In conjunction with the Malaysian Government’s Madani Rakyat 2025 Johor Programme at the Larkin Flats, Johor Bahru on 24 May 2025, Social Hero Foundation (SHF) launched the second session of its Larkin Flats’ indoor Mushroom Community Farming project.
SHF set up the indoor Mushroom Community Farming project at the Larkin Flats in July 2024 with a group of 10 single mothers residing at the public housing flats. They took care of over 2,000 oyster mushroom substrates in an indoor temperature- and humidity-controlled environment and harvested the oyster mushrooms from July 2024 to February 2025. Each 3 to 4-month season consisted of 6-7 harvesting cycles. The proceeds of the oyster mushroom sales were shared among the participants, providing these single mothers with a source of income as well as empowering them with new skills and opportunity to be entrepreneurs.
This latest second session from May 2025 will be managed by the youths staying at the Larkin Flats. The 10 young participants will work together and share responsibilities to take care and manage the indoor farm. They will be mentored by 5 single mothers from the first session. They will also learn to market the oyster mushrooms, and the sales proceeds will be shared among themselves.
The launch was officiated by the Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of National Unity Mohamad Sobri Bin Mat Daud and the Deputy Director-General of Jabatan Belia Dan Sukan Negara, Dr Zainah Binti Shariff. They were joined by SHF Trustee Datuk Seri Teo Shiok Fu JP, SHF Director of Programmes Farrah Baptist and the KRT Rumah Pangsa Larkin Chairman, Hisamuddin Bin Hussin.
SHF initiated its first indoor mushroom community farming project called M.I.S.H.A (Mushroom, Investment, Social, Hero, Agriculture) at another public housing area, PPR Melana Indah Flats in Perling from September 2023 to June 2024. The success of this first indoor mushroom community farming initiative led to SHF setting up one at the Larkin Flats in 2024.
SHF Trustee Teo noted that this latest project will help teach the youth participants about responsibility, collective teamwork and entrepreneurship as they work together to manage the indoor mushroom community farm. He also expressed SHF’s gratitude to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of National Unity for supporting this meaningful initiative for the youths at the Larkin Flats.
SHF is a non-profit foundation established in 2019 under the Trustee (Incorporation) Act 1952 which is under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Department, Malaysia. SHF’s main objectives are to render effective help to the needy and underprivileged communities in Johor, promote national unity among all the races and promote awareness for the environment and sustainability.
