BORNEO EXPEDITION 08G - Raleigh International

BORNEO
EXPEDITION 08G

Fieldbase
KOTA KINABALU
Alpha 1
KG KERANAAN
Kindergarten build
Alpha 5
KG TOGUDON
Hostel completion
Alpha 4
KG TUDAN
Gravity water feed
Alpha 3
KG TUNGOU
Gravity water feed
Alpha 2
BATU PUTEH
Eco-Lodge
completion
RALEIGH PROJECTS 08G - SABAH, BORNEO

lements—Country Director, Borneo
As many of you will know Raleigh was
established to enable young people to discover
their potential as leaders and team
members. It was Kurt Hahn, the founder
of the Outward Bound movement who
said, “We are all better than we know. If
only we can we brought to recognise this,
we may never be prepared to settle for
anything less.”
For 24 years now Raleigh has been enabling
young people to recognise, and realise, their potential by operating
expeditions which test and challenge them beyond their imaginations. I
feel very privileged that I get to witness this developmental process and
am always awed by people’s boundless capacity for growth.
This process, though, does not just start when the venturers arrive on
expedition but when they begin their fundraising and preparations up to a
year or so beforehand. Equally, it doesn’t come to an end when the expedition
is over. I believe that it never really ends. To my mind a Raleigh
expedition is a starting point, a catalyst, for continuous development.
I also feel very privileged to be working in such a wonderful place as Sabah
and I am glad that our venturers have the opportunity to experience
its beautiful landscape, colourful history and charming people. I would like
to thank all our friends, associates and supporters for making us so welcome
here, especially the Ministry of Youth and Sport.
This 08G expedition has been a great success. Sound friendships have
been formed; new skills have been mastered; leadership and team work
have become daily working practices; fears have been confronted and
confidence gained – that’s a lot to accomplish in just 5 weeks.
But it’s not just about the ventures - but the volunteer managers too. We
have had a fantastic team of Field Base staff, Project Managers and Medics.
I am indebted to them for their commitment, energy and hard work.
They are not exempt from change - and their own journeys have been significant
too.
I hope that all participants now realise that they are better than they ever
thought – it has been a pleasure being a part of it – now go and be everything
you can be.
Photography: Our thanks go to everyone who pitched in and shared their photos with us
WORDS OF THANKS - TERIMA KASIH
TO OUR SPONSORS
Our projects would not have been possible had it not been for the generous
financial support of our sponsors and the cooperation and invaluable input from
our project partners, the local parliamentary representatives and the communities
themselves. Raleigh would like to offer their thanks to the following:
Coca Cola, HSBC, KEMAS, KOPEL, MESCOT, Ministry of Youth &
Sport, Nestle, Raleigh International Support Groups in KK and KL,
PACOS Trust, Traverse Activity Centre
HAVE WE INSPIRED YOU?
Since 1984 our expeditions have inspired over 30,000 people from all walks of
life, nationalities and ages to be all they can be. We believe that there’s an
expedition in us all - whether you're 17 or 70.
If reading about this expedition has inspired you to join one, either as a venturer
or a volunteer manager, then take a look at
www.raleighinternational.org to find how you can sign up.

ALPHA 1 - KAMPONG KERANAAN KINDERGARTEN
PROJECT MANAGERS: Alex Cameron & Felicity Werret
VENTURERS: Louise Alexander, Tamsin Chowdry, Ros Crompton, Brad
Foster, Peter Matthews, Freya Proudlock, Joe Smith, Li Vyen Tham,
Michael Toffolo, Lauren Watson
Kindergarten projects usually take three months to complete. However, Alpha 1
achieved this in an impressive three weeks together with the invaluable help of
the community.
Kg Keranaan is a small community in the foothills of Mount Kinabalu which subsists
mainly on tobacco farming and rubber tapping. The village is beautifully
landscaped with well tended gardens and fantastic panoramas.
The kampong has had an active kindergarten for over 20 years but it had outgrown
it. It was imperative to the villagers to secure a larger building to enable
the school to continue to thrive. It was with their full support that the task could be
completed within such a short time frame.
The local community hall was home to Alpha 1 during the project phase enabling
them to be immersed in the Kadazan Dusun way of life. The project was
sponsored by Nestlé and supported by KEMAS, a semi government organisation,
that will ensure that the school will be maintained and staffed long after Raleigh
have gone.

