Desa Kasih Cemerlang (DKC) is a socio-economic development programme funded by Ministry of Rural Development in June 2001 with an allotment of RM 1,800,000.00. The aim of this program is to solidify family institutions and improve quality of life, to cultivate an excellent attitude towards life, to create traders and entrepreneurs, to turn participants into a skillful and knowledgeable society and to increase academic achievements of the students.

Strategy

Human Mind Development: Human development through series of motivational speeches, lectures and seminars. Students are given guidance on how to enhance their academic performances. The teenagers will be given motivational and career training.

Economic Development: Business and entrepreneurial guidance to produce business groups among the participants. The planned programs are - cluster tailoring, food processing and stall development.

Students Excellence Centre: Each settlement is provided with Students Excellence Centre that is equipped with book racks, utilities, chairs and tables, billboard, computer, reference books,exercise books and magazines. Tuition classes programs such as UPSR, PMR and SPM are also conducted.

ICT Programme: Each settlement is equipped with ICT facilities in community hall or Students Excellence Centre. With training facilities by the appointed teaching source, the ICT Centre offers the computer related training opportunities to students, teenagers and household members.

YBK has performed 27 students human mind development programme, 24 household members human mind development programme, 3 teenagers human mind development programme, 9 students excellence programme, 7 ICT centers programme, 3 poverty information system programme and 51 economic development programme.

A survey conducted on Head of Household (KIR) showed that 54.2% were positive about the execution of the development program and were fully involved, 69.8% received an informal religious education via religious tutorials under Desa Kasih Cemerlang (DKC). A majority of Head of Household (KIR) have good level of motivation, i.e. 62.1% (moderate) and 34.7% (high), 74.0% have very active community level and 20.9% Head of Household were active. On the whole, the Head of the Household were troubled by the poverty issue (15.1%), health (14.2%), education (10.3%), future (10.5%), occupation (14.7%) and government aid (16.8%).

DKC witnessed the involvement of 248 participants of entrepreneurship seminar series and had inspired 60 participants to forward business proposals. 51 people have been given stall appliance aid to carry out hawker businesses and the effort managed to increase their household income.

DKC had successfully contributed in enhancing the household income of the participants. It can be seen when the average household income of the participants had risen from RM 595.66 (RM 100.18 per capita) in 2001 to RM 725.79 (RM 122.43 per capita) in 2002. However, it went down to RM 674.50 (RM 119.45) in 2003.

The hardcore poor level in 2003 was found to go down from 12.7% (2001), 8.4% (2002) and 2.8% (2003). The unemployment rate of the Desa Kasih participants had gone down from 21.3% (2001), 20.1% (2002) and 8.7% (2003).

DKC had also lowered the dropout rate of the participants from 97 people (6.7%) in 2001 to 53 people and continue to decline to 37 people (4.9%) in 2003.

This program has managed to increase the academic achievements of the students of Desa Kasih. Based on a random survey done of UPSR, PMR and SPM exam results, the average scores for UPSR increased from 42.6% (2001), 56.4% (2002) and 68.6% (2003). The average scores for PMR recorded at 58.0% (2001), 52.5% (2002) and 56.9% (2003). The average scores for SPM recorded an average of 47.5% (2001), 50.6% (2002) and 64.1% (2003).

With the ICT facilities, students and Head of Household were able to go through ICT courses conducted throughout 2001-2003. YBK has also successfully managed each ICT centre with an ICT Coordinator of a Diploma/Certificate holder to teach computers. Nearly 100 people from among single mothers, housewives and teenagers of Desa Kasih went through sewing skill training.

Financial Performance (Until 31st Dec. 2006)

YBK spent an amount of RM 1,846,917.25 (102.56%) from the total of RM 1,800,800 allotted.