Horizon Asia Educational Association, verified 2026-07-21
Pos Woh village: where the program started
HAEA’s ESL program for the Semai community in Pos Woh village, Perak, launched in March 2021, running three weekly Zoom classes, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, for students aged 5 to 24. A local Semai translator bridges the language and cultural gap between volunteer teachers and students, and HAEA supplies the infrastructure the classes depend on: mobile devices, tablets, and an internet router installed specifically to make the program possible. By December 2021, the program had grown to include twice-weekly science and geography Zoom classes, using bilingual volunteer teachers and materials built for students who, in many cases, had never attended formal school before.
In summer 2022, HAEA completed a community hall in Pos Woh, funded by donor support. It is furnished with furniture, educational toys, and a library, wired for electricity to allow extended use, and equipped with a small computer lab built from donated laptops. The hall now functions as both a preschool and a general community gathering space, a fixed, physical home for a program that started entirely over video call.
Vanisa’s path: from first certificate to C1 English
Vanisa, an Orang Asli student from the Pos Woh program, took her first trip outside Malaysia in June 2024, traveling with fellow student Jony to attend Mee Fah ESL School in Koh Tao, Thailand. HAEA spent a month preparing both girls beforehand, airport navigation, border-crossing procedures, and travel documentation, alongside a first scuba diving experience: Vanisa and student Wak Jenny completed the SSI Bubble Maker course at Mojo Divers as part of the same trip.
In September 2024, Vanisa earned her ESL certificate from Mee Fah, her first educational certificate of any kind, made possible through sponsorship from HAEA and Wonderland Jungle Hostel. She has since progressed to a B2 English level and is preparing for her GED. HAEA’s current fundraiser for Vanisa aims to fund a study period from February 2026 to February 2027 at Mee Fah Language School, advancing her from B2 to C1 English, plus the education visa and administrative costs that come with it. In her own words: “I want to improve my English so I can continue my studies and support myself in the future.”
Tira’s path: from student to teacher
Tira, a young woman from the Semai tribe in Pos Woh, first came to HAEA’s attention through a 2021 photography workshop, mentored by Austrian volunteer Sarah after receiving a donated professional camera, lighting, composition, and post-processing, taught one-on-one. In September 2023, she completed a one-month ESL course at Mee Fah in Koh Tao, her first trip outside Malaysia, with flights funded by a supporter named See Ming and free housing provided by Wonderland Jungle Hostel.
In October 2024, Tira was accepted into a teacher training course with SUKA Society. HAEA’s fundraiser for the course, 1,000 RM (about $215), covering tuition and accommodation, was fully funded by donors. The training itself covers classroom management and curriculum development alongside culturally responsive teaching methods that blend traditional knowledge with modern education, preparing Tira to teach in her own community rather than leave it behind.
What English access changes
In June 2025, HAEA brought seven Indigenous Semai girls from Malaysian rainforest villages to Ipoh, Perak’s state capital, on a trip sponsored by Wonderland Koh Tao. Founder Valerie Johnstone accompanied one student who was preparing for her GED exams; for several of the girls, it was their first experience of a cinema, an escalator, or a swimming pool. The trip grew out of the same Zoom-based ESL and digital literacy work that started in Pos Woh, proof that a weekly video call into a rainforest village can lead somewhere as concrete as a teacher training course, a language certificate, or a first trip to a city 100 kilometers away.
None of this replaces what Orang Asli communities already have. It adds a credential, a language, and, in Tira’s case, a teaching qualification, chosen and pursued by the student herself.
FAQ
Which Orang Asli community does HAEA work with in Malaysia?
Primarily the Semai people of Pos Woh village in Perak, where HAEA has run a volunteer-led ESL program since March 2021.
How are the English classes delivered?
Weekly Zoom classes with a local Semai translator, supported by donated devices and internet access, plus in-person intensive study at Mee Fah ESL School in Koh Tao for students who progress further.
Has a student from the program gone on to teach?
Yes. Tira, a Pos Woh student, was accepted into a teacher training course with SUKA Society in October 2024, funded through a fully-funded HAEA campaign.
How can I support this program?
Donate to Vanisa’s active fundraiser for her B2-to-C1 English study, give monthly toward HAEA’s wider programs, or volunteer your time or skills.
Fund the next certificate
Vanisa’s fundraiser is open now, funding her study period from B2 to C1 English. If you’d rather support the wider program, a monthly gift keeps Pos Woh’s Zoom classes and the next student’s certificate funded. Start one on our donate page.