LPHA ALPHA ONE 2 - BATU PUTEH ECO LODGE
PROJECT MANAGERS: Stuart Bardsley, Alex Bareham (Medic), Judy
Parsons (Medic) & Katie Wookey
VENTURERS: Victoria Anthony, Lizzie Bloxham, Spy Couppis, Bex
Coxon, Lauren Ferguson, Ant Lewis, Ross Maguire, Kate Morgan,
Alys Stevens
Alpha 2 set up their environmentally sound jungle camp at Raleigh Pally down on
the banks of the mighty Kinabatangan River in Batu Puteh. They sourced their
water from a spring on the far side of the river and showered nightly by dousing
themselves with buckets of muddy brown river water from a pontoon just below
camp. The team worked with MESCOT, a local Sungai community cooperative,
to complete an ambitious project to build an Eco Lodge on the edge of an oxbow
lake 20 minutes down river from camp. In extreme heat and humidity volunteers
assisted tradesmen with the construction of the stilted A-frame lodges, widened
the jungle boardwalk and laid pathways to the lodge.
It is hoped that when the Eco Lodge opens to paying guests it will generate much
needed revenue for this poor remote community and will raise funds to support
the conservation of the area’s last remaining wetland forests and it’s wildlife. On
that note, during their stay, Alpha 2 had close encounters with proboscis monkeys,
monitor lizards, crocodiles, orang-utans, elephants and lots of mosquitoes!

LPHA ALPHA ONE 3 - KAMPONG TUNGOU GRAVITY WATER FEED SYSTEM
PROJECT MANAGERS: Rachel Jackson & Daniel Twort
VENTURERS: Hasalina Ali, Eleanor Davey, Sarah Dawson, Victoria
Estruch, James Johnson, Ali Mackintosh, Helen Mahoney, Eleanor
Stewart, Patrick Trahair, Sarah Van Praag
The existing water supply at Kg Tungou was sporadic and had low pressure for
homes lower down the valley. Alpha 3 were deployed to install and repair a gravity
water feed system. With four sites to work in, the venturers immersed themselves
in their tasks and finished their project including repairing the dam, installing
new storage tanks and renewing the piping to the community, with time to
spare.
Alpha 3 made the community hall their home and relished blending themselves
fully into village life, The venturers took turns at teaching some lessons in the
primary school and the team also took the locals on at a few games of football.
Alpha 3 proved to be a very social group and supplemented working hard with a
private party or two of their own, as well has being invited to karaoke nights in the
local community.
Sponsors Coca Cola attended the opening ceremony held on August 20th. The
ceremony was presided over by a Ministerial Representative and members of the
Sabah press were also present.

ALPHA 4 - KAMPONG TUDAN GRAVITY WATER FEED SYSTEM
PROJECT MANAGERS: Sara Alfons, Andrew Cottrill & Vicky Vyse
VENTURERS: Lucy Burton, Ed Gilmore, Shanel Hassan, Sarah Lane,
Ben Lumb, Chloe Mercer, David McCretton, Tilly Morgan, Claire Smyth,
Ju Vern See
Alpha 4 were stunned by the beauty of their project site in the Kampong of Tudan.
Situated at 1,400 metres the village is located above the line of jungle vegetation
and therefore enjoys wide open clearings and dramatic panoramas of Mount
Kinabalu. At this altitude it’s slightly cooler and a little less humid which was a
welcome relief to everyone.
Many of the communities in the Ranau district lack any form of water supply and
rely on collecting rainfall or carrying it in drums from distant sources. In under 3
weeks Alpha 4 successfully completed the construction of a gravity water feed
system which will immeasurably improve the day to day life of the local community.
This involved clearing a pathway through the dense undergrowth to the
source which they then dammed using wire cages, rocks and cement. In between
digging foundations, laying endless pipework and installing tanks, Alpha 4
managed to take time out to teach at the local school.
The project was undertaken in partnership with the local parliamentary representative
and was sponsored by Coca Cola.

