1 March 2026 - Following the conclusion of its first strategic roadmap, the Sabah Human Development and Empowerment Association (SAHDEA) today announces Blueprint 2.0, a new three-year framework that will guide the association's activities from 2026 through to 2028. Where Blueprint 1.0 focused on establishing SAHDEA's credibility as a community bridge across the arts, rural development, youth, women's empowerment and sports sectors, Blueprint 2.0 is designed to deepen and scale that work — extending SAHDEA's reach further into the rural interior, into new creative spaces, and into closer partnership with academic institutions.
President Mr Arthur Erik said the new blueprint reflects lessons learned from the first five years. "Blueprint 1.0 taught us where our strengths are — jazz, visual arts, and being a credible voice for the community. Blueprint 2.0 is about taking those strengths and pushing them outward: into the districts we haven't reached yet, into wellness and youth development at a bigger scale, and into partnerships that outlast any single event."
Arts and Culture
SAHDEA's flagship Sabah Jazz Project will continue with the Sabah Jazz International Jazz Day Celebration 2026, the latest edition of an annual celebration that has grown from a 200-person gathering in 2022 to drawing crowds in the thousands. Also planned for the Visual Arts Division is the Mural Kaamatan at Kupi Kupi FM Sabah's studio, a community mural project to be carried out in conjunction with the Kaamatan harvest festival, in partnership with Persatuan Seni Masyarakat Tonggak Sabah. Towards the end of 2026, SAHDEA aims to stage an International Arts Festival, its most ambitious visual and performing arts undertaking yet under this blueprint.
The Performing Arts Division is also working on a new ongoing initiative, a series of Music Showcase featuring Sabahan artists, which is in discussion to begin as early as next month at Lingua Franca, a creative space at Lorong Dewan — a new venue partnership that would give emerging musicians a regular platform outside of SAHDEA's larger annual events. Separately, the association is in the early stages of organising a Forum Seni dan Kreatif (Arts and Creative Forum) in partnership with a university, with details to be confirmed closer to the date.
Women's Empowerment and Wellness
Building on the Women's Development & Empowerment Division's earlier yoga sessions under Blueprint 1.0, SAHDEA will participate in World Wellness Weekend 2026 in September, extending its wellness programming to a wider, internationally-recognised platform.
Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
Following the momentum of its three pilot Entrepreneurial Workshops held in late 2025, the Entrepreneur Division will run its next Bengkel Keusahawanan (Entrepreneurship Workshop) in October 2026, continuing the mentorship model established under President Arthur Erik.
Rural Development
The Rural Development & Empowerment Division will extend SAHDEA's presence into the interior with a series of Seminar Pemerkasaan (Empowerment Seminars) planned for Tambunan, Tamparuli and Ranau in early 2027 — marking the first time the association's empowerment programming will be delivered across multiple rural districts in a coordinated series, rather than as standalone community aid efforts.
Youth Development
The Youth Division's centrepiece for this blueprint will be the Sabah International Youth Festival 2027, positioning SAHDEA's youth programming on an international stage for the first time and building on the foundational youth and skills-development work carried out since 2020.
Looking Ahead
"Some of these, like the Jazz Day celebration and the entrepreneurship workshop, are extensions of things we already know work," said Mr Arthur Erik. "Others, like the youth festival and the rural seminar series, are new ground for us. We don't expect every target to land exactly as planned — Blueprint 1.0 taught us that too — but we'd rather aim for an ambitious three years and adjust along the way than aim small."
SAHDEA will provide further updates on confirmed dates, venues and partnerships for each Blueprint 2.0 initiative as they are finalised.
