Why does Raleigh work in Malaysian Borneo?

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1 Malaysian Borneo

2 Why does Raleigh work in Malaysian Borneo? According to the World Bank, Malaysia is an upper-middle-income country ; it has a growing economy and according to government reports less than 2% of its population live below the national poverty line. However, these official figures are not reflected in the states of Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo, where almost 20% of the population live in poverty. Rural indigenous communities in Malaysian Borneo lack access to basic infrastructure and services including roads, electricity, water and sanitation. Malaysia is ranked in the top 12 most biodiverse countries in the world and its rainforests are home to tens of thousands of species. This amazing diversity is essential to the health of our ecosystems on a local and global scale, as well as being essential to the health and productivity of the communities who live in and around the forests. However, logging and palm oil production is gradually destroying Borneo s jungles. Raleigh s Focus in Sabah In the Sabah region of Malaysian Borneo, our work focuses on providing access to safe water and sanitation, building resilient communities, and contributing to biodiversity conservation, protection and research. Water and Sanitation (WASH) There are numerous health issues caused by contaminated water and poor sanitation, as well as many related social issues. Diarrhoea, a common illness caused by unsafe water and hygiene practices, kills more children each year than AIDS, malaria and measles combined (Unicef and WHO report 2009). Typically, it is children who collect water in rural areas which restricts access to education and social activities. Raleigh is committed to improving access to safe water and sanitation in communities in rural Sabah through awareness-raising, training and construction projects. These projects will improve the health of the communities we work with and free up individual s time to attend school and pursue livelihoods. Community Resilience Over 40% of Sabah s population do not have access to safe water and sanitation. Community resilience is something we often take for granted. For example, in Europe, when there is severe flooding the health service, police, local government and other community organisations are expected to react. They ensure people are safe, provided with food and shelter and that damaged roads and houses are repaired. Communication between these services and the affected community means damages are limited and a return to a normal way of life is fairly quick. This is community resilience; the ability of a community to adapt or return to normality after sudden changes to their situation. Many rural communities in Sabah lack the ability to do this. They do not have the organisation or access to the services that make it possible to deal with environmental, economic or social changes. When disasters such as floods occur, the damage is far greater and the negative effects much longer lasting. Raleigh hopes to help build resilience in Sabah s rural communities by encouraging the forming of community groups, improving access to health and education services and introducing alternative ways for individuals to make their living.

3 Natural Resource Management The rainforests of Borneo, thought to be 130 million years old, are biodiversity hotspots essential in providing livelihoods, food and water for local communities and sustaining the health of our planet as a whole. However, much of the jungle has been lost to logging and palm oil plantation continues to threaten protected areas. Raleigh works with local conservation organisations to help build and maintain vital infrastructure within protected areas to support conservation work and preserve biodiversity. We also work with the scientific community to carry out biodiversity surveys in these areas to add to ecological knowledge and ensure long term protection from palm oil development. While rainforests only cover around 6% of the world s surface they contain more than a 60% of the world s living species. Youth Leadership Almost half the world s population is under 25. Young people are often particularly vulnerable to the many issues caused by poverty; however they are also best placed to take up the challenge of addressing these issues. Raleigh believes that young people have the energy, enthusiasm and the passion to make a positive change in their own communities. Your expedition will give you, your fellow volunteers and the young people in the communities you work with the opportunity to develop a range of skills and attitudes. By developing young leaders we hope communities, both local and global, will continue to create long lasting change.

4 What will volunteers do? There are three phases to your expedition, a community project, an environmental project and an adventure phase. If you are on a 7 week expedition you will do two phases. Your community and environmental projects involve at least two activity types which are always interlinked. These are awareness raising and infrastructure construction. Awareness-raising The aim of awareness-raising is to have a positive effect on people s health and the environments by encouraging community members to change their behaviour. By demonstrating the positive impacts of different behaviour you can encourage communities to change their habits. This is done through interactive sessions with focus groups, music, art or drama. This type of work is critical for ensuring that any infrastructure is used to its maximum potential. Infrastructure construction The aim of infrastructure construction is to provide communities with facilities that allow them to lead healthier and more sustainable lives. Local people are likely to be very capable of building and maintaining their own infrastructure. Raleigh volunteers contribute by offering an extra pair of hands and, more importantly, by linking the new facilities with positive behaviour changes. For example, you might combine the building of a gravity fed water system with healthy behaviour such as regular hand washing. All volunteers will be given the chance to lead their group while carrying out these activities. With the support of Project Managers they will take on the responsibility of ensuring the group works as a team to achieve the day s objectives.

5 Community Phase In this phase you will be based in a rural community. Raleigh groups often work on gravity fed water systems that provide access to safe water for remote villages. We have successfully installed a gravity fed water system, supplying the village with a reliable and sustainable source of water. We also provided the community with a full WASH programme, advising the residents on good sanitation and hygiene practices. Mr Lami, the local project manager spoke of the years which had passed with no access to a clean water source and the effect this project would have on the people of this community. (14E, Alpha 2, Kampung Lumou) Other projects include working on improving community resilience by providing access to primary education through the construction of community education centres. For more information on current and past projects, check out the Raleigh Borneo Blog. Environmental Phase Environmental projects are usually based in one of Sabah s major conservation areas. Recent groups have worked in some of the most remote parts of Borneo. Work in these areas usually involves the construction and maintenance of infrastructure that allows better management of natural resources. For example, in Imbak Canyon, Raleigh groups helped to build a large suspension bridge from trees that have fallen from natural causes. This bridge gives scientists access to areas that have never been surveyed before, allowing them to document and study new species and ecosystems and allows rangers to patrol and combat illegal loggers and poachers more effectively. Environmental projects can also include helping with biological surveys. Work can include setting camera traps and documenting species seen in the area. This adds to current scientific knowledge and allows better management of protected areas.

6 Adventure Phase This phase is a chance for UK, international and in-country volunteers to develop their teamwork and leadership skills while exploring the jungles of Sabah, Borneo. Volunteers take turns leading the group through the various challenges faced living in the jungle. While it is certainly an adventure this phase also provides invaluable personal development and cultural learning opportunities giving volunteers the skills to continue being active citizens in the future. Travelling through a threatened environment with indigenous guides gives a real insight into the country s environmental and social issues and puts them in a wider context. You can discover the impact you re helping to create by reading our Impact Report Thank you for volunteering with Raleigh International. We believe that we can inspire communities and young people around the world to create lasting change. This vison could not be possible without you. I have talked to people in the communities who say that they are inspired by volunteers coming to their community to work. They say to me, Why shouldn t I work for the welfare of my community if they are? They see the passion and vocation in it. It inspires them to do more. Ignacio Moreno, local project partner liaison, Cooperativa Juan Francisco Paz Silva, Nicaragua