ALPHA 5 - KAMPONG TOGUDON SCHOOL HOSTEL COMPLETION
PROJECT MANAGERS: Jenna Coull & Max Rees
VENTURERS: Mehnaz Bhatti, Marc Bohnes, Emma Boyd, Niaomi
Browne, Jennifer Cook, Nicola Forecast, William Handley, Nicole Thong,
Lisa Turner
Alpha 5 faced several challenges during their project phase not least transporting
their materials and equipment from the kampong at the top of a hill to their project
site further down a steep path. Project Manager Max Rees described his first impressions
of Kg Togudon: “The primary school is on the cusp of the mountain.
We are so high up that the clouds are frequently beneath us obscuring everything
below, or else they are above us blocking out the sky - sometimes both so that
you can only see a small portion of jungle framed in white. It’s beautiful to sit,
eating out of your mess tins, whilst watching it all unravel.”
During their time in Togudon Alpha 5 completed the school hostel which had been
built on a previous expedition by Raleigh venturers. They added kitchen and
bathroom facilities and constructed steps from the hostel to the school. Previously
some children lived an 8-hour walk away but now that the hostel is finished
the children have a comfortable and safe place to stay during the school week.
This project was sponsored by HSBC and was supported by the PACOS Trust.

FIELD BASE TEAM
THE TEAM
Country Director
Deputy Programme Manager
Administration
Finance
Logistics 1
Logistics 2
Communications
The Best Cook in the World
Jim Clements
Ed Dimmock
Yvette Parkin
Adeeba Siddiqui
Sarah French
Vicky Nutbrown
Joanna Whysall
Lolita Ylaya
The Field Base team worked long and hard to ensure a safe and successful expedition.
Logs were busy ordering and collecting, among other things, 200kg of rice, 800 packets of noodles, 500 tins
of beef curry, 700 toilet rolls and 60 spades, shovels and pickaxes. Admin organised venturers and PMs into
groups and ensured all relevant paperwork was smoothly managed. Finance managed the costs and the bills
as well as running the shop and post office for the expedition. Comms worked on the expedition blog and end
of exped pack. The medics took care of all the medical kits and any sick venturers. The programme was put
together, tested and run by the deputy programme manager. The expedition, including safety training and
country and project briefings, was overseen by the country director.
All of fieldbase also manned the radios 24 hours a day.

RALEIGH BORNEO 08G…..
“It’s amazing that you can make such great friends in a week.”
Rebecca Coxon
“I have learnt to enjoy life without material things.“
Lizzie Bloxham
“Majestic”
Max Rees, Project Manager
“Exhausting but enjoyable!”
Will Handley
“Type 2 fun rocks.”
Katie Wookey, Project Manager

…..OVER….
“Like it. Like it a lot”
“Off road!!”
“It’s all about the development”
“Splendid and tremendous”
“Life changing”
“Ruddy brilliant”
“Absolutely awesome”
“Record breaking”
“Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t!”

Raleigh Borneo
PO Box 14182
88848 Kota Kinabalu
Sabah, Malaysia
Telephone +60 (0)88 712 134
Fax +60 (0)88 713 803
Email: raleigh@streamyx.com
www.raleighinternational.org
Raleigh Head Office
Third Floor, 207 Waterloo Road
London SE1 8XD
United Kingdom
Telephone +44 (0)20 7183 1270
Fax +44 (0) 20 7504 8094
Email: info@raleigh.org.uk