[Photos] Insurance Company Pairs Financial Education With Eco-Tourism To Empower Perlis Community

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Manulife Malaysia and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Malaysia are working to develop eco-tourism in Wang Kelian, Perlis, through a three-year partnership that began in 2024.

The program focuses on restoring the 36km Denai Warisan trail and training local residents as nature guides.

The initiative also includes entrepreneurship and financial literacy training to help residents benefit from tourism development.

Manulife’s Ringgit Smart financial literacy program will launch first in Wang Kelian before expanding nationwide, aiming to strengthen financial management skills in communities transitioning to tourism-based income.

The blended learning model delivers two hours of training per week, with facilitators from both Manulife and on-the-ground partners.

Participant feedback collected throughout the pilot will be used to refine the content before scaling to other locations.

The announcements were made during a media familiarisation trip to Wang Kelian, where journalists experienced the region’s eco-tourism potential firsthand.

Manulife Malaysia and the Roots & Shoots Malaysia team members gathered in Kaki Bukit, near Wang Kelian, Perlis, where the insurance company explained its Ringgit Smart financial literacy program to the media, which aims to empower underserved communities. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Media representatives, Manulife team members, and Roots & Shoots Malaysia volunteers engage with local beneficiaries of the Ringgit Smart financial literacy program. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

The team visits the Denai Warisan trail, which is being transformed into a flagship eco-tourism destination. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

A cave filled with bats, just a short walk from the entrance: media participants witness the kind of up-close wildlife experiences that trained local guides offer to eco-tourists in Wang Kelian.

Media trip participants take part in a unique night safari along Wang Kelian’s main road, spotting wildlife and experiencing firsthand the rich biodiversity that conservation efforts seek to protect. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Building Skills For Sustainable Livelihoods

The program is modelled after Manulife’s Peso Smart initiative in the Philippines.

It will teach budgeting, saving, and financial planning to Malaysian youth and underserved communities.”

Vibha Coburn, CEO of Manulife Insurance Berhad and Group CEO of Manulife Holdings Berhad, said financial empowerment is a key pillar of thriving communities.

By pairing financial literacy with our ongoing conservation and community development efforts in Wang Kelian, through our partnership with Roots & Shoots, we are creating opportunities that support both immediate needs and long-term resilience.

The forested landscape of Wang Kelian, where the Denai Warisan trail is located. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Youth in Kaki Bukit. The Manulife program aims to expand from Wang Kelian to neighbouring towns, offering eco-tourism training to young residents seeking alternatives to migration. (Pix: Fernando Fong

A rest stop beside a small pond on the Denai Warisan trail in Wang Kelian. The 36km trail is being restored through the Manulife-Roots & Shoots program. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Wang Kelian Viewpoint, labeled a ‘key attraction’ in promotional materials. However, infrastructure remains basic, and visitor numbers are not publicly disclosed. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Timah Tasoh Lake at sunset. Wang Kelian guides sometimes bring tourists here as part of multi-day eco-tourism packages that showcase Perlis’s natural attractions. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Kaki Bukit local Tham Ngui Long leads a night safari in Wang Kelian. The certified forest guide completed training through the Manulife-Roots & Shoots program and now earns income from eco-tourism. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Night safari by buggy on Wang Kelian’s main road. Local guide Tham Ngui Long and others trained through the Manulife program now earn income from eco-tourism. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

A nocturnal creature spotted during a Wang Kelian night safari. Local guides like Tham help visitors identify the region’s nocturnal wildlife. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Clear skies over Wang Kelian during a night safari. While the Manulife program focuses on wildlife tourism, the area’s dark skies could attract stargazers in future. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

An 87-year-old rubber tapper works at the crack of dawn. Manulife’s program aims to provide eco-tourism as an alternative livelihood. Key questions for the initiative’s success include income levels, economic stability, and visitor numbers over time. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Youth Taking The Lead in Conservation Efforts

The collaboration has also enabled young Malaysians to take active roles in conservation work.

TP Lim, President of Roots & Shoots Malaysia, said Manulife’s support has allowed the organisation to train youth as volunteers, citizen scientists, and workshop coordinators.

These young Malaysians have played an essential role in biodiversity surveys, trail restoration, and community engagement, Lim said.

We are deeply encouraged by how this collaboration nurtures environmental stewardship while equipping the next generation with skills and confidence to drive long-term change.

The youth involvement addresses a key challenge in Wang Kelian: building local capacity in a region rich in biodiversity but facing economic constraints.

The three-year partnership aims to demonstrate how sustained collaboration can transform underdeveloped regions into resilient communities while protecting the environment.

It’s part of Manulife’s Impact Agenda, which focuses on planetary health and community financial resilience.”

This article is based on a media familiarisation trip to Wang Kelian, organised and sponsored by Manulife and Roots & Shoots Malaysia. Transportation, accommodation, meals, and program activities were provided by the organizers.

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[Photos] Insurance Company Pairs Financial Education With Eco-Tourism To Empower Perlis Community
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