The ‘Program Cendawan Tiram Kelabu’ was initially selected as one of the rehabilitation activities for MENTARI Tawau patients to enhance their productivity and competitiveness before returning to the work field. Several values were instilled in the patients participating in this project, such as punctuality, to educate them about the importance of adhering to a work schedule. Additionally, the patients worked in groups to foster team spirit and improve their social skills.

This project was carried out in one of the rooms at the Psychiatry Department of Tawau Hospital. The location was chosen based on the existing mushroom cultivation facilities and block-making shed, the surrounding area free from vehicle smoke, and the available electricity and water facilities without the need for a monthly rental fee. The main challenge in executing this project was the care of the mushroom crops themselves. Continuous monitoring was required, and harvesting needed to be carried out after the maturity period of each block (3-5 days). Difficulties arose when harvesting days fell on Saturdays or Sundays, where selected rehabilitation patients were unable to attend, causing MENTARI staff to harvest the mushrooms themselves.

After the completion of this project, we found that the participating patients successfully fostered team spirit, improved competitiveness, and enhanced their social skills. We plan to continue this project by addressing some of the problems faced, such as finding a more strategic location and using an automatic water spraying or hydroponic system.